Milwaukee Bucks VS San Antonio Spurs may be one of the NBA’s most unbalanced games, but it is still a valid game in the best basketball league in the world, so fans can be expected to be entertained from start to finish.
As always, MatchPlug brings you the best NBA Prediction Tonight for the Bucks and Spurs, plus an analysis of each team, predictions, and NBA Expert Picks for the entire match.
Keep reading to see who experts say will come out on top for this game.
Predictions and Betting Preview for Milwaukee Bucks VS San Antonio Spurs NBA Regular Season Game
Venue: Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
When: Thursday, March 22nd, 2023
Time: 17:00 GMT
Teams to play: Milwaukee Bucks and San Antonio Spurs
The Milwaukee Bucks reaffirmed their stance as being one of the best teams in the NBA. Even with their star players like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton out due to physical challenges, they enter tonight’s game as the Eastern Conference leaders. Holding a narrow lead over the Boston Celtics.
Milwaukee defeated the Toronto Raptors 111-118 in their last game, thanks to an incredible performance in the last quarter, where they won 16-29. In that match, Anetokounmpo and Middleton were the best players with 22 and 20 points scored respectively. Giannis registered a triple-double by contributing 10 assists and 13 rebounds.
Betting On The San Antonio Spurs
Regular Season Record: 18-52
1XBet Spread: +17.5
1XBet Moneyline: 10.05
1XBet Over/Under: Under 238.5
BetMGM Spread: +17.5
BetMGM Moneyline: 11.00
BetMGM Over/Under: Over 237.5
The San Antonio Spurs are still a disaster, wearing the third-worst record in the NBA like a medal while ranking second to last in the Western Conference.
But, they have brought some relief to their followers, like a surprising home 118-126 win over the Atlanta Hawks on March 19, a record that gave them some hope about ending on the right note this season.
Doing this will be the only good way for the Spurs to thrive in a campaign where they have one of the worst offenses in the NBA, at 112.8 points scored per game, and in which they have the worst defensive record in the NBA, allowing opposing teams shoot 50.4% from the field and conceding an average of 122.1 points against per game.
MatchPlug Prediction
In spite of San Antonio’s efforts to be a more competitive team, they remain flawed, ridden with an unreliable offense and a defense that is lax.
It doesn’t help their case that they would be facing Milwaukee which is one of the best teams in the league. The Bucks have a whopping 29-7 record at home and an average of 119.6 points scored per match.
Due to this record, experts expect the Bucks to dominate the game from the beginning, putting the Spurs’ defense up for destruction, and Milwaukee winning an easy victory in tonight’s game.
Willis Reed, the player who emerged from the locker room some minutes before Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals to give the New York Knicks their first championship and deliver one of the most inspiring examples of playing through pain, died on Tuesday at the age of 80.
The National Basketball Retired Players Association announced Reed’s death, which was later confirmed by his family. The cause of death was not released, but Reed had been sick recently and could not travel to New York for the Knicks’ celebration of the 50th anniversary of their 1973 NBA championship team during their game against New Orleans on February 25th.
New York posted a photograph of Reed walking onto the court as his teammates warmed up for the 1970 finale, one of the most memorable moments the NBA and Madison Square Garden have ever witnessed.
“As we mourn, we will always strive to uphold the standards he left behind — the unmatched leadership, sacrifice and work ethic that personified him as a champion among champions,” the New York Knicks wrote. “His is a legacy that will live forever.”
Dubbed “The Captain’’, Reed played the role of a centre and emotional leader during the Knicks’ two NBA championship teams, he had a soft shooting touch from the outside and a toughness to tussle with the era’s superstar big men on the inside.
He was remembered at his death, maybe for the way he captained the Knicks more than how he played for them.
“Willis Reed was the ultimate team player and consummate leader. My earliest and fondest memories of NBA basketball are of watching Willis, who embodied the winning spirit that defined the New York Knicks championship teams in the early 1970s,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. “He played the game with remarkable passion and determination, and his inspiring comeback in Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals remains one of the most iconic moments in all of the sports.”
Willis Reed’s achievements – seven All-Star selections, and two NBA Finals MVP awards amongst others, would have gotten him a Hall of Fame induction. In the 1969-70 season, Reed became the first player to gather the MVP awards for the regular season, All-Star Game and NBA Finals.
However, this legend secured his place in history by merely walking onto the floor on the final night of the season.
Reed injured a thigh muscle in Game 5 of the series between the Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers, stumbling out on the court in pain. He sat out Game 6 as Wilt Chamberlain had 45 points and 27 rebounds in a Lakers’ spree that caused a deciding game at Madison Square Garden.
His Knicks teammates didn’t know his status as he was still getting treatment shortly before Game 7. The Lakers and Knicks were warming up when Reed showed up, fans rose and roared when they saw him coming out of the tunnel leading to the locker room.
“And here comes Willis and the crowd is going wild,” radio announcer Marv Albert said.
Los Angeles stopped to watch Reed, who did two quick jump shots in the early minutes of the game and ran back down the court with a noticeable limp after two of them. He would not score again, but the Knicks did not need him to. With their captain coming back and Walt Frazier’s 36 points and 19 assists spurring them to a 113-99 romp and their first NBA title.
Frazier for his team delivered one of the most impressive performances ever in a deciding game, but it remains a footnote to Reed’s return. In 2006, in line with the NBA’s 60th anniversary, it finished third in voting for the league’s 60 greatest playoff moments, after Michael Jordan’s championship-winning jumper for his sixth title in 1998 and Magic Johnson ending his rookie season by stepping in for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at centre in Game 6 of the 1980 finals to lead the Lakers to a championship.
In subsequent moments, what Reed did at Game 7 during Knicks VS Lakers, became a point of reference sometimes when a player came back from injury. One instance is when the Boston Celtics’ Paul Pierce was lifted off the floor with a knee injury in Game 1 of the 2008 NBA Finals against Los Angeles before returning. But Phil Jackson, Reed’s teammate and then Lakers coach has dismissed that comparison because of the severity of Reed’s injury.
“If I’m not mistaken, I think Willis Reed missed a whole half and three-quarters almost of a game and literally had to have a shot — a horse shot, three or four of them — in his thigh to come back out and play,” Jackson said.
Reed could not recover that fast from injuries in the years to come. He was restricted to only 11 games in 1971-22 but came back stronger the next season to lead the Knicks to their second title in what was the last full season he played.
Although his comeback made the ‘70 title the more celebrated one, it was the ‘72-73 squad, who were fortified by Hall of Famers Earl Monroe and Jerry Lucas that stood out to Reed.
“That, to me, in my mind was the best team,” he said during its 40th-anniversary celebration.
Willis Reed will go on to play 19 more games in 1973-74 before retiring due to a knee injury after only 10 seasons.
This 10 season was enough time for The Captain to collect over 12,000 points and 8,400 rebounds, two of which still rank top three on the Knicks’ career lists.
Reed had a successful post-playing career as a coach and executive with 76ers coach Doc Rivers remember playing for the Atlanta Hawks when Reed was an assistant coach.
“He was simply a great person, A man!!! A leader!!! A Winner!!!” Rivers tweeted.
I loved this man… He was my assistant coach when I was a player with the Hawks. He was simply a great person, A man !!! A leader!!! A Winner!!! 🙏🏾 https://t.co/QDIxHZcr22
Willis Reed was born June 25, 1942, in Hico, Louisiana. He was in his home state for his college career, leading Grambling State to the 1961 NAIA championship and a third-place finish in 1963. The school retired his number and named its court after Reed in 2022.
As a second-round pick in 1964, he proved immediately that being 6-foot-9 would not stop him from becoming one of the NBA’s top centres. He was voted Rookie of the Year and earned the first of his seven straight All-Star selections.
Reed played a huge role in driving the New York Knicks to become one of the best teams in the NBA, alongside Hall of Famers like Frazier, Bill Bradley, and Dave DeBusschere.
He contributed 18.7 points and 12.9 rebounds for his career, including a lot of toughness. In 2014, a documentary by ESPN on those Knicks showed a clip of a 1966 fight in a game against the Lakers, where Reed threw punches at multiple opponents, with Jackson noting that Reed seemed to “decimated this team.’’
Reed’s No.19 was the first number retired by the Knicks and in 1982 he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame.
He went on to coach the Knicks to a playoff berth in 1977-78 but coached them 14 more games the next season. He was also a head coach at Creighton and the New Jersey Nets, but his greatest success after his career as a player came in the front office.
He was the senior vice president of basketball operations when they drafted Derrick Coleman and Kenny Anderson, who became All-Stars, leading the Brooklyn Nets to the playoffs in the 1990s.
The English Premier League leaders Arsenal will visit the District of Columbia as the honoured guests this summer to participate in the MLS All-Star Game presented by Target at Audi Field. It is right to reminisce a bit about the last time the London Giants played the league’s midsummer party.
The Gunners have done this before. Then they were led by Arsene Wenger to San Jose for the 2016 edition of the ASG, to christen the Earthquake’s long-awaited new home, PayPal Park (known as Avaya Stadium back then). And as is their tradition, they forfeited a goal to Didier Drogba on their way to a good 2-1 win in front of 18,000 fans.
Although 2016 has not been that long, things have changed. For starts, Arsenal will be meeting a different vintage of Major League Soccer than the one they met under the NorCal sunshine that July.
Huge expansion
Back in 2016, MLS had only 20 teams. Ground was yet to be broken at what is now the 2023 ASG venue, Audi Field, with D.C. United was still housed at an ancient RFK Stadium for longer. The dominating Seattle Sounders had not won an MLS Cup yet, let alone the CONCACAF Champions League, with barely a single MLSer in the semifinals that year, much less a winner.
The reigning champions LAFC existed, but merely in manner of speaking. Chivas USA’s successor had their name and crest, but no coach, players or stadium yet. Minnesota United was completing their last season in the NASL, three years after the launching of the glittering Allianz Field. Atlanta United’s paradigm-shifting entry into MLS was still months away.
Inter Miami, Nashville SC, Austin, Charlotte FC and St. Louis CITY SC – and all the sprawling investments that followed them – were merely dreams in the eyes of their respective founders. FC Cincinnati were only a few months into their inaugural season in the USL Championship, the beginning of their outstanding path to the top flight.
There are 12 stadiums total, 10 of them soccer-first and more so in the manner of training facilities, academies, staff and other infrastructure. Hosting the 2026 World Cup on North American soil was an idea, too, years from reality. All these, promise valuable levels of stability and sustainability, like what Arsenal gained in relocating from their old Highbury home to the Emirates Stadium 17 years ago.
The youth system takes shape
In 2016, the U22 Initiative to trigger the influx of young talent into MLS was not in existence, neither was the Leagues Cup, MLS NEXT, or MLS NEXT Pro. Some clubs and coaches needed to be convinced that the homegrown pathway project was worth investing their time into, or that importing youths with rich sell-on potential was a profitable bet.
Now, the league can play a Thiago Almada or Brenden Aaronson highlight reel to measure this change.
The MLS adjusted its regulation to prime the pump. Clubs now keep more of the returns they get from outbound sales, especially on local players and can use more of their transfer earnings as allocation money. Today, the U22 Push incentives for acquiring blue-chip youngsters to an extent where they added extra Designated Player slots to the rosters of those who invest here. It is not a coincidence that the average age for squads has been reduced over the past seven years.
Winter of 2015-2016, the number of MLS players sold for money to overseas clubs, was less than what it is now in 2021-22. The total income for those sales was far less too. A report by the Athletic over a year ago announced last winter’s sales as adding up to close to $65 million in total base fees. Now the search for the next top prospect is more eager than ever.
The Quakes’ homegrown teen Cade Cowell is the player that draws the most crowd to PayPal Park these days. Cowell was merely 13 years old over in Ceres, California, still, two years eligible from joining the academy – when Arsenal played in what is now its home stadium. Today he’s got UEFA Champions League clubs watching his career and a huge seven-digit number bandied about as a possible price tag.
Club America’s Alejandro Zendejas who is the USMNT’s latest dual-national recruit was the most noteworthy homegrown sale in the summer of ‘16 going from FC Dallas to Chivas Guadalajara for a reported fee of $500,000. Last year that same FCD set several records by selling Ricardo Pepi to Augsburg on a deal estimated to be around $20 million.
A world of possibility
Arsenal is versed in the player development department, having dabbled in the act once or twice themselves. Besides being owned by Stan Kroenke owner/investor of the Colorado Rapids since 2018, they presently have two Americans in their squad. Philadelphia Union alumni and ex-Rapid Austin Trusty is the other one, and the one now on loan at Birmingham City; goalkeeper Matt Turner, the Gunners’ most prominent North American representative is the other.
Turner stopped the US men’s national team’s run to the Round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup after his multi-million dollar transfer from the New England Revolution to North London early in the year. Seven years ago he was unselected in the 2016 Super Draft and was set to spend his first professional season down at Richmond Kickers. His inspiring story, just like others, portrays MLS as a place anyone can shine.
Turner did not play high-level competitive soccer until well into his teens – being able to go far and fast as he did in the following years or how someone like Cowell ended up in the sights of popular European clubs and the USMNT before he was old enough to rent a car, indicates an extraordinary speed of evolution.
This is why this summer’s big game symbolises a long-time reconnection with the Old Continent. The last two years brought new cross-border spectacles in partnership with Liga MX, and with the expanded Leagues Cup which will debut after the All-Star Game, the growing ties became more permanent. All-Star is often a good opportunity for players to become more acquainted on and off the pitch. Hopefully, Robbie Lyle, ‘Troopz’ and other Arsenal superfans will come by to enjoy some D.C. culture and find common ground.
The Gunners on their own part, rediscovered themselves after two decades of top-four finishes in the English Premier ended in 2017. Only three original members of the 2016 All-Stars starting XI are currently playing in the league; two of Arsenal’s are still Gunners today. Arsenal wandered through mid-table for a bit, parted ways with Wenger and his immediate successor Unai Emery, gave Mike Arteta some time to settle in and is now resurgent: eight points clear atop the Premier League table with 10 matches to go.
This North American summer tour can be both a preparation and a party. It just makes sense for MLS best to link up with the newly-crowned champions of England and how they and their large group of fans and media, how things have changed on this side of the world.
Dont’a Hightower has officially announced his retirement from National Football League, after playing for 9 seasons on the field; he wrote a retirement letter to The Players’ Tribune on Tuesday.
“Today, I am officially retiring from the NFL,” Hightower wrote. “I know these announcements always feel bittersweet, but I can’t think of a better story than the one I wrote in New England. A decade, three Super Bowls, two Pro Bowls, and the birth of my son — all playing for one franchise.
“So this is a happy day for me, and I just wanted to let you all know how much I appreciate you embracing a Southern kid from Lewisburg, Tennessee.”
Hightower has been an essential tackler for the Patriots’ defense, he earned two Pro Bowls to further solidify his ring and generated 569 total tackles, 27 sacks and one career interception. He won two national championships in college at Alabama too.
Before his Pro Bowl 2019 campaign, Hightower opted to sit out the 2020 season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He came back in 2021, playing 15 games, and earning 64 tackles and 1.5 sacks. In 2022, he did not play.
In Hightower’s first Super Bowl victory over the Seattle Seahawks, as a player for the Patriots, he made of the most unsung plays of the game, tripping Marshawn Lynch at the 1-yard line. The play set up Malcolm Butler’s famous interception to seal the Lombardi Trophy for New England. If not for his tackle, that match would have ended differently.
“When I look at that first ring, I think about the Marshawn tackle,” Hightower wrote of the play.
“When I saw Seattle line up in that I-form, I knew Beast Mode was getting it, and I knew they’d been gashing us with that strong-side lead all game. I knew he was going to walk through a huge hole if I didn’t take a risk. It’s funny how things come full circle because when I was at Alabama, Kirby Smart used to always tell us, ‘Never ever go behind a block unless you’re sure you’re going to make a play.’
“Well, I wasn’t sure. But I figured we had nothing to lose.
So I ripped up under Okung and shot my shot. All I saw was Marshawn’s two legs churning, and I just prayed to God that I could clip him up or something. I reached out … and you already know what happened next.”
What happened next was that Dont’a Hightower went ahead to secure the first of the three Super Bowls which he would win later on.
Hightower now joins the Patriots’ all-time greats.
After weeks of eliminations and player debuts, the World Baseball Classic has reached its final, and it promises a thrilling major event for baseball fans whose love for this game is boundless with USA VS Japan.
With no days off after defeating Mexico, the Japan National Team is set to face the United States Baseball National Team in the final. This final is special because two Anaheim Angels teammates will play on opposing sides. The phenomenal Shohei Ohtani will play the legendary Mike Trout for the World Baseball Classic championship.
Japan has a fantastic team which houses Masataka Yoshida who has been the most industrious player throughout this tournament. Yoshida is 9 for 19 with 2 home runs, 13 RBI and 5 R. These are the most RBI gotten in tournament history, so Ohtani is essentially an addition to an already star-studded team.
Team Japan’s win over Mexico was what brought them face-to-face with Team USA which has also done its fair share of destruction throughout the WBC. The Cuba National Team was their latest victim in a 14-2 match.
United States of America: Mookie Bets RF; Mike Trout CF; Paul Goldschmidt 1B; Nolan Arenado 3B; Kyle Schwarber LF; Will Smith C; Pete Alonso DH; Tim Anderson 2B; Trea Turner SS.
Japan: Lars Nootbar CF; Kansuke Kondoh RF; Shohei Ohtani DH; Masataka Yoshida LF; Munetaka Murakami 3B; Kazuma Okamoto 1B; Tetsuto Yamada 2B; Sosuke Genda SS; Yuhei Nakamura C.
In USA VS Japan, Merrill Kelly will pitch for the U.S. as he gets his shot for the finals. Kelly is a righty who plays for D-backs and started during the Pool C finale vs Colombia. He scaled through three innings and allowed two runs on four hits.
For Japan, Shohei Ohtani already said he would not be ready to pitch, so the team may use Shota Imanaga instead as the starting pitcher.
How can fans watch the United States VS Japan?
Fans can watch the match on FS1. They can also live stream it on FoxSports.com, the Fox Sports app, fuboTV or YouTube TV.
Detroit Red Wings VS Florida Panthers maybe thanks to the NHL, but it was a 6-game point streak and 5 victories that led the Panthers (4th in Atlantic Division) to Detroit, where Red Wings (7th in Atlantic) will be waiting to secure their 3rd victory in the last 12 matches.
If you’re betting on this game, use these NHL Predictions Today by MatchPlug for Detroit and Florida. Find the picks, and odds too carefully laid out by experts.
Detroit Red Wings VS Florida Panthers Preview NHL Regular Season
The Detroit Red Wings lost for the second consecutive time, for the third match in their past four games (1-3-0) and for the ninth time in their last 11 (2-8-1) after a 5-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on their home ice on Saturday.
Pius Suter (12 goals, 20 points this year) delivered a tie at 1-1 at 6:55 of the opening minutes, before Colorado scored two markers in the following two periods, plus a power-play strike and a shorty.
The Red Wings who forfeited a league-high 12 short-handed tallies this season, now place nine points behind the Pittsburgh Penguins for the 2nd Wild Card spot of the Eastern Conference, with one game in hand.
Goaltender Ville Husso (25-18-6 this season, with a 2.97 GAA and a. 901 save percentage) conceded five goals on 21 shots in 45:16 of play on Saturday before being replaced with Magnus Hellberg (3-7-1 on the season with a 3.04 GAA and a .917 save percentage), who turned aside two shots.
Hellberg has never played the Panthers before, while Husso has already posted a 0-1-1 career total against them with a 3.04 GAA and a .917 save percentage. The Red Wings are 10th in the least goals netted per game in 2022 -23 (2.93), 15th in most goals allowed on average (3.25), 18th in power play (20.9%) and 19th in penalty kill (78.2%).
Betting On The Florida Panthers
Season Record: 35-27-7
1XBet Spread: -1.5
1XBet Total: Under 6.5
1XBet Moneyline: 1.99
BetMGM Spread: -1.5
BetMGM Total: Over 6.5
BetMGM Moneyline: 1.53
The Florida Panthers got their second straight victory after extending their present point run to six outings (5-0-1) after a 4-2 win against the New Jersey Devils at FA Live Arena last Saturday.
Florida gave up two snipes in the second period to go 2-0 down before burying four unanswered markers in the last frame, plus three in a span of 2:30 to take a 3-2 lead ahead of an empty-netter 21 seconds from time. Sam Reinhart (26 goals, 51 points this year) tallied twice for the Panthers, now trailing the Pittsburgh Penguins for the 2nd Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference by a single point.
Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky dispelled 33 shots last Saturday, registering a 23-17-3 total for the season with a 3.00 GAA and a .904 save percentage. He picked up a 23-6-1 past record against Detroit with a 1.87 GAA and a .938 save percentage. Alex Lyon on the other hand (3-2-1 on the season with a 3.89 GAA and a .892 save percentage) is historically 0-0-1 against the Red Wings. Lyon has a 1.73 GAA and a .917 save percentage.
The Panthers are 4th in most goals scored per game this campaign (3.48), 10th in most goals forfeited on average (3.36), 13th in power play (22.2%) and 27th in penalty kill (74.2%).
MatchPlug Prediction
On the records, the Red Wings may stand a chance to reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs this season, trailing behind the 2nd-Wild Card seed, the Pittsburgh Penguins by nine points with a game in hand.
However, the points, in reality, are completely different. The Red Wings dropped 9 out of its 11 decisions, losing by a margin of two tallies in 6 of them.
The Florida Panthers are presently riding a four-game winning streak against opponents in the Eastern Conference, and are 12-5-1 in their most recent 18 fixtures, winning by over one strike in 7 of them.
The winner of Japan VS Mexico will face Team USA for the World Baseball Classic title on Tuesday. So, in this preview, we will be examining the strengths of these two countries and the possibility of one of them winning tonight’s matchup.
Mexico for one part has the power of Randy Arozarena and Julio Urías, but Joey Meneses and Rowdy Tellez stealing the WBC spotlight and getting labelled “Team of Destiny” seems to check out.
But, the most challenging match Mexico will play in this tournament will happen tonight in Miami which is the quarterfinal between them and present favourite Japan. There is no team with a higher OPS (.996) or a lower ERA (1.80).
MatchPlug discusses this semi-final while examining how bettors should bet. We also laid out some MLB Predictions Today to help you get started on your wagering.
Predictions and Betting Preview for Japan VS Mexico Pirates WBC Playoffs
Shohei Ohtani may have appeared for the last time for Team Japan on the mound in the WBC. This is due to him being scheduled to play in the Los Angeles Opening Day starter on March 30th. Ohtani pitching in the semis or finals would be too close to this game, so he would be the starter for the quarterfinal instead.
Roki Sasaki will be starting for Team Japan in place of Ohtani. To put Sasaki’s past WBC starting in perspective; out of 66 pitches, 21 clocked at over 100 mph.
Masataka Yoshida hit a couple of hard-hit balls against Italy, Kensuke Kondoh has been shelling out extra-base hits and walks, while the star himself, Ohtani has been delivering greatness with an OBP of .625.
The fine mix of MLB talent and young stars from Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball league has made Team Japan patient enough to wait till they can destroy another unsuspecting team in the WBC.
Betting On Team Mexico
1XBet Spread: +1.5
1XBet Moneyline: 3.032
1XBet Over/Under: Under 8.5
BetMGM Spread: +1.5
BetMGM Moneyline: 3.00
BetMGM Over/Under: Over 8.5
Team Mexico hasn’t been tested against the kind of destruction Japan will bring for them in this tournament, except that time they played against Colombia in the opening. Guillermo Zuniga reached 102 mph, going for two strong innings, striking out four and allowing only one hit. That was the only game Mexico lost in this competition (5-4).
Patrick Sandoval will begin the pitching for Mexico, he is a Los Angeles Angels left who depends on a sinker that placed top 20 in run value last season (-8), and he is a magician whose curveball spin ranked in the 87th percentile in the league last season. Sandoval is second in the Angels rotation for a good reason, behind Ohtani (this will make today’s game sensational).
But, even if Sandoval can muster three or four innings, Japan has shown that there’s nothing they can’t handle. Japan has a pool of talent in a great blend of other outstanding talents who are dangerous in the field, not to mention Shohei Ohtani who has sacked many other countries in the WBC.
MatchPlug Prediction
Backing the favourite which is Japan, would be the smart thing to do for Japan VS Mexico. One good reason for this is Yu Darvish a world-renowned pitcher on their squad, who emerged in the quarterfinals.
Japan wanted to ensure that Italy couldn’t make a serious comeback. They deployed Darvish who is one of the most dangerous hurlers in MLB this season. He was effective of course, allowing one earned run in two innings of work.
Mexico has done well in making it this far in the WBC. However, having Japan as the favourite doesn’t mean this country shouldn’t be given flowers. It only remains to be seen how they’ll fair against Japan.
Charlotte Hornets VS Indiana Pacers is between two Eastern Conference teams looking toward playoffs, hoping to reach it.
Indiana takes the road as the Pacers take a trip to face the Charlotte Hornets tonight. They were defeated 141-121 at their home court by the Philadelphia 76ers in their last game, failing to cover the line as 4.5-point underdogs.
The Charlotte Hornets on the other hand, also lost to Philadelphia 121-82 at home in their previous game last Friday night, failing to cover the line as 10.5-point underdogs.
In this regular season, the Pacers have a 72-51 advantage over the Hornets and have won the two games both teams played. This includes a 116-111 home win in their most recent match on 8th January.
MatchPlug in this preview delivers the most accurate NBA Predictions Tonight, picks, and odds for Hornets VS Pacers. You can also visit our website to get previews for other NBA games too.
Predictions and Betting Preview for Charlotte Hornets VS Indiana Pacers NBA Regular Season Game
Venue: Spectrum Center, Charlotte
When: Monday, March 20th, 2023
Time: 16:00 GMT
Teams to play: Charlotte Hornets and Indiana Pacers
The Charlotte Hornets fumbled their 4th straight match as they were beaten by the 76ers at home last Friday at home. They entered Sunday only 22-50 on the season and dropped to the bottom of the Southeast Division, 16 games behind the Miami Heat for the top spot.
Charlotte was 14th in the Eastern Conference standings and has been eliminated from contesting for the playoffs. Against the 76ers, they were down two after the opening quarter and within one halfway through the second before Philadelphia extended to a 12-point halftime advantage.
The Hornets forfeited a 16-2 run to begin the second half and turn the game into a rout. They were held to 33.7% shooting from the field, including a meagre five of 35 from three-point range, and were crushed 62-35 on the boards in the game. Terry Rozier paced them with 14 points in the loss.
This season, they are 27th in the league in scoring offence with 111.2 points per game. Charlotte places 8th in the NBA in rebounding, as they take 44.7 boards per contest and 18th in assists with 24.9 dimes per contest. The Hornets are 24th in scoring defence with an average of 117.5 points per game this campaign.
Terry Rozier is second on the Hornets with 12.3 points plus 4.2 rebounds and five assists per game this tournament. Gordon Hayward (14.2 points, 4.3 boards, four assists), Kelly Oubre Jr. (20.3 points, 5.3 boards), P.J. Washington (15.2 points) and Dennis Smith Jr. (8.7 points, 4.7 assists) are solid contributors on the offensive end of the court. Nick Richards (7.8 points, 5.9 rebounds), LaMelo Ball (23.3 points, 8.4 assists), Theo Maledon, Cody Martin, James Bouknight and Bryce McGowens are expected to provide rotational depth for Charlotte.
The Hornets rank 28th in threes per game with 10.6 per contest and 30th in three-point field goal percentage by shooting 32.7% from beyond the arc.
Martin played only 7 games this season: because he had knee surgery in November and the last time he played was on January 14th: he is still out presently. Ball had an ankle injury on February 27th while playing against the Detroit Pistons and is said to be done for the year. Bouknight also had an ankle injury played only one game since January 4th and missed the last 22 games. Williams hurt his thumb and missed four games since getting injured against Detroit.
Betting On The Indiana Pacers
Regular Season Record: 32-39
1XBet Spread: -1.5
1XBet Moneyline: 1.912
1XBet Over/Under: Under 234.5
BetMGM Spread: -2.5
BetMGM Moneyline: 1.75
BetMGM Over/Under: Over 234.5
The Indiana Pacers lost again in three games after they were defeated at home by the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night. They became 4th in the Central Division, 18.5 games behind the Bucks for top sport.
Indiana was 11th in Eastern Conference standings, 18.5 games behind Milwaukee for the top spot, 7.5 games behind the Brooklyn Nets for the final playoff spot and 1.5 games behind the Chicago Bulls for the final spot in the play-in tournament.
When playing against the 76ers, the Pacers led 12-4 four minutes into the match, before they have outscored 30-12 the rest of the game by 10 after the opening quarter. They trailed by 11 at the half and couldn’t get closer than five in the second half before Philadelphia broke away.
Indiana scored 51.7% from the field, including 12 of 31 from a three-point range, and won the rebounding battle 41-30, while allowing the 76ers to trash them to 61.4% shooting in the contest. The Pacers were led by Aaron Nesmith with 25 points and 6 rebounds in the loss.
This year, the Pacers are 11th in the league in scoring offence with 115.9 points per game for the season. They are 24th in rebounding with an average of 41.5 boards a night, and 6th in assists by giving 26.8 dimes per contest. Indiana ranks 28th in scoring defence allowing an average of 118.3 points per game yearly.
They are led by Tyrese Haliburton in scoring with 20.8 points including 10.4 assists per game. Benedict Mathurin (16.6) points, Buddy Hield (17.1 points five rebounds, 2.7 assists), Myles Turner (17.9 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.3 blocks), Jalen Smith (9.3 points, 5.7 rebounds) and Chris Duarte are strong scoring options for this season. Aaron Nesmith (10.1 points, 3.8 boards), Isaiah Jackson, Andrew Nembhard, George Hill, Jordan Nwora, James Johnson, T.J. McConnell and Oshae Brissett are other players on standby for Indiana.
The Pacers rank 24th in the NBA in field goal percentage as they shoot from the floor as a team. They are 5th in threes per game, splashing 13.9 triples per contest and the team is 13th by shooting 36.5% from beyond the arc on the year.
Injured players for Indiana are – Duarte who missed the last two games due to an ankle injury, and Haliburton injured his knee and missed the last four matches, only returning March 9th against the Houston Rockets. Mathurin had an ankle injury, he too played last on March 9 against the Rockets, sitting out the last four games: there is no update about his return.
MatchPlug Prediction
Both the Hornets and Pacers have had a challenging season, with Indiana unravelling in January and the majority of February before finding their footing a bit late.
Indiana is saddled with player injuries lately, but they still found themselves within a close distance of securing a spot in the play-in tournament, as the regular season hits its final month.
Charlotte is one of the four teams that were eliminated from competing for the playoffs, as they had challenges winning games throughout the season. They have their work cut out for them, as they struggle with getting their motivation up.
Indiana has enough motivation to play tonight’s game and this might be what they need to crush the failing Hornets once and for all this season in Charlotte Hornets VS Indiana Pacers.
FC Dallas VS Sporting Kansas City is another thrilling game happening on MLS matchday 4; it features two teams who are desperate to secure three points.
Dallas enters this match in 6th position in the Western Conference with 4 points after 3 games. Kansas is in 10th position in the same division, with just two points.
MatchPlug is the best Prediction Site to go to for the Best Betting Tips Today and MLS Predictions for the Dallas and Kansas City match. We provide updated odds and information of every MLS matchday so far, and now in this preview, we have all you should know about FC Dallas VS Sporting Kansas City.
FC Dallas secured a priceless point during their visit to face the Whitecaps in Vancouver, thanks to the goal by Nigeria’s Sebastien Ibeagha, one of the team’s major powerhouses the current season.
Ibeagha joined Dallas after playing for LAFC, the team won the league and cup last campaign. He is now just 3 games away from completing 100 games in his MLS career.
In the two home games they’ve played, FC Dallas scored one win and one loss, with 3 goals scored and two given up.
Possible Lineup: (4-3-3) Maarten Paes; Emmanuel Twumasi, Sebastien Ibeagha, Jose Antonio Martinez, Marco Farfan; Sebastian Lletget, Facundo Quignon, Paxton Pomykal; Paul Arrirola, Jesus Ferreira, Alan Velasco.
Betting On Sporting Kansas City
1XBet Spread: +1.5
1XBet Over/Under: Under 2.5
1XBet Moneyline: 3.5
Sporting Kansas City will be playing today’s game after two successive scoreless draws against LA Galaxy and Colorado Rapids, which indicates that the defense works perfectly, but their offensive power is lacking.
To worsen the situation, some Kansas City players are wounded and exhausted. Tim Melia, Logan Ndenbe, Kortne Ford, Johnny Russel, Gadi Kinda, and Alan Pulido are the players having physical challenges. In two road games, Sporting had one draw and one loss, no goals scored and one conceded.
Possible Lineup (4-4-2): John Pulskamp, Ben Sweat, Andreu Fontas, Robert Voloder, Graham Zusi; Daniel Salloi, Remi Walter, Roger Espinoza, Marinos Tzinos; Erik Thommy, William Agada.
MatchPlug Prediction
October 9 of the previous season was the last time these clubs met; during that match, FC Dallas won by a score of 2-1, with Sebastian Lletget, and Paul Arriola scoring goals for them, Graham Zusi scored a goal for Sporting Kansas City.
Due to Kansas City’s offensive problems and likely player absences in this game, some experts are gravitating towards a win-by-minimum difference for FC Dallas.
But, what do the sportsbooks have to say about this matchup? Find out in the odds we displayed.
A unique matchup is scheduled between Houston Dynamo VS Austin FC; two Texan rivals. When compared to the past season, nothing much has changed for these clubs.
While Austin’s confidence continues to improve, Houston began the season on the wrong footing and hasn’t won a game. Austin secured victories in the past 3 games against this team, so this is Dynmo’s shot to reap from this dominance.
MatchPlug brings the Best Betting Tips Today and MLS Predictions for Houston and Austin, including possible lineups, predictions, and odds too. You can check out similar previews on other MLS matchday 3 matches you’ll find in this write-up.
Houston Dynamo has been tagged as the Western Conference’s worst team after appearing for two games in this campaign. Besides CF Montreal and Charlotte, Dynamo is the other club that has lost every match it has played so far, making them the only ones without points on their record.
Last season, they ended with a 1-3 loss to LA Galaxy, and now have three consecutive losses in all competitions; doomed to repeat the past. But, on the upside, Houston will have a chance this matchup to make its home debut.
Their last home game was in five months and it’s been six months since their previous win, but maybe playing on their home field can boost their confidence.
Austin FC had a fantastic season in 2022 and is maintaining that same performance this campaign. In spite of a 3-2 loss to St. Louis City, they have scaled through the subsequent matches, so they are entering this game with two successive victories.
However, Austin has been dealt an emotional blow that could affect them for Houston Dynamo VS Austin FC, because while they won 2-0 against Violette in the CONCACAF Champions League, they were expelled in the round of 16 by a 3-2 aggregate score. That defeat they didn’t bargain for, but now, that loss will keep them focused on the local tournament.
In the 3 MLS games, Austin FC has played, they’ve scored at least one goal in every match; with a total of 5 goals, the team has the 4th most goals in the Western Conference.
Possible Lineup (4-2-3-1): Brad Stuver; Jon Gallagher, Alexander Ring, Leo Väisänen, Zan Kolmanic; Owen Wolff, Daniel Pereira Gil; Emiliano Rigoni, Sebastián Driussi, Ethan Finlay; Gyasi Zardes.
MatchPlug Prediction
As the home team, Houston Dynamo will be extended the courtesy of being the team expected to get its first win of the season in this game.
However, the head-to-head record reinforces an Austin supremacy of four wins in five games. No matter the winner, there is a chance that an Over will be covered.
