The NBA postseason tips off this weekend, as the Oklahoma City Thunder look to become the leagues first repeat champion since the 2017-2018 Golden State Warriors. After an exciting play-in tournament concludes Friday night, we will be down to 16 teams, with the playoffs beginning early Saturday afternoon. Lets take a look at every series that is set so far, and preview each from a betting perspective. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. No. 5 TORONTO vs. No. 4 CLEVELAND The first playoff game will take place Saturday afternoon in Cleveland, as the Cavaliers are heavy -550 favorites (a $55 bet pays $10) to win the series. While the Raptors are the underdogs, it is notable that they swept the season series against the Cavs, winning all three matchups. However, all of those games took place prior to Thanksgiving, and are not enough to compel me to pick the upset here. The Cavaliers have had some disappointing early postseason exits in recent years, but the duo of James Harden and Donovan Mitchell will be too much for the Raptors to handle, and I expect a relatively quick series. PICK: Cavaliers win series in exactly five games (+240) No. 6 MINNESOTA vs. No. 3 DENVER The Nuggets come into this matchup as -330 series favorites (a $33 bet pays $10). Two years ago, the Timberwolves derailed the Nuggets hopes of back-to-back titles, eliminating the defending champs in the second round of the 2024 playoffs. Some will remember that series upset and predict a similar outcome, but this is a very different Timberwolves team. The Wolves from two years ago had big man Karl-Anthony Towns to help defend Nuggets superstar Nikola Joki, and also had rangy guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker to use against Jamal Murray. Those two names are now elsewhere, and the Nuggets should be able to exploit the Timberwolves weakness of fouling at a high rate. The Nuggets averaged nearly 26 free-throw attempts per game in the regular season (fourth-most in the league), while the Timberwolves committed 21.2 fouls per game (third-most in the league). I like the Nuggets to get some revenge this time around. PICK: Nuggets win series in exactly six games (+450) No. 6 ATLANTA vs. No. 3 NEW YORK The Knicks are -275 series favorites, as they look to advance past the first round for the fourth consecutive season. They take on a Hawks squad that wasnt expected to be here back in January, after starting the season 20-25 before winning 26 out of its next 36 games. While that run is impressive, a lot of those wins came against tanking teams. I expect the Hawks to put up a respectable fight, but if we were to draft players from each team "playground style," the Knicks would be picked early and often. They have the more talented roster, as well as a strong home-court advantage here. PICK: Knicks win series in exactly six games (+425) No. 5 HOUSTON vs. No. 4 LOS ANGELES LAKERS The Rockets are the only favored team in the first round that does not have home-court advantage, as they come into this series at a hefty -600. The Lakers will be without two of their three best players for the foreseeable future, as Luka Doni and Austin Reaves recover from injuries. If the Lakers were healthy, they would be the favorites, but are currently too shorthanded for me to expect much. I think the Rockets to roll through the beat-up Lakers. PICK: Rockets win series in exactly four games (+275) No. 7 PHILADELPHIA vs. No. 2 BOSTON The Celtics are -900 series favorites, as they take on a 76ers team that defeated the Magic in the play-in tournament to earn a playoff bid. The 76ers are without Joel Embiid for the time being as he recovers from appendicitis, but the team has experience playing without its star center. The Celtics and 76ers played four times this season, with each team winning twice, and Embiid only playing in two of those matchups. The Celtics now have Jayson Tatum back and healthy, and they should win, but Im surprised they are such a heavy favorite, especially in Game 1, where they are laying 12.5 points. PICK: Celtics win series in exactly six games (+550) No. 7 PORTLAND vs. No. 2 SAN ANTONIO The Spurs are jumbo -2000 favorites to win their first playoff series of the post-Tim Duncan era. They went 2-1 against the Blazers in the regular season, and barring injury, San Antonio should advance with ease. The Blazers are a good story and have had a surprising season to make it to the playoffs for the first time since trading franchise legend Damian Lillard in 2023. However, the Spurs are monster favorites for a reason, and probably wont drop more than a game in this series. PICK: Spurs win series in exactly five games (+210)

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has released the schedule of the inaugural Women's T20I Challenge Trophy, which will be held in Rwanda.

Hoosiers coach Darian DeVries' transfer haul looks better than last season's

Weve written recently that teams like the Dallas Cowboys and New York Jets could give the Cincinnati Bengals problems during the first round of the NFL draft.Those are trade problems, as the Cowboys and Jets seem like threats to trade up, jumping over the Bengals for a prospect like Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles and his teammate and safety Caleb Downs.But as it turns out, some NFL draft rumors hint that the New York Giants could cause some problems for the Bengals, too.According to ESPNs Jordan Raanan, John Harbaugh and the Giants could be going hard after Downs and Styles: In an ideal world, the Giants would like to move back a few spots, add more picks (they have just two in the top 100) and draft a player like Ohio State safety Caleb Downs. But that's easier said than done.Those Giants hold the No. 5 pick and also really like Styles and Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love.Those are all prospects the Bengals like.The Bengals would love Styles to upgrade the unit featuring Demetrius Knight and Barrett Carter. Downs would upgrade safety and perhaps nickel corner. The Bengals have even met with Love and have Chase Brown on an expiring contract and not much else behind him at running back.None of this means the Bengals should panic and trade up. Not happening, anyway, given how the front office in Cincinnati operates.But an old rival like John Harbaugh and his new team are very much a club to watch as the NFL draft unfolds soon.This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: NFL draft rumors around Giants could impact Bengals

Texans and All-Pro defensive end Will Anderson Jr. have agreed to a historic three-year, $150 million extension to make him the highest-paid non-quarterback, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Injuries to star players have been a common theme holding back the Baltimore Ravens of late, and wide receiver Zay Flowers thinks he knows why it has been a recurring issue. "We were in full pads all the time [under former head coach John Harbaugh]. However many practices in pads you can get, every single one. We're doing one-on-ones in Week 17. Week 17, we're doing one-on-ones, everybody out there, we're tired; we're still going. You don't manage that. Low-key, that's why we had a lot of injuries, because of how we practiced," Flowers said on "4th And South w/ Jarvis Landry & Leonard Fournette." "The load was heavy." The Ravens are coming off an 8-9 season that saw them miss the playoffs for the first time since 2021 and ultimately fire Harbaugh after 18 seasons at the helm. Quarterback and two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson, linebacker and three-time All-Pro Roquan Smith, cornerback and two-time All-Pro Marlon Humphrey, defensive lineman and two-time Pro Bowler Nnamdi Madubuike and tight end Isaiah Likely were among the many Baltimore players to miss multiple games due to injury in 2025. Over Harbaugh's 18 seasons as Baltimore's head coach (2008-25), the Ravens went a combined 180-113 in the regular season and 13-11 in the postseason, highlighted by winning Super Bowl XLVII and six AFC North division titles. While acknowledging that Harbaugh taught Flowers how to be "prepared" for games, the receiver feels that new head coach Jesse Minter who was a defensive assistant under Harbaugh from 2017-20 will have the players in a routine more conducive to success. "[Minter] knows how we worked with Harbaugh. So he's like, 'You're going to get your work, but it's going to be a little easier on your body. You're going to be fresher for the game,'" Flowers said. Last season (2025), Flowers totaled a career-high in receptions (86), receiving yards (1,211) and receiving touchdowns (five). Flowers, whom Baltimore selected with the No. 22 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft out of Boston College, has been a Pro Bowler and logged 1,000-plus receiving yards in each of the past two seasons.

Rajasthan Royals manager Romi Bhinder will most likely to escape a serious sanction despite his "injudicious and indiscreet" behavior during the IPL 2026 clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.