Winners Club: Get Ready for a Loaded Weekend of NBA Playoff Action

Plus, MLB best bets, fantasy free agents to add and NFL draft sleepers.

There’s never a dull moment in the NBA playoffs.

The Warriors took care of business at home Thursday, minus Draymond Green, and flagrant fouls flew in the 76ers-Nets game, which Philadelphia ultimately won — and just barely covered. The Clippers nearly overcame the absence of Kawhi Leonard thanks to an incredible Norman Powell game but the Suns still took the lead in the series.

The chaos continues this weekend with 11 games scheduled over the next three days.

News broke Thursday morning that the NFL has suspended five players for violating the league’s gambling policy, including Lions wide receiver Jameson Willams. The suspension for Williams is for six games but it still has major fantasy football implications, which Michael Fabiano broke down.

In today’s Winners Club you’ll find:

• NBA playoff upcoming spreads
• Fantasy baseball waiver wire adds
• Fernando Tatis Jr. returns from suspension
• Fantasy football rookie wide receiver impact

76ers, Celtics, Nuggets Could Complete Sweeps This Weekend

Quite a few series are shaping up to look like six- or seven-game showdowns. Knicks-Cavaliers has been close, so has Clippers-Suns and the Warriors made sure to avoid going down 0–3 in their series with the Kings.

But the Nets-76ers, Hawks-Celtics and Timberwolves-Nuggets series have not been nearly as competitive. Philadelphia is in place to punch its ticket to the second round Saturday in Brooklyn and Boston and Denver can do the same with wins Friday and Sunday. All three higher seeds are favored on the road.

Friday, April 21

7 p.m. ET (ESPN): Celtics (-5.5) vs. Hawks | Total: 228.5 — Boston leads series, 2–0

8:30 p.m. ET (ABC): Cavaliers vs. Knicks (-1.5) | Total: 213.5 — Series tied, 1–1

9:30 p.m. ET (ESPN): Nuggets (-2.5) vs. Timberwolves | Total: 222.5 — Denver leads series, 2–0

David Butler II/USA TODAY Sports

Saturday, April 22

1 p.m. ET (TNT): 76ers (-5.5) vs. Nets | Total: 206.5 — Philadelphia leads series, 3–0

3:30 p.m. ET (TNT): Suns (-5) vs. Clippers | Total: 226.5 — Phoenix leads series, 2–1

7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN): Bucks (-5.5) vs. Heat | Total: 220.5 — Series tied, 1–1

10 p.m. ET (ESPN): Grizzlies vs. Lakers (-4.5) | Total: 220.5 — Series tied, 1–1

Sunday, April 23

1 p.m. ET (ABC): Cavaliers vs. Knicks

3:30 p.m. ET (ABC): Kings vs. Warriors (-7.5) | Total: 238 — Sacramento leads series, 2–1

7 p.m. ET (TNT): Celtics vs. Hawks

9:30 p.m. ET (TNT): Nuggets vs. Timberwolves

Top Fantasy Baseball Free Agents and Best Bets

Injuries around the majors are sending fantasy managers scrambling to the waiver wire. Luckily, Jennifer Piacenti has recommendations in place for you to pick up.

Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger headlines the list of hitters and Tigers starter Eduardo Rodriguez is one of the names to watch on the mound.

And even though he’s definitely not available on waivers in your leagues, Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. made his return from an 80-game PED suspension Thursday.

“Tatis is expected to bring the spark to get this offense going. He will resume his usual spot in the order batting leadoff,” Piacenti writes. “In 2021, Tatis led the National League with 42 home runs while also stealing 25 bases in only 130 games played. With the new 81% league-wide success rate for stolen bases, expect Tatis to be pesky on the basepaths.”

Gary A. Vasquez/USA TODAY Sports

And Piacenti also put together a weekend MLB fantasy and betting primer, complete with best bets and DFS plays for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Take a look to see who should be in your lineups and which way you should lean ahead of the A’s-Rangers game this evening.

In Other News

Raptors Fire Coach Nick Nurse: After weeks of speculation, Nurse’s tenure in Toronto has come to an end. He had the top job for five years, led the team to its first-ever NBA title in 2019 and won Coach of the Year the following season.

Max Scherzer Suspend 10 Games: The Mets starter was ejected Thursday for pitching with a foreign substance and docked 10 games, in addition to a fine, as a result.

NFL Draft Sleepers to Know for Next Week: You’re probably familiar by now with the big names projected to come off the board early in Kansas City on Thursday. But Matt Verderame put the spotlight on five Day 2 or Day 3 picks who are worth watching.

Analyzing the Impact of First-Year Fantasy WRs: Recent draft history has supplied plenty of productive rookie wideouts and the same could go for this coming season when Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Zay Flowers and Jordan Addison join the NFL ranks.

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