The XFL is back. Three years after the 2020 version was forced to shut down after five games due to COVID-19, the league has returned with a 10-week regular season and two weeks of playoffs in 2023.
It all started on Saturday, Feb. 18, and you can check out the entire 2023 schedule below, including playoffs, with two semifinals to be held on April 29 and 30 and the championship game on May 13.
We’ll keep you updated with results from each game as the season rolls along. You can check out all of our XFL coverage here, including everything to know about the rebooted league — which originated in 2001 — along with the XFL names to know, power rankings, picks, standings and more.
The Brooklyn Nets are in discussions to sell a minority stake in the team to Julia Koch, according to Bloomberg and Sportico.
Koch was married to the late billionaire David Koch. She and her three children — David Jr., Mary Julia and John — are looking to invest in the team, and neither Koch Industries nor any other members of the Koch family are involved, per Sportico.
In the deal, which has yet to be completed, Koch would reportedly acquire approximately 10% of BSE Global, the Nets’ parent company, which also owns Barclays Center, the WNBA’s New York Liberty and the Nets’ practice facility.
Koch has a net worth of $69.1 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
The valuation of the franchise will take into account the NBA’s upcoming broadcast rights deal, per Sportico. It could be as much as $4.8 billion, the New York Post reported, citing industry sources.
Joe Tsai, the co-founder of Alibaba, bought 49% of the Nets from Mikhail Prokhorov in 2018 and the remaining 51% in 2019. That deal valued the team at $2.35 billion, not including Barclays Center. Tsai spent about $3.5 billion to acquire both.
The NBA has suspended Detroit Pistons big man Isaiah Stewart three games for punching Phoenix Suns center Drew Eubanks on Feb. 14, the league announced Thursday.
The full press release:
The NBA announced today that Detroit Pistons forward-center Isaiah Stewart has been suspended three games without pay for initiating a physical altercation with Phoenix Suns forward-center Drew Eubanks on Feb. 14 before a game between the Pistons and Suns at Footprint Center in Phoenix. Stewart punched and pushed Eubanks during the altercation.
Stewart will begin serving his suspension with the next NBA regular-season game that he is eligible and physically able to play, which is expected to be tonight’s game between the Pistons and Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Stewart has not played since Jan. 28 due to an ankle injury, but, prior to the suspension, but James Edwards III of The Athletic reported Tuesday that he could have potentially been available to play on Thursday.
Stewart was arrested on Feb. 14 and released after being issued a citation for misdemeanor assault. The assault charge filed against him was dismissed on Thursday (Feb. 22), per ESPN.
Here’s what the Phoenix Police Departmennt had to say about an investigation into the incident:
Detectives are investigating an assault that happened late this afternoon between two professional basketball players while in the parking tunnel of the arena in downtown Phoenix.
Around 4:45 p.m. Phoenix police officers were working in a security capacity during a Suns home game at Footprint Arena when they were called to a fight between two players inside the arena’s parking lot. When the officers arrived, they were directed by security to the players involved. The players were identified as 27-year-old Drew Eubanks and 22-year-old Isaiah Stewart.
Officers spoke to both players involved and a number of people who witnesses the incident. They learned there was an argument between both players as they arrived at the arena. Witnesses said the argument escalated when they saw Stewart punch Eubanks, causing a minor injury. Both men were separated by security which ended the fight.
Detectives responded to investigate the incident and collect evidence. Stewart was arrested for assault and issued a citation and released. The investigation remains active.
Assuming that Stewart’s suspension begins Thursday, he will also miss the Pistons’ games against the Orlando Magic on Saturday and the New York Knicks next Monday. The soonest he could return to the court is next Tuesday against the Chicago Bulls. The Suns and Pistons do not play again this season.
The NBA returns to competitive action on Thursday after a week off from regular-season contests. Depending on who you ask, the NBA All-Star Game may or may not count as competitive action, so all players should have received significant rest since last taking the floor for their teams last week. The rested NBA DFS player pool, combined with a 12-game slate, means there are many avenues daily Fantasy basketball players can take when forming their NBA DFS strategy and NBA DFS lineups on sites like FanDuel and DraftKings.
Should you form your NBA DFS lineup with elite superstars such as Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jayson Tatum with some significantly cheaper pieces for NBA DFS picks? Or, could a strong NBA DFS strategy feature taking many similarly priced players for a balanced lineup? The return from the All-Star break doesn’t come at the exact midway point of the NBA season, but it often creates an increased sense or urgency for the postseason push, so how should that affect your NBA DFS strategy? Before making your NBA DFS picks, be sure to check out the NBA DFS advice, player rankings, stacks, and top daily Fantasy basketball picks from SportsLine’s Mike McClure.
McClure is a DFS professional with more than $2 million in career winnings. He’s also a predictive data engineer at SportsLine who uses a powerful prediction model that simulates every minute of every game 10,000 times, taking factors like matchups, statistical trends and injuries into account.
This allows him to find the best NBA DFS values and create optimal lineups that he shares only over at SportsLine. They’re a must-see for any NBA DFS player.
On the Thursday before the NBA All-Star break, McClure highlighted Jazz guard Keyonte George as one of his top picks in his NBA DFS player pool on both sites. The result: George had 33 points, two rebounds, six assists and three steals, returning 54 points on DraftKings and 51.4 points on FanDuel. Anybody who included him in their lineups was well on the way to a profitable day.
McClure has turned his attention to NBA action on Thursday and locked in his top daily Fantasy basketball picks. You can only see them by heading to SportsLine.
Top NBA DFS picks for Thursday, February 22 For Thursday, one of McClure’s top NBA DFS picks is Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, who is listed at $11,600 on DraftKings and $12,100 on FanDuel. Jokic is having another MVP-caliber season, posting 26.1 points with 12 rebounds and 8.9 assists per contest. The 6-foot-11 center is fourth in the NBA in rebounds and assists this season, and a rested Jokic will likely be a dangerous Jokic on Thursday night.
Jokic is averaging the second-most rebounds over his eight-year career while averaging at least 26 points for the third time in the last four seasons. The six-time All-Star is about as safe of a play as there is on a nightly basis for NBA DFS lineups due to his ability to contribute in every aspect of the game offensively. The Nuggets play the Wizards, who are allowing the most points in the NBA (123.9 ppg). The two-time NBA MVP had 42 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists in his first meeting of the year against Washington and is averaging 38.7 points, 12.7 rebounds and 7.7 assists over his last three games against the Wizards.
Another part of McClure’s optimal NBA DFS strategy includes again rostering Jazz guard George ($4,700 on DraftKings and $5,800 on FanDuel). Even after scoring 33 points with six assists on Thursday in his final game before the NBA All-Star break, George’s price remains relatively unchanged on sites like FanDuel and DraftKings. The No. 16 overall pick in the NBA Draft has taken on a much larger role in recent contests, scoring at least 10 points in nine of his last 10 games while averaging six assists over his last four contests.
The 20-year-old is averaging 11.7 points and 4.3 assists per game and has played at least 29 minutes in each of his last four games. The Jazz play the Hornets, who turned a 10-game losing streak into a three-game winning streak before the All-Star break. But still, the Hornets are allowing the seventh-most ppg (119.4), and George had 10 points in only 13 minutes in their first meeting this season. With George receiving a much larger workload now than he did in the first meeting, McClure expects the rookie to continue to outperform his price tag for NBA DFS lineups on Thursday. See McClure’s other NBA DFS picks right here.
How to set your NBA DFS lineups for Thursday, February 22 McClure is also targeting a player who could go off for massive numbers on Thursday because of a dream matchup. This pick could be the difference between winning your tournaments and cash games or going home with nothing. You can only see who it is here.
We’ve got another exciting Western Conference matchup on the NBA schedule as the Los Angeles Lakers and the Portland Trail Blazers are set to tip at 10 p.m. ET on Sunday at Crypto.com Arena. Los Angeles is 21-22 overall and 15-8 at home, while Portland is 12-29 overall and 5-17 on the road. The Lakers won the two previous matchups between these teams this season.
For Sunday, Los Angeles is favored by 10.5 points in the latest Lakers vs. Trail Blazers odds, and the over/under is 228 points. Before entering any Lakers vs. Trail Blazers picks, you’ll want to see the NBA predictions from the 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 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.
The model has set its sights on Portland vs. Los Angeles. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA betting lines for the game:
Lakers vs. Trail Blazers spread: Lakers -10.5 Lakers vs. Trail Blazers over/under: 228 points Lakers vs. Trail Blazers money line: Lakers: -542, Trail Blazers: +400 Lakers vs. Trail Blazers picks: See picks here What you need to know about the Lakers The point spread may have favored the Lakers last Friday, but the final result did not. They received a tough blow as they fell 130-112 to the Brooklyn Nets despite entering the game favored by 7 points. Anthony Davis put forth a good effort for the losing side as he dropped a double-double with 26 points and 12 rebounds. LeBron James also had a double-double with 24 points and 11 rebounds.
However, both players are listed as questionable for Sunday’s matchup, with Davis currently day-to-day because of an Achilles injury while James is day-to-day with an ankle issue. However, Portland has injury issues of its own to deal with, as Shaedon Sharpe (adductor) has been ruled out and Anfernee Simons (illness) and Scoot Henderson (nasal contusion) are questionable.
What you need to know about the Trail Blazers The Trail Blazers have not had quite the year their fans were hoping for to this point, but back-to-back wins may be a sign of good things to come. They narrowly escaped with a win as the squad sidled past Indiana 118-115 on Friday.
The Trail Blazers can attribute much of their success to Jerami Grant, who scored 37 points, and Malcolm Brogdon, who scored 30 points to go along with seven rebounds and six assists. They’ll have to continue to carry a heavy scoring load with Sharpe out and Simons/Henderson ailing.
How to make Lakers vs. Trail Blazers picks The model has simulated Lakers vs. Trail Blazers 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 nearly 60% of the time. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
The Washington Wizards will face off against the Denver Nuggets at 6 p.m. ET on Sunday at Capital One Arena. Washington is 7-34 overall and 3-15 at home, while Denver is 29-14 overall and 12-10 on the road. Washington limps into Sunday’s showdown having lost nine of its last 10 games.
The Nuggets are favored by 13.5 points in the latest Wizards vs. Nuggets odds, and the over/under is 238.5 points. Before entering any Nuggets vs. Wizards 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 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.
The model has set its sights on Denver vs. Washington. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA betting lines for the game:
Wizards vs. Nuggets spread: Wizards +13.5 Wizards vs. Nuggets over/under: 238.5 points Wizards vs. Nuggets money line: Wizards: +629, Nuggets: -967 Wizards vs. Nuggets picks: See picks here What you need to know about the Wizards The Wizards’ recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Saturday after their third straight loss. They took a 131-127 hit to the loss column at the hands of San Antonio. The Wizards didn’t live up to their potential and found themselves falling short of the advantage oddsmakers thought they had coming into the game.
Even though they lost, the Wizards were smashing the offensive glass and finished the game with 14 offensive rebounds. That’s the most offensive rebounds they’ve managed all season.
What you need to know about the Nuggets The Celtics typically have all the answers at home, but on Friday the Nuggets proved too difficult a challenge. They skirted past the Celtics 102-100. The victory came about thanks to a strong surge starting at the 3:30 mark of the second quarter when the Nuggets were facing a 58-46 deficit.
The Nuggets can attribute much of their success to Jamal Murray, who scored 35 points along with eight rebounds and five assists, and Nikola Jokic, who almost dropped a triple-double with 34 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists. For the season, Jokic is averaging 25.7 points, 11.9 rebounds and 9.1 assists per game.
How to make Wizards vs. Nuggets picks The model has simulated Wizards vs. Nuggets 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 60% of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
We’ve got another exciting Southeast Division matchup on the NBA schedule as the Orlando Magic and the Miami Heat are set to tip at 6 p.m. ET on Sunday at the Kia Center. Orlando is 22-20 overall and 13-6 at home, while Miami is 24-18 overall and 12-10 on the road. The Heat have dominated this series in recent years, winning eight of the last 10 meetings against the Magic.
The Heat are favored by 1 point in the latest Magic vs. Heat odds, and the over/under is 215 points. Before entering any Heat vs. Magic 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 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.
The model has set its sights on Miami vs. Orlando. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA betting lines for the game:
Magic vs. Heat spread: Magic +1 Magic vs. Heat over/under: 215 points Magic vs. Heat money line: Magic: -105, Heat: -115 Magic vs. Heat picks: See picks here What you need to know about the Magic Orlando lost to Philadelphia at home by a decisive 124-109 margin on Friday. The Magic have not had much luck with the 76ers recently, as the team’s come up short the last two times they’ve met. The Magic’s loss came about despite a quality game from Wendell Carter Jr., who dropped a double-double with 25 points and 11 rebounds. Carter Jr. continues to roll, besting his previous point total in each of the last four games he’s played.
The Magic limp into Sunday’s showdown having lost five of their last six games. However, Orlando is 7-3 against the spread in its last 10 games against an opponent from the Eastern Conference.
What you need to know about the Heat Meanwhile, the point spread may have favored the Heat on Friday, but the final result did not. They lost 109-108 to Atlanta on a last-minute jump shot From Dejounte Murray. The Heat have now suffered a loss in back-to-back games.
Jimmy Butler put forth a good effort for the losing side as he scored 25 points along with six assists and five rebounds. For the season, Butler is averaging 21.3 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game. He’s knocking down 48.2% of his field goals and 37.7% of his 3-point attempts.
How to make Magic vs. Heat picks The model has simulated Magic vs. Heat 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 over 60% of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
The Houston Rockets will face off against the Boston Celtics at 7 p.m. ET on Sunday at the Toyota Center. Houston is 20-21 overall and 16-6 at home, while Boston is 32-10 overall and 12-9 on the road. The Celtics are 15-5 in their last 20 games, while the Rockets are 2-5 in their last seven contests.
The Celtics are favored by 11 points in the latest Rockets vs. Celtics odds, and the over/under is set at 227 points. Before entering any Celtics vs. Rockets 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 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.
The model has set its sights on Boston vs. Houston. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA betting lines for the game:
Rockets vs. Celtics spread: Rockets +11 Rockets vs. Celtics over/under: 227 points Rockets vs. Celtics money line: Rockets: +428, Celtics: -588 Rockets vs. Celtics picks: See picks here What you need to know about the Rockets The Rockets had to suffer through a three-game losing streak, but that streak is no more. In a tight game that could have gone either way, Houston made off with a 127-126 victory over Utah.
The Rockets can attribute much of their success to Alperen Sengun, who dropped a double-double with 37 points and 14 rebounds. Another player making a difference was Jabari Smith, who dropped a double-double with 24 points and 10 rebounds.
What you need to know about the Celtics Meanwhile, the Celtics unfortunately witnessed the end of their three-game winning streak on Friday. They fell just short of Denver by a score of 102-100. The Celtics didn’t live up to their potential and found themselves falling short of the advantage oddsmakers thought they had coming into the game.
Even though the team lost, the Celtics still had their share of impressive performances. One of the most dominant came from Derrick White, who scored 24 points along with five assists. He continues to roll, besting his previous point total in each of the last three games he’s played.
How to make Rockets vs. Celtics picks The model has simulated Rockets vs. Celtics 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 60% of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
The Los Angeles Clippers (26-14) will host the Brooklyn Nets (17-24) in a cross-conference affair on Sunday afternoon. This is the second and final regular season meeting of the year for these two teams. On Nov. 8, Brooklyn defeated the Clippers 100-93. The Nets lead the all-time series 54-45 over Los Angeles.
Tip-off is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The Clippers are a 10.5-point favorite in the latest Nets vs. Clippers odds via SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 226. Before making any Clippers vs, Nets picks, you’ll want to see the NBA predictions and betting advice 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 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 Nets vs. Clippers and just locked in its picks and NBA predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Clippers vs. Nets:
Nets vs. Clippers spread: Los Angeles -10.5 Nets vs. Clippers over/under: 226 points Nets vs. Clippers money line: Los Angeles -556, Brooklyn +408 LAC: The Clippers are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games BK: The Nets are 1-10 ATS in their last 11 games on the road Nets vs. Clippers picks: See picks at SportsLine Why the Clippers can cover Forward Kawhi Leonard is a complete threat for the Clippers. Leonard is nearly automatic from the mid-range area and has the instinct to consistently jump into passing lanes. The five-time All-Star is averaging 23.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per contest. He has scored 26 or more points in two of his last four games.
Guard James Harden has found a home in Los Angeles. Harden can still create his own shot but has the court vision to be a reliable playmaker. The 10-time All-Star ranks sixth in the league in assists (8.4) to go along with 16.9 points per game. He’s notched at least eight assists in 12 straight games. In his previous game, Harden finished with 16 points and eight assists. See which team to pick here.
Why the Nets can cover Forward Mikal Bridges is one of the main contributors on both ends of the floor. Bridges plays suffocating defense due to his light feet and superb length. The Villanova product also excels at scoring in transition. Bridges averages 21.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game. On Jan. 15 versus the Heat, he finished with 26 points, nine boards, and six assists.
Guard Cam Thomas provides Brooklyn with a natural scorer. Thomas is an effortless three-level scorer and owns a quick first step. The LSU product logs 20.6 points, 2.5 rebounds, and shoots 35% from downtown. He racked up 23-plus points in three of his last four games. In Friday’s win over the Lakers, Thomas dropped 33 points and four assists. See which team to pick here.
How to make Clippers vs. Nets picks SportsLine’s model is leaning Over on the total, projecting 234 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.
Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson has brought in a familiar face — and a very familiar face at that. The Jaguars have signed tight end Josh Pederson, the son of coach Pederson, the team announced Monday.
Pederson played his college ball at Louisiana-Monroe before going undrafted in 2021. In 35 games for the Warhawks, he caught 99 passes for 1,191 yards and 11 touchdowns. Pederson previously had short stints with the San Francisco 49ers, New Orleans Saints and Kansas city Chiefs, but never suited up for an NFL game. Most recently, Pederson played for the USFL’s Houston Gamblers.
Josh Pederson TE This past USFL season, Pederson was the Gamblers’ second-leading receiver with 24 receptions for 325 yards in 10 games played. Houston went 5-5 and missed the postseason.
Last week, the Gamblers announced they had terminated Pederson’s contract with the designation that he was going to sign with an NFL team. Now we know who that team is. Pederson is the second USFL player to sign an NFL contract this offseason after the Cowboys added former MLS player and standout Birmingham Stallions kicker Brandon Aubrey.
AMAZING: #Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson attended today’s USFL game to see his son, Houston Gamblers tight end Josh Pederson:
And Pederson credited spring football as an important opportunity for players to show the #NFL what they can do.
👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/atqg7fqcEe
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) April 16, 2023 Currently, the Jaguars have six tight ends on roster: Evan Engram, Luke Farrell, Gerrit Prince, Sammis Reyes, Brenton Strange and Leonard Taylor. Engram received the franchise tag this offseason after a career year in which he caught 73 passes for 766 yards and four touchdowns, and Strange was selected in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft with the No. 61 overall pick.
