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What you need to know for tonight’s NBA slate

by Jim McCormick and Kyle Soppe

Bobby Buckets: Bobby Portis has a DFS price tag that sandwiches him between big names like Deandre Ayton and Andre Drummond and it makes sense. It could also result in a suppressed roster percentage tonight against a Bulls team that has seen their defensive efficiency dip and rebound rate fall off a cliff over the past three weeks. Portis has at least eight boards in seven of his past eight games and has totaled 42 points and 16 rebounds in 49 minutes so far this month. Could Milwaukee rely on him more down the stretch as they prepare for another deep playoff run? That’d be nice, but it’s not mandated at this price tag. There is far more upside than downside in Portis tonight.

Tre Day: The Spurs won’t have Dejounte Murray in the lineup against the Thunder this evening, which means second-year guard Tre Jones (99% available) is set to start his third straight game. Jones delivered 18 points and 14 combined rebounds and assists in a win over the Trail Blazers last weekend, evidence he can thrive against a shallow Denver backcourt this evening.

More Mo: Filling in for Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley is a tall task for any frontcourt, but Cleveland unearthed a productive option in Moses Brown (94% available). Facing Joel Embiid over the weekend, Brown pulled a dozen boards and has collected 47 rebounds over his past four games. Brown is a double-double threat facing an Orlando team allowing nearly 47 DraftKings points to centers over the past 15 games, the ninth-highest rate in the NBA over this stretch. For those in truly deep formats, Moritz Wagner (98%) produced 18 points and nine rebounds his last time out.

The Alps: The Rockets are leaning on their youth movement down the stretch. Productive vets Christian Wood and Dennis Schroder are sidelined for tonight’s matchup with Brooklyn, positioning Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr. with heaps of creation equity. Beyond the backcourt, we find rookie center Alperen Sengun (82% available) positioned to produce as the primary post playmaker for the Rockets. Last time out, Sengun tallied 14 points, 15 rebounds, and four dimes, evidence he can thrive against a Brooklyn team that still lacks proven interior defense.

Hyphenated Hype: While bad teams often give young players heavy minutes during this time of the season, there are also scenarios where steady vets see a surge in production. Such is the case for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (75% available). With Kyle Kuzma still sidelined, Caldwell-Pope has scored at least 17 points in five straight games and has averaged 23.8 points on stellar percentages over that span. Next up is a meeting with a Timberwolves defense allowing nearly 43 DraftKings PPG to small forwards over the past 15 games.

Memphis Deep: With Ja Morant out and Dillon Brooks is listed as doubtful, Tyus Jones (90% available) can help fantasy rosters. He netted 25 points and 11 combined assists and rebounds against the Spurs last Wednesday. De’Anthony Melton (82%) also should see more minutes with Brooks ailing. He sits second in the league made 3-pointers over the past five games behind only Jalen Green.

Game of the Night

Milwaukee Bucks at Chicago Bulls
8 p.m. ET, United Center o Chicago, IL

Line: Bucks (-4.5)
Moneyline: Bucks (-190), Bulls (+160)
Total: 234 points
BPI Projected Total: 219.5 points
BPI Win%: Bucks (58.9%)

Key players ruled out: none

Notable: The Bulls are just 5-13 in their past 18 games against the spread.

Best bet: Bucks -4.5. The Bucks are just too big for the Bulls, especially with the Bulls starting DeMar DeRozan at power forward against Giannis Antetokounmpo. The way these two teams have played of late favors the Bucks. The Bulls have lost seven of their last 11 games with a -7.5 point scoring margin, while the Bucks have won 11 of their last 14 games (+5.6 point margin) that Giannis has played. — Andre Snellings

Breaking down the rest of the slate

Philadelphia 76ers at Indiana Pacers
7 p.m. ET, Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN

Line: 76ers (-12.5)
Moneyline: 76ers (-800), Pacers (+550)
Total: 231points
BPI Projected Total: 233 points
BPI Win%: 76ers (69.9%)

Key players ruled out: Chris Duarte

Joel Embiid continues to make his case for the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award. David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images

Notable: After a stretch where four of five games went under the total, each of Indiana’s past four games have gone over Vegas’ projection.

Cleveland Cavaliers at Orlando Magic
7 p.m. ET, Amway Center, Orlando, FL

Line: Cavaliers (-8.5)
Moneyline: Cavaliers (-360), Magic (+285)
Total: 214.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 215.5 points
BPI Win%: Cavaliers (63.9%)

Key players ruled out: Evan Mobley, Wendell Carter Jr., Cole Anthony

Notable: The Cavs have covered consecutive games on the heels of dropping four straight ATS.

Houston Rockets at Brooklyn Nets
7:30 p.m. ET, Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY

Line: Nets (-17.5)
Moneyline: Nets (-2800), Rockets (+1200)
Total: 243.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 232.5 points
BPI Win%: Nets (82.5%)

Notable: The Nets have failed to cover four straight and have seen four under tickets chase in their past five games.

Key players ruled out: Seth Curry, Goran Dragic

Best bet: Jalen Green over 23.5 points. Green is ending his rookie season at a sprint. In his last six games, he has averaged 29.0 PPG (48.4 FG%, 80.8 FT%, 45.8 3P%). He’s scored at least 30 points in four straight, and will be facing a weak Nets defense that ranks 20th in the NBA in defensive rating and plays with the 11th-fastest pace. — Snellings

Charlotte Hornets at Miami Heat
7 p.m. ET, FTX Arena, Miami, FL

Line: Heat (-5.5)
Moneyline: Heat (-230), Hornets (+190)
Total: 226.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 226 points
BPI Win%: Heat (58.9%)

Key players ruled out: none

Atlanta Hawks at Toronto Raptors
7:30 p.m. ET, Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON, CA

Line: Raptors (-4)
Moneyline: Raptors (-180), Hawks (+155)
Total: 226 points
BPI Projected Total: 224 points
BPI Win%: Raptors (59.6%)

Key players ruled out: John Collins

Notable: The Raptors are looking to avoid consecutive ATS losses for the first time in nearly a month (March 4-6).

Best bet: Scottie Barnes over 27.5 points+ assists + rebounds. OG Anunoby is questionable due to a quad injury. Regardless, Barnes will play a significant role for the Raptors. In the last six games, he’s averaged 16 PPG, 5.0 APG, and 6.0 RPG. The Hawks are 26th in points allowed per 100 possessions. Barnes is in a great position to surpass his per game averages during that time period. — Moody

Fantasy streamer: De’Andre Hunter. Hunter has been a steady producer for the Hawks this season. Over the last 14 games, he’s averaged 14.3 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 2.6 APG and 1.0 SPG in 30.2 MPG. Hunter is available in 87% of ESPN leagues. Danilo Gallinari (knee) and Bogdan Bogdanovic (knee) are both questionable, so Hunter might see additional minutes. — Moody

Washington Wizards at Minnesota Timberwolves
8 p.m. ET, Target Center, Minneapolis, MN

Line: Timberwolves (-11.5)
Moneyline: Timberwolves (-700), Wizards (+475)
Total: 234 points
BPI Projected Total: 240 points
BPI Win%: Timberwolves (76.8%)

Key players ruled out: Kyle Kuzma, Jaden McDaniels

Notable: Three straight Washington games have gone over the total, this coming after four of five went under.

Portland Trail Blazers at Oklahoma City Thunder
8 p.m. ET, Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK

Line: Thunder (-3.5)
Moneyline: Thunder (-160), Blazers (+140)
Total: 223.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 224.5 points
BPI Win%: Thunder (72.1%)

Key players ruled out: Josh Hart, Anfernee Simons, Tre Mann

Notable: Don’t look now, but the Thunder are 8-2 ATS over their past 10 games.

Fantasy streamer: Theo Maledon. On Tuesday night, Tre Mann will miss his fifth consecutive game due to a right hamstring injury. This means Maledon will continue to see extensive playing time. He has averaged 16 points, 5.0 assists and 6.0 rebounds per 40 minutes this season, and is available in 95% of ESPN leagues. — Moody

San Antonio Spurs at Denver Nuggets
9 p.m. ET, Ball Arena, Denver, CO

Line: Nuggets (-6.5)
Moneyline: Nuggets (-240), Spurs (+200)
Total: 234.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 223.5 points
BPI Win%: Nuggets (79.6%)

Key players ruled out: Dejounte Murray

Notable: The Spurs continue to overachieve down the stretch: 6-1 ATS in their past seven contests.

Fantasy streamer: Tre Jones. In his second start in place of Dejounte Murray on Sunday, Jones finished with 18 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and one steal in 34 minutes. Murray is ill and will not play against the Nuggets on Tuesday night. Jones is available in 99.5% of ESPN leagues. — Moody

Memphis Grizzlies at Utah Jazz
9 p.m. ET, Vivint Smart Home Arena, Salt Lake City

Line: Jazz (-5)
Moneyline: Jazz (-210), Grizzlies (+175)
Total: 221.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 222 points
BPI Win%: Jazz (63.4%)

Key players ruled out: Ja Morant

Notable: The Jazz have dropped seven straight ATS (but only one of those games came in front of their home crowd).

New Orleans Pelicans at Sacramento Kings
9 p.m. ET, Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA

Line: Pelicans (-8)
Moneyline: Pelicans (-360), Kings (+300)
Total: 225.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 225 points
BPI Win%: Pelicans (65.7%)

Key players ruled out: De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis

Notable: The Kings have seen seven of their past nine games go over the total.

Fantasy streamer: Davion Mitchell. Mitchell continues to be a great streamer in his absence of De’Aaron Fox, who is out again with a hand injury. Over the last seven games, Mitchell has averaged 20 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 9.0 APG and 1.0 SPG in 41 MPG. Mitchell is available in 55% of ESPN leagues. — Moody

Los Angeles Lakers at Phoenix Suns
10:30 p.m. ET, Footprint Center, Phoenix, AZ

Line: Suns (-11.5)
Moneyline: Suns (-715), Lakers (+510)
Total: 231.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 219 points
BPI Win%: Suns (85.5%)

Key players ruled out: none

Notable: The Lakers are 1-3 ATS in their past four with the over coming through in three of those four games.

Analytics Edge

BPI highest projected totals

1. Minnesota Timberwolves (124.8 points)
2. Brooklyn Nets (121.7 points)
3. Philadelphia 76ers (119.7 points)

BPI lowest projected totals

1. Los Angeles Lakers (103.5 points)
2. Orlando Magic (105.9 points)
3. San Antonio Spurs (107 points)

BPI top probability to win (straight up)

1. Phoenix Suns (86.2%)
2. Brooklyn Nets (82.5%)
3. Denver Nuggets (80.1%)

Read More

Gene Shue, a two-time NBA Coach of the Year who won 784 games with the Bullets, 76ers and Clippers, has died. He was 90.

A five-time All-Star as a player for the Pistons, Shue went on to coach for more than two decades. He took the Baltimore Bullets to the NBA Finals in 1971, then did the same with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1977. He is still the record holder for the Washington-Baltimore franchise with 522 victories.

The Wizards and the NBA announced Shue’s death Monday.

“Gene dedicated his life to the game and left an indelible mark as a player, head coach and executive,” the league said.

Shue played collegiately at Maryland, where he was named the top player at the Southern Conference Tournament in 1953, then earned All-ACC honors the following year after the Terrapins joined that league. He was taken with the No. 3 pick in the 1954 draft by the Philadelphia Warriors.

His five All-Star selections came as a member of the Detroit Pistons, and he played a decade in the NBA before transitioning to coaching. He took over the Bullets in 1966, and he was named Coach of the Year in 1968-69 when the team went 57-25. In 1971, Baltimore reached the Finals before losing to Milwaukee.

“We are saddened by the passing of former Bullets head coach Gene Shue, a Baltimore native and the winningest coach in franchise history,” the Wizards said.

Shue resigned after the 1972-73 season, then took over the 76ers. Philadelphia reached the Finals in 1977 but lost in six games to Portland.

Shue was fired by the 76ers early the following season and ended up with the San Diego Clippers from 1978-80. When the NBA adopted the 3-pointer in the 1979-80 season, the Clippers led the league in both attempts and field goals from long distance.

Shue’s second stint with the Bullets began in 1980, and he took them to the playoffs three more times before being fired in March 1986. His second Coach of the Year award came in 1982.

He went back to the Clippers for his final coaching stop, then became general manager of the 76ers in 1990 and served until 1992.

Shue was inducted into University of Maryland’s Hall of Fame in 1991.

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Gene Shue, a two-time NBA Coach of the Year who won 784 games with the Bullets, 76ers and Clippers, has died. He was 90.

A five-time All-Star as a player for the Pistons, Shue went on to coach for more than two decades. He took the Baltimore Bullets to the NBA Finals in 1971, then did the same with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1977. He is still the record holder for the Washington-Baltimore franchise with 522 victories.

The Wizards and the NBA announced Shue’s death Monday.

“Gene dedicated his life to the game and left an indelible mark as a player, head coach and executive,” the league said.

Shue played collegiately at Maryland, where he was named the top player at the Southern Conference Tournament in 1953, then earned All-ACC honors the following year after the Terrapins joined that league. He was taken with the No. 3 pick in the 1954 draft by the Philadelphia Warriors.

His five All-Star selections came as a member of the Detroit Pistons, and he played a decade in the NBA before transitioning to coaching. He took over the Bullets in 1966, and he was named Coach of the Year in 1968-69 when the team went 57-25. In 1971, Baltimore reached the Finals before losing to Milwaukee.

“We are saddened by the passing of former Bullets head coach Gene Shue, a Baltimore native and the winningest coach in franchise history,” the Wizards said.

Shue resigned after the 1972-73 season, then took over the 76ers. Philadelphia reached the Finals in 1977 but lost in six games to Portland.

Shue was fired by the 76ers early the following season and ended up with the San Diego Clippers from 1978-80. When the NBA adopted the 3-pointer in the 1979-80 season, the Clippers led the league in both attempts and field goals from long distance.

Shue’s second stint with the Bullets began in 1980, and he took them to the playoffs three more times before being fired in March 1986. His second Coach of the Year award came in 1982.

He went back to the Clippers for his final coaching stop, then became general manager of the 76ers in 1990 and served until 1992.

Shue was inducted into University of Maryland’s Hall of Fame in 1991.

Read More

The Chicago Blackhawks were very active at the NHL’s trade deadline this year. They traded guys like Marc-Andre Fleury, Brandon Hagel, and Ryan Carpenter during that week leading up to the final minute and received some pretty good assets in return.

They also might have tipped off the fact that they are thinking about trading one of Jonathan Toews or Patrick Kane this summer. You have to know the rules in depth to see how and it starts with salary retention.

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With just four games to go in the 2021-2022 regular season, the Chicago Bulls have yet to clinch anything more than just a spot in the play-in tournament.

However, with the way the season began, getting stuck in the play-in tournament would be a monumental letdown. The Bulls want and deserve more than that, at this point.

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As the NBA’s 2021-22 regular season draws to a conclusion on April 10, teams near the middle of the standings are battling for postseason seeding with a special focus on the league’s play-in tournament.

Held before the first round of the 2022 NBA playoffs, the play-in tournament adds an exciting wrinkle to the end of the regular season. Teams were already less incentivized to tank games down the stretch because of the flattened lottery odds instituted in 2019. Now that the top 10 teams in the standings will finish the regular season with at least a chance to make the playoffs, more franchises will stay in the mix for longer.

The play-in tournament will be held April 12-15.

Here’s everything you need to know about the setup this season.

MORE: Current NBA standings

How the play-in race is shaping up

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Entering Tuesday, here’s how the play-in standings look in the East:

5. Chicago Bulls: 45-33, 2.5 games ahead of 7th
6. Toronto Raptors: 45-33, 2.5 GA
—
7. Cleveland Cavaliers: 43-36, 1.5 games ahead of 8th
8. Atlanta Hawks, 41-37, 1.5 GB
9. Charlotte Hornets: 40-38, 2.5 GB
10. Brooklyn Nets, 40-38, 2.5 GB

All the teams below Brooklyn in the Eastern Conference (Washington, New York, Indiana, Detroit, Orlando) have officially been eliminated from play-in contention. Additionally, Charlotte and Brooklyn have been eliminated from contention for sixth place, meaning the Hornets and Nets will be in the play-in round. The Cavs and Hawks can get up to sixth and avoid the play-in round.

Here’s how the play-in games would look if the season ended today:

No. 8 Hawks at No. 7 Cavaliers

No. 10 Nets at No. 9 Hornets

Here are Tuesday’s games with the potential to impact the play-in standings in the East:

Cavaliers at Magic, 7 p.m. ET

Rockets at Nets, 7:30 p.m. ET

Hornets at Heat, 7:30 p.m. ET

Hawks at Raptors, 7:30 p.m. ET

Bucks at Bulls, 8 p.m. ET on ESPN

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Entering Tuesday, here’s how the play-in standings look in the West:

5. Denver Nuggets: 47-32, 2 games ahead of 7th
6. Utah Jazz: 46-32, 1.5 GA
—
7. Minnesota Timberwolves: 45-34, 6 games ahead of 8th
8. LA Clippers: 39-40, 4.5 games ahead of 9th
9. New Orleans Pelicans: 34-44, 3 games ahead of 11th
10. San Antonio Spurs: 33-45, 2 games ahead of 11th
—
11. Los Angeles Lakers: 31-47, 2 GB

The four teams below the Los Angeles Lakers in the standings (Sacramento, Portland, Oklahoma City, Houston) have been eliminated from play-in contention. The Timberwolves can finish no worse than seventh, while the Clippers are locked into the eighth seed. The Spurs hold the tiebreaker over the Lakers, meaning the Lakers must finish ahead of San Antonio to make the play-in tournament.

Here’s how the play-in games would look if the season ended today:

No. 8 Clippers at No. 7 Timberwolves

No. 10 Spurs at No. 9 Pelicans

Here are the games Tuesday with the potential to impact the play-in standings in the West:

Wizards at Timberwolves, 8 p.m. ET

Spurs at Nuggets, 9 p.m. ET

Grizzlies at Jazz, 9 p.m. ET

Pelicans at Kings, 10 p.m. ET

Lakers at Suns, 10:30 p.m. ET

MORE: Full NBA schedule

How does the NBA play-in tournament work?

There will be six total games involving eight teams as part of the play-in tournament, split up between the two conferences.

2 Related

The teams that finish Nos. 1-6 in each conference will be guaranteed playoff spots, while team Nos. 7-10 in the standings will enter the play-in. Any team that finishes worse than No. 10 will be in the lottery.

Here’s how the games will work:

Game 1: The No. 7 team in the standings by winning percentage will host the No. 8 team, with the winner earning the No. 7 seed in the playoffs. The losing team gets another chance in Game 3.

Game 2: The No. 9 team will host the No. 10 team, with the winner moving on to Game 3. The loser is eliminated and enters the NBA draft lottery.

Game 3: The loser of the No. 7 vs. No. 8 matchup will host the winner of the No. 9 vs. No. 10 matchup, with the victor grabbing the No. 8 seed in the postseason. The loser of Game 3 also enters the lottery.

This means that the teams with the seventh-highest and eighth-highest winning percentages will have two opportunities to win one game to earn a playoff spot, while the teams with the ninth-highest and 10th-highest winning percentages need to win two straight games to advance.

What’s next after the play-in?

Once the play-in winners, seeded No. 7 and No. 8 from each conference advance, the 2022 NBA playoffs will begin on April 16. Game 1 of the NBA Finals is June 2.

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Could the NBA regular season’s final week decide the 2022 MVP?

While Denver Nuggets center and reigning MVP Nikola Jokic has the inside track at the award, both he and Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid have plenty to play for down the stretch. (The Nuggets can still capture home-court advantage in the Western Conference’s first round, while the 76ers are in a four-team battle for the Eastern Conference’s No. 1 seed.)

Jokic and Embiid have been spectacular, but plenty of other stars have proven themselves worthy of entering the conversation throughout the 2021-22 season.

Milwaukee Bucks big man and two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo navigated numerous injuries to key role players to keep the defending champs within striking distance of the East’s best record. Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker has been the best player on the NBA’s best team. Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant has been the face of the league’s most surprising contender. Luka Doncic and Jayson Tatum have sparked massive second-half turnarounds for the Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics, respectively.

Let’s run through the players deserving of some MVP love, including the front-runners, the long shots and early-season — but not forgotten — favorites.

Note: MVP odds courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook.

THE ELITE BIG MEN TRIO

Stats: 26.8 PPG | 13.7 RPG | 8.0 APG | 58.3 FG%
MVP odds: -300
Team record: 47-32 (fifth in West)

Case for MVP

Nikola Jokic’s MVP flex is more muscular than The Rock. The reigning award winner is averaging 26.8 points, 13.7 rebounds and 8.0 assists while shooting 58.3% from the field. No one in NBA history has ever averaged 25-13-7 in a season. Even without the injured Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr., Jokic leads the league in triple-doubles (19), second most by a center in history behind only Wilt Chamberlain.

Jokic ranks top 10 in points, rebounds and assists per game and field goal percentage — something no player has done in a season over the past 50 years. Jokic has recorded nearly 1,000 more touches and over 600 more passes than any other player in the entire league. And for the analytics fans, Jokic was clearly ahead of Embiid and Antetokounmpo in four of five analytic metrics entering Saturday, ranking first in Real-Plus Minus, RAPTOR (highest since player tracking began in 2013-14), Box Plus-Minus and LEBRON.

And Jokic has a 32.96 Player Efficiency Rating (PER) this season, the highest single-season mark in NBA history.

MVP moment

Yes, there is the game Jokic beat Embiid and the Sixers in Philadelphia on March 14. But one game above all delivered the full Joker experience.

On Jan. 19 in Denver, Jokic delivered a triple-double of 49 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists to go with three steals in an overtime win over the Clippers. He made 16 of 25 shots, scored 11 points in overtime but won the game doing what he does best: finding open teammates with unparalleled touch and vision for a big man.

Double-teamed on the right wing, Jokic threw a pass over two defenders across the court to an open Aaron Gordon in the left corner for a winning 3.

— Ohm Youngmisuk

Stats: 30.2 PPG | 11.6 RPG | 4.2 APG | 1.5 BPG
MVP odds: +270
Team record: 48-30 (fourth in East)

Case for MVP

Embiid has been one of the premier big men in the NBA for years, but he has put it all together in 2021-22. The one lingering question about him was his durability, but other than a stretch he sat out due to COVID-19 in December, he has missed only four games.

Embiid held Philadelphia together throughout the drama of the Ben Simmons saga before Simmons was dealt for James Harden. Oh, and he’s averaging more than 30 points, 11 rebounds and four assists while being the league’s most unstoppable inside scoring threat.

MVP moment

Embiid has gotten better as the season has gone along, averaging over 30 points in January, February and March. His consistency in both availability and performance has been the metronome that has kept a tumultuous season on track in Philadelphia.

But if there was one game to point to from this season that has defined Embiid’s dominance, it would be his 42 points, 14 rebounds and five assists in Philadelphia’s final game before the All-Star break: a 123-120 road victory over Antetokounmpo and the Bucks while Philadelphia was still waiting for Harden to make his team debut.

— Tim Bontemps

Stats: 30.1 PPG | 11.6 RPG | 5.8 APG | 1.4 BPG
MVP odds: +600
Team record: 48-30 (third in East)

Case for MVP

A Defensive Player of the Year candidate and one of the three players in a virtual deadlock vying for the scoring title, Antetokounmpo’s case to win his third MVP has only gotten stronger as the season has gone on.

When the Bucks were missing starting center Brook Lopez for almost the entire year, Antetokounmpo slid over and played the five more frequently. When Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday began the season slowed by injuries, Antetokounmpo became the team’s primary playmaker. Despite a lineup in flux all season, Milwaukee finds itself competing for the East’s No. 1 seed as the season winds down. Antetokounmpo is the driving force behind it all.

MVP moment

Consider how Antetokounmpo asserted his dominance in back-to-back road games against top East contenders last week. In Philadelphia on Tuesday, he put up 40 points, 14 rebounds, six assists and three blocks, including the game-saving swat to deny Embiid a layup that would have tied the game in the final seconds.

Antetokounmpo followed that up in Brooklyn on Thursday with 44 points, 14 rebounds, six assists, a step-back 3-pointer to send the game into overtime and the winning free throws to seal the victory in the extra frame.

— Jamal Collier

WORTHY CHALLENGERS

Stats: 26.6 PPG | 5.0 RPG | 4.9 APG | 37.7 3P%
MVP odds: +6000
Team record: 62-16 (first in West)

Case for MVP

The Suns are far and away the NBA’s best team, and Booker firmly established himself as their top player with his performance during the absence of backcourt-mate Chris Paul.

Booker averaged 28.2 PPG and 7.0 APG on near 50-40-90 shooting as Phoenix went 11-4 without Paul. Booker has also excelled at a position less conducive to putting up big stats than the point guards and centers elsewhere in the MVP race. Because I have Donovan Mitchell playing more minutes at point guard, Booker easily leads all shooting guards in my wins above replacement player (WARP) metric this season.

MVP moment

In Paul’s return to the lineup, Booker made his MVP case against the reigning winner and presumptive favorite in Jokic. Booker went off for a season-high 49 points on March 24 in Denver, adding 10 assists for his fifth double-double of the season as the Suns came from behind to beat the Nuggets.

Booker had 19 points in the third quarter and made a season-high 15 free throws in addition to shooting 16-of-25 from the field. According to Basketball-Reference.com’s game score, the performance was Booker’s second best of his career, trailing only his 70-point outing in 2017.

— Kevin Pelton

Stats: 28.3 PPG | 9.1 RPG | 8.7 APG | 35.3 3P%
MVP odds: +10000
Team record: 49-30 (fourth in West)

Case for MVP

Can we ignore the 2021 portion of the season? Doncic put up impressive individual numbers in the first couple months of the season, but he was subpar by his standards while playing his way into shape and dealing with recurrent right ankle sprains. He has performed at an MVP level since sitting out the last three weeks of December, averaging 29.7 points, 9.7 rebounds and 8.8 assists to lead the Mavs to the league’s fourth-best record (32-12) since Jan. 1.

Doncic has had some of his most dominant performances in wins over other MVP candidates, including a 33-point, 13-rebound, 15-assist outing against Embiid’s 76ers and a 32-point, 8-rebound, 15-assist game against Antetokounmpo’s Bucks.

MVP moment

When the Mavs dealt Kristaps Porzingis to the Washington Wizards at the Feb. 10 trade deadline, making it clear they’d be a one-star team for at least the remainder of the season, Doncic responded with a career-high 51 points in a win over the Clippers that night.

Spencer Dinwiddie has established himself as a phenomenal clutch sidekick since arriving in that deal, and Doncic has been dominant, averaging 32.3 points with an effective field goal percentage of 52.7 as the Mavs have surged to fourth place in the West standings.

— Tim MacMahon

Stats: 27.6 PPG | 5.7 RPG | 6.7 APG | 34.0 3P%
MVP odds: +15000
Team record: 55-23 (second in West)

Case for MVP

Morant is the high-flying face of the franchise for a fun, young team that has the NBA’s second-best record. He’s an acrobat who attacks relentlessly, leading the league in points in the paint (16.8 per game) despite his size (6-foot-3, 174 pounds).

He’s also a basketball savant who excels at setting up his teammates, averaging 6.7 assists per game. The Grizzlies’ success without Morant is a testament to their talent and depth, as well as some fortunate scheduling, but it is difficult to make a case that a player is the most valuable in the league when his team is 20-2 without him.

MVP moment

Morant soared into the MVP conversation when he averaged 26.7 points on 50.5% shooting during the Grizzlies’ 11-game winning streak in December and January. That run was highlighted by a road win in Phoenix, when Morant capped a 33-point performance by contorting his body in traffic to hit the winning shot in the final second.

But Morant’s most impressive stretch of the season? That had to be when he broke the Grizzlies’ regular-season scoring record in consecutive wins, following up a 46-point performance against the Bulls by scoring 52 on the Spurs.

— MacMahon

Stats: 27.0 PPG | 8.0 RPG | 4.4 APG | 35.1 3P%
MVP odds: +25000
Team record: 49-30 (second in East)

Case for MVP

Tatum’s season has mirrored his team’s second-half rise. Early on, Tatum couldn’t buy a bucket, shooting 41% from the field and 31% from 3-point range with some rotten shooting luck, as Boston scuffled to a .500 record through late January.

But since the Celtics took off at that point, Tatum has averaged almost 30 points while shooting over 50% from the field, 40% from 3-point range and just under 90% from the free throw line, making a credible case he has been the league’s best player on what has been the league’s best team for close to half the season.

MVP moment

Tatum’s superlative performance against the Nets on March 6 was not only the standout game of his season, but it sits among the best games from any player in 2021-22. Tatum’s 54 points in 41 minutes — while often guarding Kevin Durant — as he finished as a plus-12 in the Celtics’ 126-120 victory in Boston was a reminder of Tatum’s ceiling and how essential he has been to Boston’s remarkable turnaround.

— Bontemps

Stats: 28.0 PPG | 5.3 RPG | 5.0 APG | 50.3 FG%
MVP odds: +25000
Team record: 45-33 (fifth in East)

Case for MVP

The biggest reason the Bulls find themselves on the verge of their first playoff appearance since the 2016-17 season: the addition of DeRozan, an offseason signing that was maligned at the time but has turned into one of the most impactful.

At 32, DeRozan has put together a career year in his first season in Chicago, averaging 28.0 points per game (a career high and seventh in the NBA), 5.0 assists and 5.3 rebounds on 50.3% shooting. He had Chicago sitting near the top of the conference for most of the season’s first five months because of dominance in the clutch and stretches of brilliance, such as an eight-game streak in February when he scored 35 points and shot better than 50% from the field each night, the first player with such a run since Wilt Chamberlain in 1963.

MVP moment

DeRozan became the first player in NBA history to hit a winning buzzer-beater on back-to-back days, knocking down go-ahead 3-pointers on the road against the Pacers on New Year’s Eve and Wizards on New Year’s Day.

Those performances were memorable, but they also underscored DeRozan’s dominance in the clutch all season. No player in the NBA has scored more points (157) in clutch time — the last five minutes of a fourth quarter or overtime with the score within five points — and DeRozan’s shooting splits (53.5 FG%, 50.0 3P%, 88.7 FT%) actually improve compared to his per-game averages (50.3, 35.5, 87.7).

— Collier

EARLY SUPERSTAR CONTENDERS

Stats: 25.5 PPG | 5.2 RPG | 6.3 APG | 38.0 3P%
MVP odds: +25000
Team record: 50-29 (third in West)

Case for MVP

Stephen Curry has been the Warriors’ most valuable player for, well, the past 10 years. And after finishing third in voting for the award in 2020-21, he has displayed yet again why he is so important to the team this season. Most recently, his value has become evident because of how the Warriors have played without him as he deals with a foot injury heading into the playoffs. The Warriors are 3-10 without him this season.

MVP moment

Curry started this season on a tear, propelling himself atop the early MVP conversation as he launched his way to the all-time record for career 3-pointers. Through the Warriors’ first 15 games, Curry led the league in scoring, averaging 29.5 points per game with four 40-point performances, including a 50-point game against the Hawks on Nov. 8.

That night, Curry went 14-for-28 from the field and 9-of-19 from 3, hit all 13 of his free throws and dished out 10 assists. His strong start propelled the Warriors’ to the top of the standings and inserted the former dynasty back into serious title contention.

— Kendra Andrews

Stats: 30.1 PPG | 7.3 RPG | 6.1 APG | 39.3 3P%
MVP odds: +25000
Team record: 40-38 (10th in East)

Case for MVP

Durant is the key to everything the Nets organization wants to accomplish. When it doesn’t have him on the floor, Brooklyn looks lost — as evidenced by Brooklyn’s 5-17 record when Durant missed a month and a half because of a sprained MCL. Since returning March 3, Durant is averaging 30.2 points per game and has helped stabilize a soap-opera season that is headed for the play-in tournament.

MVP moment

Durant’s brilliance has always been in his consistency, but if one moment shined through, it might be the 34-point, 13-rebound, 11-assist performance in 48 minutes as he carried his COVID-19-ravaged team during a 131-129 overtime win over the Raptors on Dec. 14. That came two nights after he dropped 51 in a win over the Pistons.

— Nick Friedell

Stats: 30.3 PPG | 8.2 RPG | 6.2 APG | 52.4 FG%
MVP odds: +50000
Team record: 31-47 (11th in West)

Case for MVP

James has had the most dominant season for a 37-year-old in NBA history. He’s on track to capture the scoring title by averaging 30.3 points per game — the second scoring crown of his career a mere 14 years after his first one — and has racked up six triple-doubles. He won’t add a fifth MVP to his collection, as ESPN’s recent poll of potential voters had him receiving only a smattering of votes. But his season was remarkable. “He is as deserving for MVP consideration as anybody in the league,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said. “You can’t tell me that anybody has played a better season than LeBron James has this year.”

MVP moment

James hit the 50-point plateau twice in a seven-day stretch in early March, dropping 56 points on 19-for-31 shooting in a win over the Warriors and hitting 50 on 18-for-25 shooting while beating the Wizards a week later. Those two wins were surrounded by nine Lakers losses before, in between and after. In other words, without James going into superhero mode, the Lakers didn’t have a prayer. Preceding it was a 23-game run in which James scored 25 points or more, the longest such streak of his 19-year career.

— Dave McMenamin

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The Chicago White Sox and right-hander Johnny Cueto are in agreement on a minor league contract.

The deal is worth up to $4.2 million, prorated for days spent in the big leagues, a source told ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

Cueto, 36, started 21 games for the San Francisco Giants last season and went 7-7 with a 4.08 ERA in what was a resurgent campaign for the two-time All-Star.

The righty fills an immediate need for the White Sox, who recently lost starter Lance Lynn for more than a month due to a knee injury.

Cueto holds a career ERA of 3.45 across 14 seasons in the majors.

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The NBA on Monday fined Cleveland Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff $15,000 after he was highly critical of the officiating in Sunday night’s 112-108 home loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.

“That game was taken from us,” Bickerstaff said Sunday night. “We deserved to win it.”

Bickerstaff was upset with what he thought was a major discrepancy in fouls. Cleveland was called for 28 to Philadelphia’s 19 in a physical game with playoff-level intensity. The Sixers’ Joel Embiid alone made 21 trips to the free throw line amid his 44-point performance.

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“The one thing you can’t defend is the free throw line, and that’s absurd,” Bickerstaff said, referring to the Sixers’ 42 attempted foul shots (35 of which they made). “Our guys deserved way better than they got tonight.”

Of Philly All-Stars Embiid and James Harden, Bickerstaff said: “They’re great players, and they understand how to play through the rules. They know how to manipulate the rules. This is no knock or disrespect to those guys. But the game has to be consistent on both ends of the floor. We were searching for that consistency, and we never found it.”

Cleveland was within 107-106 when Bickerstaff felt Darius Garland drew contact from Embiid while missing an off-balance layup with 15.2 seconds left.

“Darius was fouled,” Bickerstaff said. “He did his job and got to a spot and got fouled. No whistle.”

On the two-minute report released Monday, the league agreed with Bickerstaff and said Embiid should have been called for a foul.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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