Sports
Best NBA Over/Under Bet: Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Utah Jazz on Feb. 28
My Deadspin re-debut did not go as planned. A narrow one-goal overtime loss derailed our hockey over/under bet last night, but today I come back to you with another total—this one on the hardwood.
In the event of Anthony Edwards’ one-game suspension—after his two technical fouls in last night’s loss to the Lakers lifted his season total to 16—the Timberwolves’ budding superstar is forced by rule to sit out the next contest.
That comes tonight in Utah against the Jazz, where the two Northwest Division residents meet with a total of 226.5 points.
Don’t be fooled by Utah’s Western Conference-worst 14-44 record. While the Jazz aren’t anywhere close to sniffing a playoff berth in 2025, this is a club that could actually be decent if it could stay healthy.
Its quartet of solid talent—Lauri Markkanen, Collin Sexton, John Collins and Jordan Clarkson—have all missed numerous games this year. As it stands, Markkanen is the only one ruled out for tonight, while the other three are listed as game-time decisions.
The Wolves, meanwhile, will also be dealing with their own key absences. Aside from Edwards being out for disciplinary reasons, Minnesota won’t have Rudy Gobert, Julius Randle or Donte DiVincenzo due to injuries.
That means the Timberwolves’ leading scorer from tonight’s roster is Naz Reid with 14.9 points per game. Only one other player—Jaden McDaniels—is averaging double digits.
When fully healthy, both teams rank near the bottom third of the league in scoring. Utah is No. 19, averaging 112.2 points per game, with Minnesota right behind at 111.9.
Removing Edwards from the equation is about as meaningful as it gets compared to any other star in the league. Not only does the 23-year-old rank fourth in the NBA in scoring with 27.3 points per game, but his 20.8 field goal attempts per game also rank fourth.
In addition, Edwards ranks 10th in the NBA in free throw attempts, getting to the line 6.1 times per game. From an offensive perspective, there might be no more impactful player to his team than Edwards, which shouldn’t be too surprising.
The Georgia product has missed two games this season, and the results were felt on offense—the Wolves averaged just 108.5 points in those contests, and the under hit both times.
That’s exactly what we’ll be shooting for here. Minnesota is missing a massive amount of scoring and does not possess enough depth to account for it. The Jazz might be getting some of their injured players back in the lineup, but they’re still banged up.
All of this roster activity would seem to point to a lower-scoring affair at the Delta Center.
Pick: Under 226.5 (-110, BetMGM)
NBA Betting Record: 16-13, +0.74 unit
Over/Unders: 5-4
Everything Else: 11-9
Each bet graded as if it were to win one unit.
Follow me @MattZylbert on Twitter/X for potentially another pick(s) added there.
Sports
Hurricanes’ Jordan Staal wins 2026 Conn Smythe Trophy
Jun 14, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal (11) raises the the Stanley Cup after the win against the Vegas Golden Knights in game six of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images Carolina captain Jordan Staal was voted the 2026 Conn Smythe Trophy winner as the most valuable player in the playoffs following the Hurricanes’ Stanley Cup-clinching 3-0 Game 6 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights Sunday evening in Las Vegas.
Staal, 37, had scored goals in five straight games coming into the deciding contest, tying a Stanley Cup Final record which had stood for 70 years.
He had six goals in the finals overall and two goals in previous rounds, which coupled with his four assists gave him 12 points during his team’s championship run.
Staal became the oldest player to ever win the award.
“I learned a lot about perseverance and trusting God,” Staal said in a postgame interview. “It’s been such a grind.
“I just wanted to win so bad.”
In his 14th season with the Hurricanes after six seasons with Pittsburgh, Staal totaled 36 points (20 goals) during the 2025-26 regular season.
The center won his second Stanley Cup, 17 years after his first. That gap marked the largest in NHL history.
“This is something I’ve been going after ever since we got the first one,” Staal said in the postgame broadcast. “You want to win it again and again and again.”
Selected by the Professional Hockey Writers Association, the Smythe award is named for former Toronto Maple Leafs coach, manager, president and owner-governor Conn Smythe.
The Florida Panthers’ Sam Bennett was the 2025 winner of the award. Prior to that in 2024, the Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid became just the sixth player to ever win the award playing for the finals loser.
Previous notable winners include Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux and Sidney Crosby — each of whom won the award twice) — Patrick Roy (the only three-time winner), Steve Yzerman and Alex Ovechkin.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Forget 2026 … Hurricanes favored to win it all in 2027
Jun 14, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour celebrates holding the Stanley Cup after the win against the Vegas Golden Knights in game six of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images After completing one of the most dominant runs in Stanley Cup playoff history in Las Vegas on Sunday, the Carolina Hurricanes found themselves atop another list synonymous with Sin City.
The betting odds.
Shortly after the Hurricanes defeated the host Vegas Golden Knights 3-0 to win the Stanley Cup Final in six games, the oddsmakers placed Carolina as the early favorite to win the Cup next season.
DraftKings put the Hurricanes at +700 (a winning bet would return $7 for every $1 wagered), slightly ahead of the Colorado Avalanche (+800) and then the Golden Knights (+850). They are the only teams with odds better than +1000.
If the Hurricanes were to repeat, they would do so on the heels of the Florida Panthers, who won the Cup in each of the previous two seasons. Another team in the Southeast — the Tampa Bay Lightning — won back-to-back Cups in the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons.
A repeat would also make the Hurricanes the fourth team in the last 12 years to go back-to-back, as the Pittsburgh Penguins lifted the Stanley Cup in 2016 and 2017.
The Hurricanes need just 19 games to run through the playoffs, sweeping the Ottawa Senators in the first round and the Philadelphia Flyers in the second before dropping the first game of the Eastern Conference finals to the Montreal Canadiens. They responded with four straight wins, then split the first four games with Vegas before winning the final two.
The Edmonton Oilers hold the record for fewest playoff games needed to win the Cup, going 16-2 in the 1988 postseason.
DraftKings places the Panthers and Oilers at +1100 to win it all next season, followed by Tampa Bay at +1200.
DraftKings odds to win the Stanley Cup in 2027
Carolina Hurricanes (+700)
Colorado Avalanche (+800)
Vegas Golden Knights (+850)
Florida Panthers (+1100)
Edmonton Oilers (+1100)
Tampa Bay Lightning (+1200)
Minnesota Wild (+1400)
Dallas Stars (+1500)
Ottawa Senators (+1600)
Montreal Canadiens (+2200)
Buffalo Sabres (+2500)
Anaheim Ducks (+2500)
Utah Mammoth (+3000)
New Jersey Devils (+3000)
Los Angeles Kings (+3000)
Columbus Blue Jackets (+3500)
Toronto Maple Leafs (+4000)
Washington Capitals (+5000)
Philadelphia Flyers (+5000)
Pittsburgh Penguins (+5500)
Boston Bruins (+6000)
San Jose Sharks (+6500)
New York Islanders (+6500)
Winnipeg Jets (+7000)
St. Louis Blues (+7500)
New York Rangers (+8000)
Detroit Red Wings (+8000)
Nashville Predators (+10000)
Seattle Kraken (+20000)
Chicago Blackhawks (+25000)
Vancouver Canucks (+50000)
Calgary Flames (+50000)
–Field Level Media
Sports
Team Liquid still unblemished at OWCS Stage 2
YMCA member Austin Manengu works the keyboard as he plays a game of Fortnite during the unveiling of the new gaming lab at the Maplewood Family YMCA in Rochester Thursday, June 20, 2024. YMCA of Greater Rochester in partnership with Metro Sports & Entertainment Group will open two gaming labs for youth and teens this year. Team Liquid is alone atop of the standings at 2-0 after regular-season play Sunday for Stage 2 of North American qualifying for the Overwatch Champions Series.
A 3-1 win over LuneX Gaming kept Team Liquid at the top, while Dallas Fuel notched their first win in sweeping last-place The Kafe, 3-0, in the day’s other match.
The six teams in contention will engage in round-robin matches during the regular season, with the top four qualifying for the regional playoffs, which will be double-elimination. All matches are best-of-five until the grand final, which will be best-of-seven.
In addition to the $75,000 prize pool, the top four Stage 2 finishers will advance to Stage 3. The three finishers will also qualify for the Midseason Championship.
To kick off Sunday play, Dallas Fuel handled The Kafe, winning 2-0 on Ilios, 3-1 on New Junk City and 3-2 on Numbani.
Team Liquid rebounded from a 2-1 loss to LuneX Gaming on Ilios with three straight victories on Rialto (4-3), King’s Row (5-4) and Runasapi (138.25m-125.14m).
Week 2 schedule
June 20
–LuneX Gaming vs. Disguised
–Spacestation Gaming vs. The Kafe
June 21
–Spacestation Gaming vs. LuneX Gaming
–The Kafe vs. Disguised
–Dallas Fuel vs. Team Liquid
Standings (team, record, match differential)
1. Team Liquid, 2-0, +4
2. Spacestation Gaming, 1-0, +3
3. LuneX Gaming, 1-1, +1
4. Dallas Fuel, 1-1, 0
5. Disguised, 0-1, -2
6. The Kafe, 0-2, -6
Prize pool:
1. $30,000, qualifies for Midseason Invitational, qualifies for NA Stage 3
2. $15,000, qualifies for Midseason Invitational, qualifies for NA Stage 3
3. $12,000, qualifies for Midseason Invitational, qualifies for NA Stage 3
4. $8,000, qualifies for NA Stage 3
5-6. $5,000, qualifies for NA Stage 2 promotion/relegation
–Field Level Media
Hurricanes’ Jordan Staal wins 2026 Conn Smythe Trophy
Forget 2026 … Hurricanes favored to win it all in 2027
