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On the scale of upsets, it doesn’t get much more surprising than a league’s only winless team beating its only unbeaten team, but that’s exactly what happened in a wild Week 7 in the XFL when the Orlando Guardians stunned the D.C. Defenders. All Orlando quarterback Quinten Dormady did to help his team get its first win was SCORE SIX TOTAL TOUCHDOWNS.

And that wasn’t the only shocker. On Sunday, the St. Louis Battlehawks upset the Houston Roughnecks — the third straight loss for Houston after a 4-0 start. On Friday night, the Seattle Sea Dragons continued to surge, winning their fifth straight game behind a touchdown from former NFL receiving leader Josh Gordon.

We’ve got takeaways from the entire Week 7 below. First, here’s a look at the scores.

Friday
Seattle Sea Dragons 24, Arlington Renegades 15

Saturday
Vegas Vipers 26, San Antonio Brahmas 12
Orlando Guardians 37, D.C. Defenders 36

Sunday
St. Louis Battlehawks 24, Houston Roughnecks 15

Sunday’s game
McCarron stays hot as Battlehawks top sinking Roughnecks
A.J. McCarron threw three touchdown passes without an interception for the second straight week as the St. Louis Battlehawks won fairly convincingly in a clash of teams that entered 4-2. Darrius Shepherd caught 7 passes for 70 yards and a TD for St. Louis.

The Houston Roughnecks played without starting quarterback Brandon Silvers, who was inactive due to injury. Cole McDonald struggled in Silvers’ place, going just 15 of 32 for 106 yards with a TD and an interception.

The Battlehawks made just one field goal in the game, but it was a doozy. Donny Hageman set the mark for the longest field goal in XFL history at 59 yards.

FROM 59 YARDS OUT! 🤯

Donald Hageman knocks down the kick to extend the Battlehawks lead!

At the half:@XFLBattlehawks 17@XFLRoughnecks 9! pic.twitter.com/ilyDMdQ3A6

— XFL (@XFL2023) April 2, 2023
At 5-2, the Battlehawks now sit just a game behind the D.C. Defenders. The problem for St. Louis: Both losses came against D.C. The Battlehawks’ win Sunday underlined the disparity between the two divisions. North teams are now a combined 18-10 on the season, with South teams 10-18.

Saturday’s games
Guardians pull off XFL’s biggest stunner behind Dormady’s 6 TDs
It happened on April Fool’s Day, but it wasn’t a joke. The clash between the best and worst teams in the league saw the 0-6 squad win outright as 9.5-point underdogs, as the D.C. Defenders’ six-game winning streak to start the season came to a shocking end.

The Guardians couldn’t celebrate their 37-36 win until D.C. missed a 63-yard field goal attempt on the final play. Orlando pulled out the victory thanks to quarterback Quinten Dormady, who accounted for all six touchdowns: three rushing and three passing. Dormady went 27-of-34 for 328 yards with the three TD tosses, including this one to Deddrick Thomas.

WHAT. A. GRAB. pic.twitter.com/CyAcaDYrWW

— Orlando Guardians (@XFLGuardians) April 2, 2023
XFL rushing leader Abram Smith led the Defenders with 127 yards on the ground, while Chris Blair had 139 receiving yards. D.C.’s loss makes the Seattle Sea Dragons owners of the league’s longest win streak at five games — and it sets up a very interesting Week 8 showdown, when the Defenders travel to Seattle.

Vipers knock off offensively challenged Brahmas
Jalen McClendon threw for 264 yards and a pair of touchdowns to lead the Vegas Vipers to their second win of the season.

The Brahmas have allowed the fewest points in the league, but their offense continued to let them down as the unit found the end zone just once. San Antonio’s other touchdown came via Fred Brown’s 96-yard kick return — the XFL’s first kick-return TD of the season.

San Antonio Brahmas Fred Brown with a 96-yard kickoff return. #XFL #XFL2023 pic.twitter.com/zH1kdtiznx

— XFL News and Discussion @ XFLBoard.com (@xflboard) April 1, 2023
Brown had both Brahmas scores, also catching a six-yard TD pass from Kurt Benkert.

Friday’s game
Sea Dragons roll off fifth straight victory
The Seattle Sea Dragons are on fire. After losing their first two games by a combined six points, the Sea Dragons have won five straight and now sit just a game out of first place in the North.

Ben DiNucci, who played two seasons with the Cowboys and still lives in the Dallas area, had a big night against the Renegades in Arlington, throwing for 266 yards and a touchdown. The score was this connection with Josh Gordon, the former NFL star who had been quiet the last few weeks, but apparently has woken up.

Incredible catches are becoming a staple at @choctawstadium! This time it’s Ben DiNucci who finds Josh Gordon for the ridiculous touchdown.

The @XFLSeaDragons are rolling right now, with a 21-9 lead at halftime. #XFL | @XFL2023pic.twitter.com/DfF7pU10Vu

— James Larsen (@JamesLarsenPFN) April 1, 2023
Jordan Veasy led the Sea Dragons in receiving with 3 catches for 79 yards. Gordon had 3 grabs for 43 yards.

There wasn’t a single overtime game through the first seven weeks of the 2023 XFL season, but in Week 8 not only did we get the first look at the league’s unconventional new OT rules — a second look came a day later. Then in the Week 8 finale, about the only thing missing was OT as the D.C. Defenders cooled off the Seattle Sea Dragons in a wild shootout, 34-33.

The St. Louis Battlehawks got the OT ball rolling on Saturday, overcoming a double-digit deficit and an injured starting quarterback to beat the Vegas Vipers in the extra period. On Sunday, the Houston Roughnecks also won in OT, stopping their three-game skid after a 4-0 start. In the new overtime rules, the XFL gives each team three alternating attempts to convert two-point conversions from their opponent’s 5-yard line to decide a winner (more on that below).

On Sunday night the league’s two hottest teams played a thriller, as the Defenders bounced back from their only loss to stop Seattle’s win streak at four games.

We’ve got takeaways from every Week 8 game. First, here’s a look at the scores.

Saturday
St. Louis Battlehawks 21, Vegas Vipers 17 (OT)
Arlington Renegades 18, Orlando Guardians 16

Saturday
Houston Roughnecks 17, San Antonio Brahmas 15 (OT)
D.C. Defenders 34, Seattle Sea Dragons 33

Sunday’s games
D.C. goes to 7-1 in Game of the Year candidate at Seattle
It was a clash between two of the league’s hottest teams, and it lived up to the billing. D.C.’s Jordan Ta’amu (247 yards, 4 TDs) and Seattle’s Ben DiNucci (301 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT) put on a quarterback clinic, combining for 548 yards and 7 touchdowns at rainy Lumen Field in Seattle.

The Defenders bounced back from the strangest result of the season — losing to previously winless Orlando — to hand the Sea Dragons their first loss in five games. Ta’amu battled through a shoulder injury to put up gaudy numbers. Former Denver Broncos running back Philip Lindsay scored a touchdown in his first game with Seattle, the Sea Dragons’ only first-half points as D.C. led 16-6 at the break.

The Defenders led by 10 with just over 5 minutes left in the game, but a DiNucci touchdown — followed by this wild three-point conversion — cut the D.C. lead to 28-27.

The @XFLSeaDragons just converted the coolest three point attempt of all-time 🤩 pic.twitter.com/Sj9TE4mifl

— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) April 10, 2023
The Defenders answered with a 70-yard touchdown pass from Ta’amu to Chris Blair, but didn’t get the two-point conversion, and Seattle was down just seven. DiNucci promptly drove the Sea Dragons down the field and hit Jahcour Pearson for the score with :31 remaining. Seattle went for two and the win, but D.C.’s defense made the play of the game, sacking DiNucci to hold on.

D.C. has the XFL’s best record at 7-1, but half their games have been decided by four points or fewer. The Sea Dragons are currently out of the playoff picture, sitting a game behind the St. Louis Battlehawks for the second and final berth in the North Division.

Roughnecks clinch playoff berth with OT victory
The Roughnecks led 15-6 with 3 minutes left in the game when a Brandon Silvers interception opened the door for the Brahmas. San Antonio’s John Parker Romo hit a 49-yard field goal with :01 left to force the XFL’s second overtime in 24 hours.

The entire game was a defensive struggle and the overtime was no different. With each team getting three alternating attempts to convert two-point conversions from their opponent’s 5, neither could convert on their first two. With one attempt left, Houston finally broke through, as Cole McDonald hit Deontay Burnett for the game-winner, followed by a critical defensive stop.

Burnett also caught this TD in regulation from Silvers, who threw for 146 yards with 2 TDs and 2 INTs.

Brandon Silvers connects with Deontay Burnett pic.twitter.com/y9tiZ9wO0W

— Houston XFL Roughnecks (@xfl_houston) April 9, 2023
The Roughnecks clinched a playoff spot with the win, despite entering on a three-game losing streak. At 5-3, South Division-leading Houston is three games up on the third-place Brahmas (2-6) with two weeks remaining in the regular season.

Saturday’s games
Battlehawks win XFL’s first OT game as wild new rules debut
St. Louis was rolling entering Week 8 behind red-hot quarterback A.J. McCarron, but McCarron was forced to sit in Week 8 due to a shoulder injury. With backup Nick Tiano filling in, the Battlehawks won despite trailing 17-8 midway through the fourth quarter in the first game using the XFL’s new overtime rules.

St. Louis’ Donny Hageman kicked a field goal with 15 seconds left in regulation to force the XFL’s first OT game of the season. With each team getting three alternating attempts to convert two-point conversions from their opponent’s 5, the Battlehawks prevailed in the OT, 2-0. St. Louis’ Brian Hill rushed into the end zone on the team’s second attempt to secure the victory, and players celebrated by leaping into the stands, where there were a reported 35,000-plus fans in attendance.

THE SCENES!!!

BRIAN HILL INTO THE ENDZONE @XFLBattlehawks win it in OVERTIME!

PLAYERS ARE IN THE STANDS! pic.twitter.com/uo0rRNRrxH

— Daniel Esteve (@DanielJEsteve) April 8, 2023
Defense ruled the afternoon, as Tiano threw for 194 yards with 1 TD and 2 INTs. Vipers quarterback Jalan McClendon was held to 159 yards passing with 1 TD.

The good news for the Battlehawks is they improved to 6-2. The bad news: Three teams in the North Division entered Week 8 with two losses or fewer, and only two of them will make the playoffs.

Renegades force five turnovers, Perez starts after trade
The Arlington Renegades may not be the XFL’s best team but they’ve managed to win half their games so far, and on Saturday they got another victory by forcing five Guardians turnovers in Orlando.

The Renegades’ only offensive touchdown came via De’Veon Smith, who rushed for a score in the third quarter. Orlando managed just two offensive touchdowns, both coming via quarterback Quinten Dormady who had one rushing and one passing TD — a week after totaling six touchdowns.

Luis Perez, in his Renegades debut, went 16 of 25 for 190 yards. Perez was traded from the Vegas Vipers to the Renegades for linebacker Ryan Mueller at the end of March, a day after Arlington released quarterback Kyle Sloter.

Week 9 in the XFL set up some drama for the final regular-season weekend, as Week 10 will include multiple games with teams fighting for the final two playoff spots. The Seattle Sea Dragons kept their playoff hopes alive in Week 9 by defeating the St. Louis Battlehawks, while the Arlington Renegades came up just short in a game that would have clinched their spot in the playoffs.

Four teams remain in the playoff hunt (check out the standings here) as the XFL enters its final week of the regular-season. Two teams have clinched playoff spots, while two others have been eliminated.

Here’s a breakdown of who’s in, who is still alive and who will be spending the postseason on a golf course near you. First, a look at the Week 9 scores.

Saturday
Houston Roughnecks 28, Vegas Vipers 21
San Antonio Brahmas 25, Orlando Guardians 23
Sunday
D.C. Defenders 28, Arlington Renegades 26 (OT)
Seattle Sea Dragons 30, St. Louis Battlehawks 12

Who’s in
D.C. Defenders
Houston Roughnecks
The owners of the XFL’s best record, D.C. (8-1) will host the North Division Championship on Sunday, April 30. The Defenders won a nail-biter this past weekend after defeating the Renegades in overtime. In the win, the Defenders received a solid performance from quarterback Jordan Ta’amu, who threw two touchdowns while completing 70% of his passes.

.@XFLDefenders OC called a play on 2nd & Goal.

Jordan Ta’amu and Lucky Jackson did the rest 🙌@XFL2023 pic.twitter.com/3VK7Y2Tjcp

— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) April 16, 2023
Wade Phillips’ Roughnecks will host the South Division Championship on Saturday, April 29. Houston improved to 6-3 this past weekend after recording a 28-21 win over visiting Vegas. The Roughnecks’ running game once again played an integral role in the win, as Max Borghi and Brycen Alleyne rushed for a combined 112 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries.

Brycen Alleyne LEAPS in for six! 😮@XFL2023 | @XFLRoughnecks pic.twitter.com/4LcQh5SNu4

— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) April 15, 2023
Who’s still alive
St. Louis Battlehawks
Seattle Sea Dragons
Arlington Renegades
San Antonio Brahmas
St. Louis could have clinched the North Division’s second playoff spot with a win over the visiting Sea Dragons in Week 9. But the Battlehawks were unable to take care of business against surging Seattle, which has gone 6-1 after an 0-2 start.

Ahead 20-12 through three quarters, Seattle prevailed after out-scoring the host Battlehawks 10-0 in the game’s final stanza. Bryce Thompson’s interception of St. Louis quarterback A.J. McCarron set up former Denver Broncos running back Phillip Lindsay’s 1-yard touchdown run that essentially clinched Seattle’s season-saving win.

Seattle received yet another winning performance from quarterback Ben DiNucci, who went 21 of 31 for 260 yards with two touchdowns and a pick.

Jahcour Pearson to the house and Ben DiNucci silences the crowd 🤫@XFL2023 | @XFLSeaDragons pic.twitter.com/Kd8co7Ufyq

— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) April 16, 2023
Conversely, Sunday was a tough day for McCarron, who threw two interceptions while completing just 56.2% of his passes. McCarron played through pain as he continues to deal with a shoulder injury that was sustained earlier this month.

The Battlehawks can clinch a playoff berth with a win over the Vipers next Sunday and a Sea Dragons loss to the Orlando Guardians next Saturday. If both teams win — or both lose — the second playoff spot in the North will come down to a tiebreaker that won’t be determined until Week 10 has concluded.

The other playoff scenario is a lot less complicated. Arlington will face Houston in the South Division Championship if they can defeat the Roughnecks at home next Sunday. Hines Ward’s Brahmas need a win over the visiting Defenders and an Arlington loss to Houston in order to potentially quality for the postseason, pending the tiebreaker, as both teams would be 4-6.

San Antonio kept its playoff hopes alive following Saturday’s 25-23 win over Orlando. San Antonio’s win was spearheaded by quarterback Jack Coan’s 302 yards on 25 of 31 passing. Conversely, Arlington was unable to punch its playoff ticket after coming up short in overtime against D.C. While Arlington quarterback Luis Perez threw for 355 yards in regulation, he was unable to complete either of his passes in overtime.

Who’s out
Las Vegas Vipers
Orlando Guardians
The Vipers and Guardians have combined to win just three games through nine weeks. Orlando, after getting blown out in three of its first four games, has been much more competitive over the season’s past six weeks. It pulled off the upset of the season after handing D.C. its only loss back in Week 7. Led by Devin Darrington’s 133 yards, Orlando put up another gamely effort in Saturday’s two-point loss in San Antonio.

Like the Guardians, the Vipers were also more competitive during the second half of the season. Rod Woodson’s team picked up its second win over the season in convincing fashion over the Brahmas back in Week 7. Vegas followed up that performance with close losses against St. Louis and Houston.

A big reason for the Vipers’ recent success has been the play of quarterback Jalan McClendon, who in three games has completed 67% of his passes with five touchdowns and no picks.

Golden State Warriors guard Chris Paul will be back soon. The 38-year-old future Hall of Famer, who broke his hand during a game against the Detroit Pistons on Jan. 5 and had surgery three days later, fully participated in Wednesday’s practice, according to coach Steve Kerr. Paul will miss Golden State’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday, but won’t be out for much longer.

“He’s doing great,” Kerr told reporters. “Just played 5-on-5, took part in our whole practice. He’s getting close. He won’t play tomorrow, but he’s feeling really good. He played a lot over the All-Star break, he told me, so the next step is for the training staff to get a feel for where he is conditioning-wise and just make sure everything is set for him to be out there.”

Heading into Friday’s game against the Lakers, the Warriors are 27-26 and 10th in the Western Conference. They’ve won eight of their past 10 games, and during that span, they’ve scored 120.9 points per 100 possessions (which is one percentage point better than the Boston Celtics’ league-best mark this season) and allowed 111.2 per 100 (which is point better than the Oklahoma City Thunder’s fourth-ranked defense).

All of this is to say that Paul will return to a team that has changed in many meaningful ways during his absence. When he fractured his second metacarpal, Draymond Green was suspended, Andrew Wiggins was coming off the bench, Kevon Looney was (sometimes) starting, Gary Payton II was injured, and both Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody were frustrated with their respective roles. Now Golden State appears to have found something with a new starting lineup of Stephen Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Wiggins, Kuminga, and Green, which has outscored opponents by 27.1 points per 100 possessions in 106 minutes since Green’s return. Just before the break, Klay Thompson came off the bench for the first time since he was a rookie and played his best game of the season.

At practice on Thursday, Kerr showed the Warriors the standings. The point was to “make sure they know what’s at stake,” Kerr said.

“We’re in 10th, we’ve been on a good run, but we’ve gotta carry that forward,” Kerr said. “And there’s no reason why we can’t keep winning and do what we did a year ago, which was climb up the standings and put ourselves in a favorable position for the playoffs.”

Last season, Golden State was 29-30 and 10th in the West after losing its first game coming out of the All-Star break. Then it won 15 of its final 23 games and finished sixth, avoiding the play-in by the skin of its teeth.

When Paul returns, his presence could complicate how the Warriors close games, but he should also stabilize a second unit that now features two former All-Stars. He and Podziemski have worked well together, and having too many players who clearly deserve significant minutes is surely a welcome problem for Kerr, who has dealt with the opposite issue for most of the season.

After the Lakers game, Golden State will host the Charlotte Hornets on Friday and the Denver Nuggets on Sunday.

We’ve got another exciting Eastern Conference matchup on the NBA schedule as the Orlando Magic and Cleveland Cavaliers are set to tip at 7 p.m. ET on Thursday at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Cleveland is 36-17 overall and 19-9 at home, while Orlando is 30-25 overall and 12-17 on the road. The Cavaliers have dominated this series in recent years, winning eight of the last 10 meetings against the Magic.

This time around, the Cavaliers are favored by 8.5 points in the latest Cavaliers vs. Magic odds, and the over/under is 217 points. Before entering any Magic vs. Cavaliers picks, you’ll want to see the NBA predictions from the proven computer model at SportsLine.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters Week 18 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a sizzling 60-36 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning nearly $2,300. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.

The model has set its sights on Orlando vs. Cleveland. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA betting lines for the game:

Cavaliers vs. Magic spread: Cavaliers -8.5
Cavaliers vs. Magic over/under: 217 points
Cavaliers vs. Magic money line: Cavaliers: -352, Magic: +276
Cavaliers vs. Magic picks: See picks here
What you need to know about the Magic
Winning is just a little bit easier when you work as a team to post 10 more assists than your opponent, a fact the Magic proved last Wednesday. They enjoyed a cozy 118-100 victory over New York. The win came about thanks to a strong surge starting at the 11:34 mark of the second quarter when the Magic were facing a 39-27 deficit.

Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero were among the main playmakers for the Magic as the former scored 21 points along with six assists and three steals and the latter went 6 for 10 from beyond the arc en route to 36 points and five assists. The Magic are 8-2 against the spread in their last 10 games and they’re 4-1 ATS in their last five games on the road.

What you need to know about the Cavaliers
Meanwhile, the Cavaliers posted their closest victory since January 7th last Wednesday. The Cavs narrowly escaped with a win as the team sidled past Chicago 108-105. The victory was all the more spectacular given the Cavaliers were down 17 points with 6:14 left in the second quarter.

Donovan Mitchell was his usual excellent self, scoring 30 points along with seven assists and six rebounds. For the season, Mitchell is averaging 28.4 points, 6.3 assists and 5.4 rebounds per game. Mitchell (illness) is listed as questionable for tonight’s contest. The Cavaliers have won 10 of their last 11 games and they’re 13-7 against the spread in their last 20 contests.

How to make Cavaliers vs. Magic picks
The model has simulated Cavaliers vs. Magic 10,000 times and the results are in. We can tell you that the model is leaning Over, and it’s also generated a point-spread pick that hits in almost 70% of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.

We’ve got another exciting Atlantic Division matchup on the NBA schedule as the Brooklyn Nets and Toronto Raptors are set to tip at 7 p.m. ET on Thursday at Scotiabank Arena. Toronto is 19-36 overall and 11-16 at home, while Brooklyn is 21-33 overall and 8-16 on the road. The Nets have dominated this series in recent years, winning eight of the last 10 meetings against the Raptors.

This time around, the Raptors are favored by 1 point in the latest Raptors vs. Nets odds, and the over/under is 231.5 points. Before entering any Nets vs. Raptors picks, you’ll want to see the NBA predictions from the advanced computer model at SportsLine.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters Week 18 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a sizzling 60-36 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning nearly $2,300. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.

The model has set its sights on Brooklyn-Toronto. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA betting lines for the game:

Raptors vs. Nets spread: Raptors -1
Raptors vs. Nets over/under: 231.5 points
Raptors vs. Nets money line: Raptors: -115, Nets: -104
Raptors vs. Nets picks: See picks here
What you need to know about the Nets
The Nets were expected to have a tough go of it last Wednesday, and, well, they did. It’s going to take some time for them to recover from the 136-86 bruising that the Boston Celtics dished out last Wednesday. The loss unfortunately continues a disappointing trend for the Nets in their matchups with the Celtics: they’ve now lost four in a row.

Perhaps unsurprisingly given the score, the Nets struggled to get the ball back on offense and finished the game with only six offensive rebounds. Brooklyn has struggled as the underdog this season and is currently 9-28 in that position. The Nets are also 2-12 against the spread in their last 14 games on the road.

What you need to know about the Raptors
Meanwhile, the Raptors’ recent rough patch got a bit rougher last Wednesday after their third straight defeat. They fell just short of Indiana by a score of 127-125. Despite their loss, the Raptors saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Scottie Barnes, who dropped a double-double with 29 points and 12 rebounds, was perhaps the best of all.

For the season, Barnes is averaging 20.1 points, 8.1 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game. Barnes racked up 17 points and 11 rebounds in Toronto’s setback against Brooklyn on Nov. 28.

How to make Raptors vs. Nets picks
The model has simulated Raptors vs. Nets 10,000 times and the results are in. We can tell you that the model is leaning Under, and it’s also generated a point-spread pick that hits in well over 50% of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.

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.

The Milwaukee Bucks (28-13) travel to play the Detroit Pistons (4-37) on Saturday in a Central Division showdown. This is the third matchup of the season and Milwaukee has dominated the series as of late, winning seven straight head-to-head matchups against Detroit. On Dec. 16, Milwaukee topped Detroit 146-114. Giannis Antetokounmpo (shoulder) is listed as probable for Milwaukee, while Cade Cunningham (knee), Monte Morris (quad) and Isaiah Stewart (ankle) are out for Detroit.

Tipoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. Milwaukee is a 13.5-point favorite in the latest Bucks vs. Pistons odds via SportsLine consensus. The over/under for total points is 245. Before making any Pistons vs. Bucks picks, you need to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s advanced computer model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters Week 13 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a sizzling 42-23 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning nearly $2,000. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on Bucks vs. Pistons and just locked in its picks and NBA predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Now, here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Pistons vs. Bucks:

Bucks vs. Pistons spread: Milwaukee -13.5
Bucks vs. Pistons over/under: 245 points
Bucks vs. Pistons money line: Milwaukee -1076, Detroit +683
MIL: The Milwaukee Bucks have hit the game total Over in 43 of their last 67 games
DET: The Detroit Pistons have hit the game total Over in 30 of their last 47 games
Bucks vs. Pistons picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the Bucks can cover
Guard Damian Lillard has been a great addition to Milwaukee. Lillard has an effortless jumper from anywhere on the floor with a superb clutch gene. The seven-time All-Star also scans the court as a facilitator. Lillard averages 25 points, 4.3 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game. In the Jan. 14 win against the Kings, he tallied 29 points, eight assists and made five 3-pointers.

Forward Khris Middleton is an excellent scorer from mid-range and downtown. Middleton thrives off the ball and has a quick release in catch-and-shoot situations. The Texas A&M product is putting up 14.3 points, 4.2 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game. On Jan. 13 versus the Warriors, Middleton notched 24 points, 10 assists and went 3-of-5 from three. See which team to pick here.

Why the Pistons can cover
Center Jalen Duren brings tremendous size and power onto the court. The Memphis product averages 14.3 points, 11.5 rebounds and shoots 65% from the floor. The 20-year-old has recorded 20 double-doubles thus far. In his last game, Duren totaled 16 points and 11 boards.

Guard Jaden Ivey is a smooth three-level scorer for the Pistons. Ivey has a knockdown jumper and has the skillset to get into the lane regularly. The Purdue product logs 14.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game. He’s dropped 24-plus points in two straight games. In Wednesday’s loss to the Timberwolves, Ivey finished with 32 points, four boards and six assists. See which team to pick here.

How to make Pistons vs. Bucks picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning Under on the total, projecting 237 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time. You can only see the model’s picks at SportsLine.

The Milwaukee Bucks and Detroit Pistons kicked off Saturday’s NBA action in the afternoon, but seven other games will make up the remaining slate. There are plenty of ideal guards up for grabs, but big men seem to be the most appealing from a fantasy outlook. Several are in prime positions to abuse mismatches or make the most out of new opportunities.

Are you looking for strong returns? Here’s who you should keep an eye on as you look to build an optimal lineup:

Sengun is gearing up for his first meeting with the Utah Jazz this season. The Houston Rockets center is amid his best scoring month of the season. He’s averaging 22.8 points per game in January and should easily impose his will as a low-post scorer and rebounder against John Collins, who the Jazz have opted to start at center over Walker Kessler. His physical advantage should help him create open shots for himself and his teammates.

Vucevic torched the Toronto Raptors with 24 points, 14 rebounds, and seven assists his last time out and could easily put up similar numbers against the depleted Memphis Grizzlies. They’ve moved on from Bismack Biyombo and Xavier Tillman is questionable, so they might not have many options to stop Vuc down low. The Chicago Bulls big man has rattled off five double-doubles in his previous six games while averaging 19.7 points, 12.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists.

Bagley has been unleashed. The former Pistons big man made his Washington Wizards debut on Thursday and started in place of the concussed Daniel Gafford. The Duke product racked up 20 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks in 39 minutes against the New York Knicks’ sturdy defense. Gafford won’t play again on Saturday, so Bagley could see a similar workload against the abysmal San Antonio Spurs. Bagely’s price will probably rise significantly with another start, so fantasy managers should buy low while they can.