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NBA Playoff Game 1 Bet Picks: 76ers vs Knicks and Timberwolves vs Spurs Bets

Apr 23, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Ayo Dosunmu (13) talks with a reporter after the game with the Denver Nuggets at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn ImagesApr 23, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Ayo Dosunmu (13) talks with a reporter after the game with the Denver Nuggets at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

Look at who has crashed the second round of the NBA Playoffs – Joel Embiid. Figured there was no invite coming for the Philadelphia 76ers and their star center after he underwent an appendectomy at a really unfortunate time.

But Embiid returned for the final four games of the first-round series against the Boston Celtics and the 76ers won the last three contests to surprisingly claim the Eastern Conference series. So the heat waiting for Embiid was transferred to the Celtics, coach Joe Mazzulla and NBA Executive of the Year Brad Stevens for a horrifying collapse.

Philadelphia now looks to upend the New York Knicks on the Eastern side, beginning with Monday’s Game 1. The Minnesota Timberwolves and San Antonio Spurs also open a Western Conference series on Monday with Anthony Edwards (left knee) listed as questionable for Minnesota.

PHILADELPHIA 76ERS AT NEW YORK KNICKS

The much-maligned Embiid can hold his head high after the last three games as he also fought through his knee getting banged up in Game 7 while recording 34 points, 12 rebounds and six assists in the clinching 109-100 win in Boston. He averaged 28 points in the four games he played and the only question will be if he can play with this much juice in Game 1 against the Knicks after also banging up his right hip.

The Knicks defeated the Atlanta Hawks in six games in the first round and the clinching victory was a 140-89 beat down on Thursday, furthering the confidence of a team primed for a deep run. Guards Jalen Brunson (26.3 average vs. the Hawks) of the Knicks and Tyrese Maxey (26.9 vs. the Celtics) of the 76ers figure to put on a stellar show, similar to two seasons ago when New York took down the 76ers in six games in the first round.

New York finished the Atlanta series with victories by 16, 29 and 51 points after losing both Games 2 and 3 by one point. OG Anunoby had 29 points on 11-of-14 shooting in the decisive game and averaged 21.5 points and shot 61.1% from the field in the series. Anunoby (18-plus points, -103) was so hot that his second-lowest shooting percentage in the first round was 56.3.

The teams split four meetings in the regular season with the Knicks delivering a 138-89 whipping on Feb. 11 in Philadelphia. New York will send deluxe defensive big man Mitchell Robinson inside to slow Embiid (27-plus points, -106) so this might be a game where either Brunson (28-plus points, -112) or Maxey (25-plus points, -123) shines brightest.

Knicks minus 7.5-point spread, -108 (DraftKings)

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MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES AT SAN ANTONIO SPURS

The Spurs cruised past the Portland Trail Blazers in five games in the first round and all four victories were by double digits. MVP candidate Victor Wembanyama, still just 22, returned from a concussion to average 22 points, 13 rebounds and 6.5 blocks over the final two games of the series.

Guards De’Aaron Fox (18-plus points, -114) and Stephon Castle (18-plus points, -104) are fine compliments to Wemby (30-plus points, +117) and big reasons why San Antonio’s win total is up to 66 this season. Fox averaged 20.2 points and 6.8 assists against Portland and Castle contributed 19.8 points and 6.0 assists.

Edwards missed the final two games of the six-game first-round series victory over the Denver Nuggets but is pushing hard to be on the floor Monday. What would really hurt Minnesota is if both Edwards and stellar reserve Ayo Dosunmu (calf) both miss the game. Dosunmu (18-plus points, -111) averaged a team-best 21.8 in the Denver series – led by his electric 43-point outing in Game 4 – before missing the finale.

Of course, Minnesota also lost Donte DiVincenzo (Achilles) in Game 4 so Julius Randle (21-plus points, -106) could be carrying the load and guys like Jaden McDaniels (18-plus points, -102) and reserve Naz Reid (13-plus points, -119) will need to step up. The Spurs have the upper hand to begin with but had lost five straight games to the Timberwolves before posting a 126-123 home win on Jan. 17.

Timberwolves plus 13.5-point spread, -115 (DraftKings)

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Argentina oust Switzerland in extra time, advance to semifinals

July 11, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.; Argentina's Lautaro Martinez celebrates scoring their third goal.  Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images July 11, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.; Argentina’s Lautaro Martinez celebrates scoring their third goal. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Julian Alvarez scored the tiebreaker in the 112th minute and Lautaro Martinez added an insurance goal in stoppage time as defending champion Argentina defeated 10-man Switzerland 3-1 in the World Cup quarterfinals on a hot and humid Saturday night in Kansas City, Mo.

Alexis Mac Allister also tallied, off an assist from Lionel Messi, for Argentina, which will face England in the semifinals Wednesday in Atlanta. England defeated Norway 2-1 in extra time earlier Saturday in Miami Gardens, Fla.

Dan Ndoye scored for Switzerland, which played short-handed from the 72nd minute on after Breel Embolo received a second yellow card and was ejected.

Alvarez’s winner came after Swiss goalkeeper Gregor Kobel knocked away an 18-yard strike from Messi, whose streak of scoring in nine straight World Cup matches came to an end.

Jose Manuel Lopez tracked down the rebound in the left wing corner and passed to Alvarez, who was just outside the top left corner of the penalty area. Alvarez took a couple of strides toward the center of the field before unleashing a curling, right-footed shot that found the far upper corner of the net, just out of Kobel’s reach.

Martinez clinched the victory in the first minute of stoppage time, converting a rebound after Kobel stopped a shot by Thiago Almada.

Kobel and Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez both made four saves.

Switzerland got the tying goal in the 67th minute following a sustained push.

Ndoye played a give-and-go with Ricardo Rodriguez near the top left corner of the penalty area. Ndoye got the ball back and dribbled to the edge of the 6-yard box before putting a low shot between Martinez’s legs as the goalie started to go down.

Switzerland’s momentum didn’t last long as Embolo received a second yellow card in the 72nd minute, this time for simulation. Referee Joao Pedro Silva Pinheiro originally was going to issue a yellow to Argentina’s Leandro Paredes for a foul on Embolo, but a video review determined the Swiss attacker was hardly touched and the booking was changed. Embolo received his first card in the 44th minute for a late foul on Paredes.

Kobel’s lone save in regulation came in the final minute of second-half stoppage time as he dove to his left to knock away a sidewinding, 15-yard shot from Lisandro Martinez following a Messi corner kick.

Argentina opened the scoring in the 10th minute as Messi’s corner kick from the left wing found Mac Allister at the top of the 6-yard box just outside the near post. Mac Allister’s glancing header into the far side netting left Kobel flat-footed. It was Messi’s record 10th career World Cup assist.

–Field Level Media

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Ty France powers Padres past Blue Jays in back-and-forth game

Jul 11, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres first baseman Ty France (25) celebrates with right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) after hitting a home run during the sixth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn ImagesJul 11, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres first baseman Ty France (25) celebrates with right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) after hitting a home run during the sixth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images

Ty France’s solo homer snapped a tie in the bottom of the sixth inning Saturday night as the San Diego Padres outlasted the visiting Toronto Blue Jays 8-7.

France cracked his 11th homer of the season an estimated 377 feet into the second level of the Western Metal Supply building in left field off Mason Fluharty (4-1). It broke the game’s third tie.

San Diego’s bullpen held the line from there. Bradgley Rodriguez (2-2) fired a 1-2-3 seventh, Adrian Morejon pitched the eighth and closer Mason Miller took care of the ninth for his 24th save in as many chances.

Neither starter made it past the second inning, both undone by wildness. Toronto’s Trey Yesavage lasted only 1 2/3 innings, giving up one hit and four runs thanks to his seven walks. The Padres’ Walker Buehler pitched only two innings, yielding three hits and four runs with four walks and a strikeout.

Yesavage gifted San Diego two runs in the bottom of the first with four walks, the last to Gavin Sheets with the bases loaded. France accounted for the other run via a sacrifice fly.

The Blue Jays erased that deficit quickly in the second with four runs, fueled by Buehler’s four walks. Alejandro Kirk doubled down the right field line for an RBI, followed by Andres Gimenez’s run-scoring groundout and Jonatan Clase’s two-run homer to right, his second of the year.

Three more walks by Yesavage in the second teed up Manny Machado for a two-run single that made it 4-4. The Padres regained the lead in the third on a two-out, two-run single by Sung-Mun Song.

Jake Cronenworth increased the lead to 7-4 in the fourth by grounding a two-out RBI single up the middle that scored Sheets. But Vladimir Guerrero Jr. erased that lead in the sixth when he belted a three-run homer to left. The 385-foot shot was his sixth of the year.

The teams combined for 17 walks, 11 by Toronto’s five pitchers. The teams drew 11 walks in the first two innings, the most in a major league game this year.

–Field Level Media

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D-backs RHP Brandon Praadt, timely hits too much for Dodgers

Jul 11, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA;  Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Brandon Pfaadt (32) throws during the second inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn ImagesJul 11, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Brandon Pfaadt (32) throws during the second inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images

James McCann hit two home runs, Brandon Pfaadt opened with five scoreless innings and the Arizona Diamondbacks finished off a 9-2 victory over the host Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday.

Nolan Arenado also hit a home run while Tim Tawa and Max Kepler each had two RBIs as the Diamondbacks won three consecutive games for the first time since a five-game winning streak in May.

Pfaadt (3-1), in the right-hander’s third start since returning to the rotation June 30, gave up two runs on six hits with no walks over 5 1/3 innings.

Andy Pages and Mookie Betts had RBI singles as the Dodgers dropped the first two contests of the three-game series and lost back-to-back games for the first time since June 20-21 at home against Baltimore.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto (9-6) tied his career high by allowing six runs on five hits with four walks over six innings and was unable to become the team’s second 10-game winner before the All-Star break along with Justin Wrobleski.

The Diamondbacks struck first in the fourth inning when Gabriel Moreno scored on a Tawa groundout.

Arizona knocked around Yamamoto in the sixth inning, making it 3-0 on a sacrifice fly from Kepler and an RBI double from Tawa. With two outs, Yamamoto intentionally walked Arenado and McCann responded with his three-run homer to left and first of the season.

The Dodgers finally got to Pfaadt in the bottom of the sixth. Tommy Edman led off with a double and scored on a Pages single. Mookie Betts followed a Freddie Freeman single with one of his own to bring Los Angeles within 6-2.

Kepler added his second sacrifice fly in the seventh inning before Arenado and McCann hit back-to-back home runs in the eighth off Landon Knack, who was making his season debut after he went down with an oblique strain during spring training.

Arizona lost center fielder Tommy Troy in the fifth inning when he slammed his right shoulder into the wall while catching a drive from Teoscar Hernandez. Troy was replaced by Jorge Barrosa.

The Diamondbacks’ Geraldo Perdomo was hit in the right hand with a pitch in the seventh and remained in the game.

–Field Level Media

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