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The XFL makes its triumphant return this weekend with several intriguing matchups, including one between the Seattle Sea Dragons and the D.C. Defenders from Audi Field in Washington, D.C. The Sea Dragons and Defenders have been picked by many experts to be two of the top three teams in the league. Both have solid quarterbacks in Ben DiNucci for Seattle and Jordan Ta’amu for D.C., and both have top-notch coaches in the Sea Dragons’ Jim Haslett and D.C’s Reggie Barlow. Seattle also has one of the better offensive coordinators in the game in June Jones, a former NFL head coach himself.

Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET. The Defenders beat the Sea Dragons 31-19 during the 2020 Covid-shortened season. Seattle is a 2-point favorite in the latest Defenders vs. Sea Dragons odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is set at 38. Before making any Sea Dragons vs. Defenders picks or XFL predictions of your own, you need to see what pro football expert R.J. White has to say.

White, a Fantasy and gambling editor for CBS Sports, consistently crushes against-the-spread picks and went 535-450-30 on his ATS picks from 2017-22, which returned more than $3,500 to $100 players. He also closed the NFL season on an incredible 107-80-6 on his last 193 against-the-spread and total NFL picks during the 2022 NFL season, returning more than $1,800 for $100 bettors.

White has crushed not only the NFL but also the XFL during its abbreviated 2020 season, going 16-4 on XFL ATS picks before the league suspended operations. Anyone who has followed him is way up.

Now, he has locked in on Sea Dragons vs. Defenders and released a confident against-the-spread pick that is available only at SportsLine. Here are the XFL lines and trends for Defenders vs. Sea Dragons:

Defenders vs. Sea Dragons spread: Sea Dragons -2
Defenders vs. Sea Dragons over/under: 38 points
Defenders vs. Sea Dragons money line: Seattle -135, D.C. +115
SEA: The Sea Dragons had a minus-3 touchdown deficit in 2020
DC: The Defenders were 3-0 on their home field in 2020
Defenders vs. Sea Dragons picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the Sea Dragons can cover
Wide receiver Josh Gordon has NFL talent, but it’s yet to be determined if he is committed to getting back to an elite level following his off-the-field struggles. In parts of eight NFL seasons, he played in 77 games, making 252 catches for 4,284 yards (17.0 average) and 21 touchdowns. He also rushed six times for 89 yards (14.8 average). His best season was in 2013 with the Cleveland Browns, when he caught 87 passes for 1,646 yards (18.9 average) and nine touchdowns.

Another intriguing receiver on the Seattle roster is Juwan Green. A former member of the Tennessee Titans, he played two collegiate seasons at Albany. In 2019, he had a monster season with 83 receptions for 1,386 yards (16.7 average) and 17 touchdowns. His best game that year was in a 38-35 overtime loss at Monmouth, when he caught 15 passes for 245 yards (16.3 average) and three touchdowns.

Why the Defenders can cover
Running back Abram Smith is another weapon for D.C. The former Baylor standout had been with the New Orleans Saints last year, but failed to crack the roster. He was coming off a remarkable senior season in college. At Baylor in 2021, he carried 257 times for 1,601 yards (6.2 average) and 12 touchdowns. He had nine 100-plus-yard rushing games in 2021, including a 27-carry, 188-yard and three-touchdown performance against No. 19 BYU in a 38-24 victory.

Also ready to make his mark in D.C. is wide receiver Josh Hammond, who had been in camp with the New England Patriots. He played collegiately at Florida, compiling 1,138 yards receiving on 87 receptions (13.1 average). His best season was in 2018, when he caught 28 passes for 369 yards (13.2 average) and four touchdowns. In a loss to Missouri that season, he caught five passes for 48 yards (9.6 average) and one touchdown.

How to make Defenders vs. Sea Dragons picks
White has analyzed this matchup and while we can tell you he’s leaning Under the total, he has discovered a crucial x-factor that makes one side of the spread a must-back. He’s sharing it only at SportsLine.

The first weekend of the XFL’s 2023 season had a little bit of everything. Saturday saw the Arlington Renegades rally past the Vegas Vipers and the Houston Roughnecks rough up the Orlando Guardians. Sunday’s doubleheader featured two close games, including the St. Louis BattleHawks’ thrilling comeback win over the Brahmas in San Antonio. In the nightcap, the D.C. Defenders rallied to defeat the Seattle Sea Dragons after trailing most of the game.

The Defenders and Renegades justified their first and second spots in our Week 1 Power Rankings. Houston, which was fifth in our initial rankings, had the most convincing win of the weekend, albeit it came against the team we had ranked at the bottom of the league.

How far did the Roughnecks move up? Did D.C. do enough to stay ahead of the field? We’ve got all those answers and more in our Week 2 Power Rankings below.

1. D.C. Defenders (1-0)
   Last week: No. 1
   D.C. didn’t do anything to lose its grip on No. 1. It showed resolve in battling back to post a road victory against a gritty Seattle team that went into the game as the betting favorite.

Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams’ unit settled down after allowing a touchdown on the game’s first drive. Leading the charge was defensive back Michael Joseph, who had two second-half interceptions: first a pick-six, then a pick to set up Jordan Ta’amu’s game-winning touchdown run.

The Defenders won, but they will need more production from their offense moving forward. They particularly struggled in the passing game, as Ta’amu completed just eight of his 19 attempts.

2. Houston Roughnecks (1-0)
   Last week: No. 5
   Wade Phillips’ squad jumps up three spots after its 33-12 thumping of Orlando. After allowing an early touchdown, Houston was in control the rest of the way while dominating play on both sides of the ball.

Brandon Silvers did throw two picks, but was otherwise solid with 272 yards and two touchdowns. He had a lot of success getting the ball to Deontay Burnett and Jontre Kirklin, who combined to catch 13 passes for 161 yards and two touchdowns. Houston’s passing game was complemented by running backs Max Borghi and Dejoun Lee, who ran for a combined 77 yards and a touchdown on just 14 carries.

Led by Trent Harris’ four sacks, Houston’s defense came up with several momentum-changing plays that included three interceptions and several stops on possession downs.

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3. St. Louis BattleHawks (1-0)
   Last week: No. 4
   In the final 90 seconds of the BattleHawks’ opening win, they took full advantage of the XFL’s rules that differentiate it from the NFL. Down 15-3, St. Louis scored a touchdown, then made it a 15-12 game after a successful three-point conversion. The BattleHawks then were able to keep possession after choosing to try to convert on fourth-and-15. A.J. McCarron hit Austin Proehl to convert, then the duo connected on the game-winning score with 16 seconds left.

It was an extremely effective XFL debut for McCarron, a former NFL starter and three-time national champion at Alabama. Though he was sacked five times, McCarron managed to complete 18 of 26 passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. He went 11 of 14 for 133 yards and two touchdowns in the fourth quarter.

4. Arlington Renegades (1-0)
   Last week: No. 2
   The Renegades’ defense was responsible for both of the team’s second half touchdowns in their 22-20 win over Las Vegas. The unit then stymied the Vipers’ game-tying, two-point conversion attempt before stopping the Vipers’ fourth-and-15 attempt to retain possession.

The Renegades’ defense did its job, but Arlington will obviously need more from its offense going forward. Sal Canella produced as expected with 70 yards on seven catches. But Arlington needs more players who can stretch the field for Drew Plitt, who threw for just 172 yards on 19 of 25 passing.

5. Seattle Sea Dragons (0-1)
   Last week: No. 6
   There were plenty of things to like in Seattle’s season opener. Ben DiNucci threw for 282 yards while having immediate success connecting with Josh Gordon (six catches for 74 yards and touchdown), Jahcour Pearson (12 catches for 95 yards) and Blake Jackson (eight catches for 51 yards). Seattle’s defense, led by Emmanuel Smith, held D.C. to a meager 2.5 yards per carry.

DiNucci’s three turnovers (especially his fumble near D.C.’s goal line in the game’s final seconds) loomed largest, but the Sea Dragons’ inability to run the ball (just 51 yards on 17 carries) and their lack of a pass rush also contributed to the loss.

6. San Antonio Brahmas (0-1)
   Last week: No. 3
   The Brahmas appeared on their way to victory before McCarron led the BattleHawks’ epic comeback. San Antonio’s defense, which dominated through three quarters, gave up 15 points and two touchdowns in the game’s final 90 seconds.

Lost in Sunday’s game was the fact that San Antonio’s offense also got things going late in the game. Led by Jack Coan’s passing, the Brahmas scored on their final two possessions to build a 15-3 lead. Coan completed passes to nine different players on the day, while Kalen Ballage gained 84 of San Antonio’s 133 rushing yards.

Big plays were missing from San Antonio’s offense. The unit had just two runs of over 10 yards and one pass that went for over 20 yards.

7. Las Vegas Vipers (0-1)
   Last week: No. 7
   In a game that was decided by defense, the only thing the Vipers’ defense did not do was get the ball in the end zone themselves. That proved to be the difference in the game, as Las Vegas quarterback Luis Perez threw two pick-sixes that sank the Vipers’ Week 1 hopes.

The Vegas defense is good, but the offense is a major cause for concern. The Vipers ran for a paltry 25 yards on 15 carries, while former Steelers standout Martavis Bryant finished with a disappointing stat line of 28 yards on four catches.

8. Orlando Guardians (0-1)
   Last week: 8
   Yes, they’re last in Power Rankings for a second straight week. And yes, they had the least impressive performance of Week 1. But there were some positives to glean from Orlando’s opening game.

In defeat, the Guardians received solid efforts by wideouts Cody Latimer, Andrew Jamiel and Eli Rogers. They were also able to run the ball against Houston’s defense. In fact, the Guardians should have run the ball more after averaging nearly 5 yards per carry on 16 attempts. Orlando’s defense also came up with splash plays in the form of two third-quarter interceptions.

Unfortunately for Guardians coach Terrell Buckley, the good things his team did against Houston were undone by poor quarterback play and several big plays allowed by his defense. Orlando tried to resolve the former problem by benching Paxton Lynch for Quinten Dormady during the second half.

Week 2 of the 2023 XFL season will begin on Thursday night as the Seattle Sea Dragons host the St. Louis Battlehawks at 9 p.m. ET. DraftKings is running XFL DFS tournaments for Thursday’s single-game slate and XFL daily Fantasy players across the country are trying to dial in their XFL DFS strategies. The Sea Dragons are coming off a disappointing 22-18 loss to the DC Defenders in Week 1 but they’re likely to be integral in XFL DFS with former Hawaii head coach June Jones calling the plays.

Seattle passed the ball 56 times during their Week 1 loss and had three different receivers — Jahcour Pearson, Josh Gordon and Blake Jackson — finish with at least six catches for 50 yards. So does that mean that you should be loading Seattle players into your XFL DFS lineups, or might too much exposure to that side be too risky? Before making any XFL DFS picks on DraftKings for this Thursday night showdown, be sure to check out the XFL DFS advice, strategy and projections from CBS Sports Fantasy and gambling editor R.J. White.

White, a Fantasy and gambling editor for CBS Sports, consistently crushes against-the-spread picks and went 535-450-30 on his ATS picks from 2017-22, which returned more than $3,500 to $100 players. He also closed the NFL season on an incredible 107-80-6 on his last 193 against-the-spread and total NFL picks during the 2022 NFL season, returning more than $1,800 for $100 bettors.

White has crushed not only the NFL but also the XFL during its abbreviated 2020 season, going 16-4 on XFL ATS picks before the league suspended operations as sportsbooks scrambled to correctly evaluate team quality in a league where little was known heading into the season. Anyone who has followed him is way up.

Now, White has turned his attention to Thursday night XFL action in Week 2 and locked in his top daily Fantasy football picks. You can only see them by heading to SportsLine.

Top XFL DFS picks for Sea Dragons vs. Battlehawks
White is high on Sea Dragons wide receiver Jahcour Pearson. After catching 76 passes for 804 yards and seven touchdowns as a junior at Western Kentucky, Pearson only appeared in three games during the COVID season of 2020 and then transferred to spend his final season at Ole Miss. He caught 26 passes for 392 yards in his lone season in Mississippi and then was invited to Giants rookie minicamp but didn’t stick.

This is a clear opportunity for Pearson to raise his profile with NFL scouts watching and he’s already taking advantage. Last week in the loss to DC, Pearson was targeted 14 times and caught 12 passes for 95 yards, leading Seattle in all three categories. With so much attention being paid to Gordon, expect a big season from Pearson in a pass-happy offense.

Another one of the top XFL DFS picks from White: Battlehawks quarterback AJ McCarron. The former national champion at Alabama was a fifth-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft and he played with five different teams over the course of his seven-year NFL career. McCarron threw for 9,019 yards and 77 touchdowns at Alabama and then threw for 1,173 yards and six touchdowns with just three interceptions in his NFL career.

Now the 32-year-old is looking to prove that he’s back healthy again after suffering a torn ACL while playing for the Falcons in 2021. He went 18 for 26 last week and threw for 190 yards and two touchdowns while engineering a wild comeback win over the San Antonio Brahmas. He’ll look to recapture that fourth-quarter magic on Thursday and quarterbacks are must-plays in single-game daily Fantasy football formats.

How to set XFL DFS lineups
White is also targeting an undervalued player who is set to explode for huge numbers in Battlehawks vs. Sea Dragons on Thursday. 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.

The St. Louis Battlehawks’ three-game road trip to start the season rolls through Seattle on Thursday when they square off against the Seattle Sea Dragons in the first XFL game of Week 2, at Lumen Field. Last week the Battlehawks (1-0) rallied for an improbable 18-15 victory at San Antonio. After facing Seattle, they will hit the road next week to play the DC Defenders before their first home game, in Week 4. Meanwhile Thursday’s game is the home opener for the Sea Dragons (0-1), who lost on Sunday at DC, 22-18.

Kickoff is set for 9 p.m. ET. Seattle is a 4-point favorite in the latest Sea Dragons vs. Battlehawks odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is 38. Before making any Battlehawks vs. Sea Dragons picks, you need to see what SportsLine pro football expert R.J. White has to say.

White, a Fantasy and gambling editor for CBS Sports, consistently crushes against-the-spread picks and went 535-450-30 on his ATS picks from 2017-22, which returned more than $3,500 to $100 players. He also closed the NFL season on an incredible 107-80-6 on his last 193 against-the-spread and total NFL picks during the 2022 NFL season, returning more than $1,800 for $100 bettors.

White has crushed not only the NFL but also the XFL during its abbreviated 2020 season, going 16-4 on XFL ATS picks before the league suspended operations. Anyone who has followed him is way up.

Now, he has locked in on Sea Dragons vs. Battlehawks and released a confident against-the-spread pick. You can head to SportsLine now to see White’s pick and analysis. Here are the XFL lines and trends for Battlehawks vs. Sea Dragons:

Sea Dragons vs. Battlehawks spread: Seattle -4
Sea Dragons vs. Battlehawks over/under: 38 points
Sea Dragons vs. Battlehawks money line: Seattle -190, St. Louis +158
SEA: Jahcour Pearson leads team in receiving (12 catches, 95 yards)
STL: Austin Proehl leads team in receiving (four catches, 49 yards and one touchdown)
Sea Dragons vs. Battlehawks picks: See picks here
Why the Sea Dragons can cover
Despite losing, Seattle arguably outplayed DC last week. The Sea Dragons outgained the Defenders 331-177 and had 20 first downs to DC’s 12. Seattle also had 35 minutes, 30 seconds of possession to the Defenders’ 24:30.

In addition, the Sea Dragons should prove to be a hard team to face on a short week. Offensive coordinator June Jones has brought his pass-happy Run-and-Shoot offense to Seattle, and the team attempted 56 passes last week. Meanwhile the Battlehawks faced just 36 pass attempts last week and don’t get the benefit of a full week to prepare for the Sea Dragons’ unique attack.

Why the Battlehawks can cover
St. Louis has a playmaking receiver in Austin Proehl. The son of former St. Louis Rams receiver and current Battlehawks assistant coach Ricky Proehl, the younger Proehl had four catches for 49 yards and the game-winning touchdown with 16 seconds remaining against the Brahmas last week. On the game-winner, Proehl made the catch despite being the target of three San Antonio defenders.

In addition, St. Louis faces a quarterback, Ben DiNucci, who had trouble taking care of the ball last week. The former Dallas Cowboys quarterback had three turnovers against the Defenders. One of those was a pick-six, which started the DC comeback, and the last was a fumble at the Defenders’ 1-yard line that thwarted the Battlehawks’ comeback attempt and ended the game.

How to make Sea Dragons vs. Battlehawks picks
White has analyzed this matchup and while we can tell you he’s leaning Under on the point total, he has discovered a crucial x-factor that makes one side of the spread a must-back. He’s only sharing what it is and which side to back at SportsLine.

Week 2 of the 2023 XFL season is here and XFL daily Fantasy players are hoping to dial in their XFL DFS strategies based on what they saw in the first week of action. This is the second reboot of the league that lasted one season back in 2001 and there are plenty of former NFL players on these XFL rosters. However, making your XFL DFS selections based purely on name recognition might be a losing strategy with so many hungry young players eager to catch the eye of NFL scouts.

After posting a 1,000-yard season at USC in 2017, Deontay Burnett played for four different teams in the NFL but has been out of the league since 2020. However, the 25-year-old made an impression with eight catches for 90 yards and a score in Week 1 and could be a popular option for XFL DFS lineups in Week 2. Before making any XFL DFS picks on DraftKings for Week 2, be sure to check out the XFL DFS advice, strategy and projections from CBS Sports Fantasy and gambling editor R.J. White.

White, a Fantasy and gambling editor for CBS Sports, consistently crushes against-the-spread picks and went 535-450-30 on his ATS picks from 2017-22, which returned more than $3,500 to $100 players. He also closed the NFL season on an incredible 107-80-6 on his last 193 against-the-spread and total NFL picks during the 2022 NFL season, returning more than $1,800 for $100 bettors.

White has crushed not only the NFL but also the XFL during its abbreviated 2020 season, going 16-4 on XFL ATS picks before the league suspended operations as sportsbooks scrambled to correctly evaluate team quality in a league where little was known heading into the season. Anyone who has followed him is way up.

Now, White has turned his attention to Week 2 XFL action and locked in his top daily Fantasy football picks. You can only see them by heading to SportsLine.

Top XFL DFS picks for Week 2
For Week 2 XFL DFS lineups, White is high on Orlando Guardians wide receiver Eli Rogers ($4,100 on DraftKings). The former Steelers receiver largely no-showed in the USFL, but he proved to be an integral part of the Orlando passing attack. He was targeted seven times and caught four passes for 40 yards.

An undrafted free agent out of Louisville, Rogers spent all of his rookie season in 2015 on injured reserve but debuted in 2016 and became a regular target for Ben Roethlisberger. He caught 48 passes for 594 yards and three touchdowns that season and finished his three-year NFL career with 78 catches for 822 yards and four scores.

White also likes Houston Roughnecks quarterback Brandon Silvers ($8,600 on DraftKings). The Roughnecks looked like the most prolific offense in the league during Week 1, putting up 33 points in a dominant win over the Orlando Guardians. Silvers has a trio of quality receivers at his disposal, with Travell Harris, Jontre Kirklin and Deontay Burnett all catching at least five passes for 48 yards.

“Silvers paid off in Week 1 by throwing for 272 yards and two TDs on 42 attempts in the only blowout of the weekend. He and Ben DiNucci appear to be the QBs with the highest floor week in and week out based on the offenses they play in, but you’ll still get a nice discount on Silvers for at least the next few weeks,” White said.

How to set Week 2 XFL DFS lineups
White is also targeting an undervalued player who is set to explode for huge numbers this weekend. 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.

Generally speaking, success does not last forever in the NBA. Talented teams break up. Dynasties end. If you’re running a team that is in championship contention, you spend as much money as you’re allowed and steal from your future in order to maximize your short-term odds of winning it all. Eventually, inevitably, when you can’t see a path to the top, you must accept reality. This often means going all the way to the bottom.

Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob, however, rejects this life cycle. He believes that the Warriors are an exception to the rule and that they have an “ace in the hole,” Lacob told ESPN’s Baxter Holmes.

“We are the Golden State Warriors,” Lacob said. “I believe in the culture. I believe that word gets out. I could go on and on. I’m not trying to brag. I’m just saying, that’s who we are.

“We’re never going to bottom out. I won’t settle for that. We’re not doing that.”

Lacob is not exactly guaranteeing that the Warriors will never be near the bottom of the standings under his watch. He is saying, though, that he believes they will never have to go there intentionally. In discussing the “tough path” they tried to walk with the two-timeline plan (i.e. developing Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody and the since-traded No. 2 overall pick James Wiseman while competing for championships), Lacob described himself as an owner “who doesn’t want to ever be in the lottery, ever.”

He added, “We don’t want to be bad. We don’t want to go through a transition. I just can’t do that.”

Lacob is always thinking big, and he is confident that Golden State can attract top talent. Just before the Feb. 8 trade deadline, he reportedly called Jeanie Buss, the owner of Los Angeles Lakers, to ask about a potential LeBron James trade. (ESPN reported that neither James nor the Lakers were interested.) The team’s dream scenario is somehow landing Giannis Antetokounmpo, and it will explore any avenue it might have to get James, Paul George, or even ex-Warrior Kevin Durant, according to The Athletic.

“I’m not going to comment on something I can’t comment on, but, in general, I just want to win,” Lacob told ESPN. “We just want to win. We want to be the best, and we’re going to try whatever tactic it takes to get there. I am not here to screw around. We are not here to screw around. We are not here to be just ‘some team.’ We’re not going to do that. We may fail. Everyone fails. We may fail occasionally, but it will not be for lack of trying.”

As always, you can either commend Lacob on his confidence and competitiveness or clown him for his cockiness. The “we may fail” bit indicates that he doesn’t think the Warriors are infallible, but there is some arrogance inherent in any team-building plan that dismisses both being in the lottery and being just “some team.” The precise reason that franchises like the Oklahoma City Thunder have decided to build through the draft is that they didn’t want to be just “some team.”

Stephen Curry turns 36 next month, and it’s totally rational that Golden State does not want to think about rebuilding in the near future. It is possible that the team, which is 27-26 but has won eight of its past 10 games, will go on a post-All-Star run and establish itself as a legitimate title contender again this season. It is also possible that the front office will find a way to add another star and extend the Warriors’ championship window. If either of those things happen, though, it will be an incredible feat and a testament to Curry’s sustained brilliance. The NBA’s new collective-bargaining agreement has made it more difficult than ever to keep teams together (and improve expensive rosters), and Lacob himself recently said the Warriors would like to get out of the luxury tax next season.

As determined as Lacob might be to win, at some point – maybe in a few months, maybe only after Curry retires – he and the Warriors will likely find themselves in an extremely uncomfortable position: No shot at a title, with a choice between two unappealing options: rebuilding and mediocrity. No team, not even the San Antonio Spurs, who long served as their model, has been able to avoid this in perpetuity.

NBA teams no doubt have varying philosophies and priorities for how to rank and view players in any given class. Those philosophies and priorities are influenced by myriad factors including job security, team need and overall evaluation. But in my role as an analyst my modus operandi has always been to rank highest the players who present the most star potential in the long term accounting for positional size, athleticism, age, production and other factors.

That’s why rising French star Zaccharie Risacher is No. 1 in my latest mock draft below. Risacher, who would be the second LNB Pro A product to go No. 1 in as many years (Victor Wembanyama from Mets 92 in 2023), combines rare traits with an ideal frame and upside to grow both on the ball as a playmaker and as a defender. He’s still raw in terms of where he is developed physically, which comes as no surprise given he’s just 18 years old, but there’s a lot in his game that could be molded into something spectacular if things go right for him. He’s tenacious as a defender and a timely cutter on offense. The flashes that make you go whoa don’t come every sequence the way they did with Wembanyama, but they’re there, and they are enough to buy in to for a team looking to swing for the fences.

The 2024 NBA Draft class is of course wide open at the top so reasonable minds may differ and preferences — be it positionally or eval-based — could put Serbian star Nikola Topic or French star Alex Sarr at No. 1. They go No. 2 and No. 3 respectively in my mock below to the Spurs and Pistons, respectively.

The below mock is based primarily off of how I rank the class and does not take into account team need and fit given that there is still a huge chunk of the NBA season still left to play and a lot left unsettled for the time being as to how the actual draft order will look this summer. Order is based on odds via SportsLine.

Five games will make up Thursday’s NBA slate with matchups tipping off between 7:30 and 10 p.m. ET. There aren’t a ton of standout bets on the table, but we’ve done our due diligence to find the best value ahead of the action. Are you looking to find an edge? We’ve gone over each pairing to identify a moneyline, spread and player prop pick worth considering.

Moneyline: Toronto Raptors (+110) vs. Chicago Bulls
The Raptors unexpectedly beat the Miami Heat on Wednesday without Pascal Siakam and are home underdogs in the second night of a back-to-back. They improved to 10-10 at home with that victory and it appears like their recent trade additions have given them enough firepower to win games without their star power forward in the mix. Chicago’s starters are finally healthy, but they’re just 6-13 on the road in 2023-24. Half of Toronto’s home wins have come against teams with winning records.

Spread: Oklahoma City Thunder -3.5 (-110) @ Utah Jazz
OKC is enduring a two-game losing streak, while Utah is looking to secure its seventh straight victory. Lauri Markkanen didn’t play when the Thunder handed the Jazz a 14-point loss in December and his presence will be impactful, but he shouldn’t tip the scales too much. The Thunder have endured three two-game losing streaks this season and have avoided dropping three straight each time. They won all three of those contests by at least eight points.

Player prop: Vince Williams Jr. under 3.5 assists (+114)
Williams has made 11 starts for the shorthanded Memphis Grizzlies this season but will be challenged by the NBA’s top defense. The Minnesota Timberwolves are giving up a league-low 107.6 points per game, and only the Orlando Magic and Cleveland Cavaliers give up fewer assists per game. Williams has gone over three assists just three times, and Memphis doesn’t have any star players on the perimeter, so he could draw a matchup against the very capable Jaden McDaniels.

Oklahoma City Thunder wing Josh Giddey will not face police charges following allegations of his having had an inappropriate relationship with a minor, they announced in a statement on Wednesday.

“After a thorough and exhaustive examination, we have completed our investigation into information that was circulating on social media involving Josh Giddey,” the statement read. “Our detectives have reviewed all of the available information and were unable to corroborate any criminal activity related to Mr. Giddey.”

The Newport Beach (Calif.) Police Department first opened its investigation in late November. The NBA has deferred to the criminal investigation since, and Giddey has declined to speak on the matter.

“I get that you have to ask that, but I have no comment regarding that situation,” Giddey said on Thursday.

From The Athletic:

NBA commissioner Adam Silver told ESPN in December that the league was holding off on any punishment for Giddey until it knew the results of an investigation as it waited for Newport Beach PD to complete theirs.

“Where there is a criminal investigation, we take a back seat,” he said. “So you have an allegation, you have an ongoing criminal investigation. That impacts how the players and the Player’s Association can work with us because of course the player needs to protect his rights. I’m not going to say never ever, but this is the path we have consistently followed … that’s where things currently stand.”

Giddey is having a down season, averaging career lows across the board at 11.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 4.6 assists on 45% shooting. He has upped his 3-point efficiency to 36%, albeit on low volume (fewer than three attempts per game). Giddey’s down year hasn’t hurt the Thunder, who are currently the West’s No. 2 seed with a 27-13 record.

When Bruce Brown made his Toronto Raptors debut on Thursday night, he did so wearing his familiar No. 11, and with $10,000 less in his bank account. That’s because Brown, after he was traded from the Indiana Pacers to the Raptors in the Pascal Siakam blockbuster, decided to make a deal of his own.

Upon arriving in Toronto, Brown discovered that the No. 11 was occupied by Jontay Porter, the Raptors’ two-way player. Seeing as he knew Porter’s brother, Michael, from his time with the Denver Nuggets, and makes many times Jontay’s salary, Brown asked if he could buy the number off the big man.

The answer was yes. More so, the asking price was less than Brown was expecting. After all, what’s $10,000 when you’re making $22.5 million this season?

Bruce Brown said he reached out to his former Nuggets teammate Michael Porter Jr. to ask if brother Jontay would be willing to give up jersey No. 11. “I make enough to try to bribe him a little bit”

How much did it cost? “$10K”

“I thought he was going to ask for more.”

— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) January 19, 2024
Brown wore No. 11 in college at Miami, but was unable to do so initially when he made it to the NBA as the No. 42 overall pick in the 2018 draft by the Detroit Pistons. The No. 11, of course, hangs in the rafters at Little Casears Arena in honor of Hall of Fame point guard Isiah Thomas, who led the Pistons to two titles in 1989 and 1990. Instead, Brown wore No. 6.

When Brown was traded to the Brooklyn Nets in 2020 he couldn’t wear No. 11 there either on account of it belonging to Kyrie Irving. Brown, then just a third-year guard still looking to make his way in the league, did not have the clout to ask a future Hall of Famer to swap numbers. There, he went with No. 1.

Upon signing with the Denver Nuggets in 2022, Brown finally got his first choice and was able to switch to No. 11. After winning a title with Nikola Jokic and co., Brown earned a big payday from the Pacers and was able to keep his number there as well. Now, he’ll get his wish in Toronto after being part of a package deal in exchange for Pascal Siakam.

As the saying often goes, if you look good, then you feel good, then you play good. As it turns out, the $10K was certainly worth it on that front, as Brown went for 15 points and seven rebounds on 7-of-10 shooting from the field in his debut game north of the border.

As for Porter, he made the switch to No. 34, and after putting up 10 points, four rebounds and four assists, went home to count his money. Not bad for a day’s work.