Latest news with #DonteDiVincenzo
Fox Sports
6 days ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
2025 NBA, WNBA picks; predictions: Back OKC to cover first half in Game 5
I'm back with my best bets for Wednesday night. On the NBA side, it looks like the Western Conference finals series is pretty much over. So I've got a couple wagers that I like for that game. And now that the WNBA is in full swing, I've found at least one spot that I think is worth a look. Check out what I'm on for Wednesday's matchups. Timberwolves @ Thunder The series went to Minnesota with the Thunder up 2-0, and it now returns to Oklahoma City for Game 5 with the Thunder up 3-1. One more win for the Thunder and they are through to the NBA Finals. The Wolves played their best game of the postseason in Game 3 when they routed OKC. In Game 4, the Thunder controlled from first tip to final horn, even though it was just a single-possession win for them. I think the Thunder wrap up the series tonight, and I have a couple wagers I like around that thought. Oklahoma City -4.5 first half I expect the Wolves to attempt to start fast, knowing that this could be their final game of the season. Anthony Edwards didn't play well in Game 4, so expect him to force the pace early and attempt to get the Wolves out of the gate quickly. So even though I love wagering on the first quarter, that's not what I'm doing for this one. Instead, I will take the Thunder to win the first half, after they weather the Wolves' early energy. Once the Thunder settle into the game, they will look to put Minnesota away by halftime. The quicker they are able to end the game, the better. I'm also fading the Wolves' backups who will play in that stretch between the end of the first quarter and the first six minutes of the second quarter. Role players, like Donte DiVincenzo, Naz Reid and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who combined for 55 points in Game 4, will not play as well on the road. That same group scored 56 combined points in the first two games of the series. So Minnesota will get off to a fast start and then OKC will withstand the early energy and pull away in the second quarter when the Wolves' backups are in the game. PICK: Oklahoma City (-4.5 FH) to lead by more than 4.5 points at halftime Donte DiVincenzo Over/Under 9.5 points Fading role players on the road after a monster home-scoring output is one of my favorite playoff angles. DiVincenzo was fantastic in Game 4. He scored 21 points while making five of his eight 3-pointers. It was the most points that he's scored in the postseason. His previous high was 13, and he's only been above nine points in three of the Wolves' 14 postseason games. DiVincenzo is 10-for-43 from 3 on the road in the postseason, while shooting 16-for-41 from 3 at home. He's coming off back-to-back games at home where he made seven of his 10 3-point attempts. I do not expect that to continue on the road in Game 5 based on his splits and the nature of role players in the league. PICK: Donte DiVicenzo Under 9.5 points scored Indiana Fever @ Washington Mystics Kiki Iriafen Over/Under 11.5 points The Fever's interior defense has been an issue this season and, through four games, they've allowed the opposing bigs to score points. In their first game, Angel Reese scored 12 points for the Sky. The first game against the Dream saw Brittney Griner score 21 points and Brionna Jones add 19. The second game against the Dream was better, with Jones scoring 15 and Griner scoring just five. Against the Liberty on Saturday, Jonquel Jones scored 26 points, shooting nearly 65% from the field. Iriafen is averaging nearly 14 points per game through her first five WNBA games and is off a game with just four field goal attempts after getting up at least 10 shot attempts in the first four contests. She will have a higher output of shot attempts tonight against the Fever. PICK: Kiki Iriafen Over 11.5 points scored Geoff Schwartz is an NFL analyst for FOX Sports. He played eight seasons in the NFL for five different teams. He started at right tackle for the University of Oregon for three seasons and was a second-team All-Pac-12 selection his senior year. Follow him on Twitter @ GeoffSchwartz . Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! recommended Get more from National Basketball Association Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's 40, Thunder defense forcing 23 turnovers has OKC one win from NBA Finals
It was the two words in all caps and red ink at the top of the scouting report for Minnesota going into the Western Conference Finals: Limit turnovers. The Timberwolves had to break even in the possession game to upset the Thunder in this series. They failed at that in the biggest moment of their season Monday night — Minnesota turned the ball over 23 times and allowed 19 Oklahoma City offensive rebounds in Game 4. The result was the Thunder getting up 11 more shots in the game. Advertisement That was the difference in what an epic, high-level playoff game, one of the best of the postseason. Well, turnovers and a career playoff high 40 points from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Oklahoma City hung on at the end for a 128-126 Game 4 win that puts them up 3-1 in the series. The Thunder can close the series out Wednesday night at home. This is a gut-punch loss for the Timberwolves because they played well enough to win: • Minnesota created better looks most of the night. • Minnesota shot better, including 18-of-41 (43.9%) from 3. • Minnesota grabbed 19 offensive rebounds themselves. • Minnesota got 64 points from their bench behind Nickeil Alexander-Walker scoring 23 points on 9-of-15 shooting, Donte DiVincenzo scoring 21, including five 3-pointers, and 11 points from Naz Reid. Advertisement 'Definitely sucks being that close…' Alexander-Walker said postgame. 'Everything is out there, there are no secrets — they know how to beat us and we know how to beat them.' What hurt the Thunder was a slow start and rough night from Anthony Edwards, who scored 16 points on 5-of-13 shooting. Which was better than Julius Randle, who struggled again with five points on 1-of-7 shooting (but nine rebounds). Not only did SGA step up for the Thunder, but so did their next stars: Jalen Williams had 34 points, including six 3-pointers, while Chet Holmgren had 21 points, seven rebounds and three blocks, including a critical one late. After coming out flat and getting blown out in Game 3, the Thunder came out Monday with increased defensive ball pressure and activity — looking like themselves again — except it didn't work. For example, the Thunder defense forced the ball to Jaden McDaniels, but he responded with 10 early points. Minnesota shot 63.2% in the first quarter but trailed 37-30 after one because of their seven turnovers in the frame. That was the theme of the night. Advertisement So was Oklahoma City taking a small lead (never more than 11) and then Minnesota walking them down. It was a physical, intense, high-level game of basketball played well by both teams. The last time the Thunder got one of those small leads they held on, and now they have a commanding lead in the series.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Donte DiVincenzo: ‘We played like sh--'
Donte DiVincenzo: 'We played like sh--' Not mincing words a day after the Timberwolves' loss to the Golden State Warriors in Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals, Donte DiVincenzo told reporters that the team knows it didn't live up to its standards, and needs to improve on Thursday. 4:23 Now Playing Paused Ad Playing
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
How OKC Thunder reversed the math to find winning equation in Game 1 vs Timberwolves
You can do a lot in the time it takes for a Lu Dort 3-pointer to orbit Paycom Center. Like scan the box score and realize how rare of a shot that was for the Thunder in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals. Not just for Dort, but the Thunder as a whole. There was very little chuckery by modern NBA standards in the Thunder's 114-88 win over the Wolves on Tuesday night in Oklahoma City. Advertisement Rather than hoping for rain, the Thunder relentlessly attacked the rim. OKC pummeled Minnesota 54-20 in the paint — which is going to need a fresh coat before Game 2 on Thursday. 'I don't know what the number was, but we probably took 50 shots in the paint,' Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. He should do this for a living. It was 50 on the nose. The shot charts of the two teams were an inverse of each other. Fifty shots in the paint for the Thunder. Twenty-three for the Wolves. CARLSON: Kenrich Williams' 'invisible work' for Thunder pays off with stunning jolt vs Timberwolves Fifty-one 3-point attempts for the Wolves — a playoff high. Twenty-one for the Thunder — and the Thunder made 11 of them (52%). Advertisement Just how much of an outlier is that? The fewest 3-pointers the Thunder attempted in a game this season before Tuesday was 27. 'I liked our blend tonight,' Daigneault said. 'I thought the (3s) we took were good. We probably could've took more. I thought we missed some passes, especially in the first half, but like I said, it's a new opponent.' Having conquered Denver's zone defense, which tempted the Thunder with an unlimited diet of 3-pointers, Minnesota's dogged man-to-man defense led the Thunder to its bread and butter. Drive after drive after drive after drive. The Thunder hasn't been making 3s this postseason. No need to even try them Tuesday with the way the Wolves defended. Advertisement 'Just us playing basketball,' said Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who had a game-high 31 points despite going 0 of 4 from 3. 'I don't think we ever focus on what type of shots. As long as they're good ones, we try to let 'em rip.' More: NBA Playoffs roundtable: Three big questions for Thunder vs Timberwolves in West finals Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (7) celebrates after a dunk between Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30), forward Jaden McDaniels (3) and guard Donte DiVincenzo (0) during Game 1 of the NBA Western Conference Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Minnesota Timberwolves at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Tuesday, May 20, 2025. Eight of the Thunder's 11 3-pointers came off the bench. Alex Caruso was a perfect 3 of 3. Kenrich Williams was 2 of 2. Cason Wallace and Isaiah Joe each had one, as did Dillon Jones in garbage time. Eight of the Thunder's 21 3-point attempts came in the fourth quarter, by the way. Here's another number for you. Advertisement The Thunder took as many 3s (21) as Donte DiVincenzo and Nickeil Alexander-Walker — both of whom came off Minnesota's bench! Those two combined to go 5 of 21. Whereas Denver laid back in the anyone-but-Shai defense, Minnesota pressured the Thunder almost as soon as the ball crossed halfcourt. The Thunder feasted in part off Minnesota's aggression with open pathways to the hoop. 'We've been playing Denver for two weeks,' Daigneault said. 'It took us a second to calibrate that, but we got better as the game went on, and now we have to get better as the series goes along.' The obvious counter for the Wolves is to pull a Denver and go zone. That would require Chris Finch's crew to swallow its pride. Advertisement 'They were getting downhill, so they weren't really looking to kick out a whole lot,' the Minnesota coach said of OKC's dearth of 3-point attempts. 'Not sure how much of that was on us.' It's on Minnesota to respond. If not, this series could be a short one. 5 TAKEAWAYS: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder trounce Timberwolves by 26 to take Game 1 Joe Mussatto is a sports columnist for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joe? Email him at jmussatto@ . Support Joe's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at . This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: NBA Playoffs: Thunder relies on paint points vs Timberwolves in Game 1
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Knicks vs. Pacers odds, betting: Best bets for the Eastern Conference finals Game 1, series
The New York Knicks executed a stunning trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves before the season, dealing Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo in a deal for Karl-Anthony Towns. They have to be happy with the result, as New York is in the Eastern Conference finals for just the second time since 1975 — and the first time as a favorite since 1994. The Knicks are -155 favorites to advance to the NBA Finals at BetMGM. The Indiana Pacers are in the conference finals for the second consecutive year and are a lot healthier than last year when they were swept by the Boston Celtics, the eventual champions. Tyrese Haliburton and Co. shocked the No. 1 seed Cleveland Cavaliers in the last round and won't be intimidated by the Madison Square Garden environment. This should be another fantastic series between two Eastern Conference rivals. Yahoo Sports asked handicappers Michael Fiddle and Carl Sack for their thoughts on the Knicks-Pacers series and their best bets: Fiddle: "The Knicks are coming in with a rest disadvantage, but because they closed Game 6 on Saturday, they still have four days off, which neutralizes that disadvantage. It was really important they closed that series in Game 6, so they didn't have to travel to and from Boston. "My model had the regular-season numbers as Knicks -3.6 in Game 1, so Knicks -3.5 was spot on, with a little bit of Knicks action coming into the market, which is what we've seen. If you count home-court advantage as slightly more advantage in the playoffs, -4 or -4.5 makes sense. I think we see that line steam a little more. Home-court advantage for the Knicks should be stronger in the playoffs than the regular season because star players who are questionable are more likely to play because it's MSG. "I like Knicks at -4.5 or better in Game 1 and the Knicks in series. All of the regular-season matchups moved toward the over and cashed the over on the closing line, and we've already seen the total move 2.5 points as well. Probably a high-scoring series and a Knicks win." Best bets: NY Knicks -4.5 in Game 1, NY Knicks -155 to win series Sack: "Both teams in this series played teams that were undermanned or injured more than most people realize. I think Indiana and New York looked a little bit better than they truly are. The Pacers have looked great, but their offensive efficiency has been a little lucky – they're shooting better from the field and from 3-point range than the regular season, so I think some regression is coming. "I rate Indiana as a slightly better team on a neutral court. I don't have a bet on the series on Game 1 yet, but I'd look to back Indiana in Game 2 or the series if the Pacers lose Game 1. There's a bit of revenge factor for the Knicks. They both have great coaches. I'll be holding off early, hoping the Knicks win Game 1 by double digits and there's a +5 or something in Game 2." Best bet: Nothing yet
