Celebrity Lakers fan Snoop Dogg thinks that it makes perfect sense for Warriors legend Klay Thompson to sign with LA this summer.
The rapper thinks the fact that the Lakers are still a West Coast team makes it an easy transition for the four-time champion.
Plus, Klay’s dad, Mychal currently works for the purple and gold and also won two championships with the storied franchise.
“I’m hopeful that we can get us a Klay Thompson,” Snoop Dogg told Stephen A. Smith on The Stephen A. Smith Show recently. “His dad is Mychal, he works for the Lakers, it’s an easy transit down the road.”
Thompson entered uncharted territory with the Warriors this season, after he was demoted to the bench in February for the first time in his rookie season.
Snoop Dogg says his role with the Dubs isn’t an important one anymore and that he would fit in better with the Lakers system in the twilight of his career.
“I mean, he doesn’t fit with them anymore,” Snoop Dogg said. “They’re trying to minimize him. He needs to be on a team where he is wide open, and we love getting him that look.
“Right now, he’s fighting to get the ball. And that’s not what he does.”
The 34-year-old averaged 17.9 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists in his 11th NBA season and many NBA insiders believe he would generate a fair bit of interest on the free agency market if he and Warriors couldn’t come to an agreement.
Golden State GM Mike Dunleavy says there is “mutual” desire between both parties for Thompson to stay at the only franchise he’s ever known.
The team Thompson has been linked to the most so far is the Magic, and there is a reported mutual interest that’s been expressed.
But, there are plenty of NBA teams who could benefit from Klay’s veteran presence and championship experience.
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The Cavaliers locker room was a mess way before going down to Boston in the second round of the playoffs and head coach J.B. Bickerstaff’s methods look to the cause.
He lost the respect of the locker room and veteran players barely three months into the season according to a report from The Athletic.
“But Bickerstaff’s tenure was mired by post-All-Star break slumps each of the last three years and a Play-In collapse in 2022,” the outlet said. “Last year, the Cavs entered the playoffs as the No. 4 seed and were dismissed by the New York Knicks in five games.
“The second guessing of Bickerstaff started there. Multiple veterans in the Cavs locker room grew frustrated with Bickerstaff for treating the Cavs as a young team with much to learn, instead of as a team ready to contend. They were also less than enthused by the Cavs’ offense last spring and into the first part of this season. [Donovan] Mitchell was among them. Players would leave practices and morning shootarounds wondering aloud: ‘Why did we even do that? What did we accomplish’ — so perplexed by the lack of structure and intensity in the workouts.”
Another source compared Bickerstaff to former Philadelphia 76ers head coach Brett Brown, who never made it past the second round in Philly with a young Joel Embiid.
“Several other players, privately and publicly, have questioned Bickerstaff’s tactics, rotations, minute allocation, schemes, in-game management, adjustments and practice habits at various points,” Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor wrote. “There is wonder about whether he can help take this franchise to next level, with one source using a comparison to former 76ers coach Brett Brown, who led Philadelphia through The Process but was ultimately replaced by Doc Rivers. Is Bickerstaff the right coach for this team?”
Fedor also confirmed what many have suspected for a long time – the breakdown of Bickerstaff and Donovan Mitchell’s relationship.
“There have also been whispers about a deteriorating relationship between Bickerstaff and Mitchell — and with Mitchell’s contract situation looming over this offseason, it’s fair to wonder how much that could influence Cleveland’s decision,” Fedor said.
Safe to say, Bickerstaff’s job is well and truly in jeopardy this offseason.
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We’re back today with NBA playoff basketball featuring some of our favorite matchups here at Basketball Forever. With the help of advanced simulations and machine learning, our Basketball Forever bot has run thousands of simulations on every game to expertly pinpoint our best playoff player bets for tonight’s slate.
1. KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS OVER 2.5 3-POINTERS MADE (+154)
Odds: +154
Probability: 58.7%
Projection: 3.3
Edge: 19.4%
Game: Nuggets vs Timberwolves (8:30PM EST)
Our Basketball Forever betting bot has identified the best NBA player prop bet for today’s NBA playoff matchups. The best player bet takes place in the Nuggets vs Timberwolves, with Karl-Anthony Towns showing value in the over 3-pointers made prop market. Our model has narrowed down Karl-Anthony Towns Over 2.5 3-Pointers Made as the best player bet for today. Throughout the 23/24 postseason KAT has been slinging shots from behind the arc, averaging a total of 2.4 3-pointers made per game. With Mike Conley back steering the ship tonight on offense, KAT should get a handful more open looks, and should be able to drain 3+ threes.
Our model recommends placing a wager on Karl-Anthony Towns Over 2.5 3-Pointers Made at +154 odds and an attractive 19.4% edge through Draftkings Sportsbook, making this our best player bet of the day.
2. NIKOLA JOKIC OVER 8.5 TOTAL ASSISTS (-120)
Odds: -120
Probability: 68.3%
Projection: 12.4
Edge: 13.8%
Game: Nuggets vs Timberwolves (8:30PM EST)
According to our model, another best player prop bet for today’s playoff slate takes place in the Nuggets vs Timberwolves game, with Nikola Jokic showing value in the over assists prop market. Jokic has averaged 9 assists per game on the season, with a 9.5 average APG in the 23/24 postseason. Against the Timberwolves, Jokic has had little issue exceeding this line, being able to cover in 3/5 games. Tonight should go very similarly with Jokic projected to rack up 12.4 assists. Our Basketball Forever betting bot highly recommends placing a wager on Jokic to go over 8.5 assists tonight against the Timberwolves.
The Basketball Forever betting bot recommends placing a wager on Nikola Jokic Over 8.5 Total Assists, with an edge of 13.8% at -120 odds available on Fanduel Sportsbook.
3. JAMAL MURRAY OVER 5.5 TOTAL ASSISTS (-110)
Odds: -110
Probability: 63%
Projection: 7.9
Edge: 10.7%
Game: Nuggets vs Timberwolves (8:30PM EST)
The next best NBA playoff player prop bet our betting bot recommends playing also comes in the Nuggets vs Timberwolves game, with Jamal Murray showing value in the over assists prop market.
Throughout the 23/24 season White has been able to average 6.7 assists per game, with our model projecting him to rack up 7.9 assists in tonight’s matchup. Throughout the postseason, Murray has been able to average a total of 5.9 assists through 38 minutes per game. Our model suspects that with a projection of 7.9 assists in tonights game, and a 5.9 APG average throughout the playoffs, we highly recommend placing a wager on Jamal Murray Over 5.5 Total Assists.
The Basketball Forever betting bot predicts Jamal Murray Over 5.5 Total Assists in tonight’s game, which gives us an 10.7% edge on the -110 odds currently available at BetMGM Sportsbook.
4. ANTHONY EDWARDS OVER 6.5 TOTAL ASSISTS (+124)
Odds: +124
Probability: 51.6%
Projection: 6.8
Edge: 7%
Game: Nuggets vs Timberwolves (8:30PM EST)
According to our model, the last best player prop bet for the NBA tonight features Anthony Edwards in the Nuggets vs Timberwolves showdown. Our betting bot has found value in Anthony Edwards Over 6.5 Total Assists.
Over the course of the 2023/24 regular season Edwards has averaged 5.1 assists per game, with a 6.0 APG average in the postseason. In the last five postseason games that he’s played in he has racked up 9/5/5/7/3 assists in each game respectively. Our Basketball Forever betting bot predicts that Edwards will be facilitating the offense, driving to the net to score while also moving the ball to better scoring matchups.
Our Basketball Forever betting bot highly recommends wagering on Anthony Edwards Over 6.5 Total Assists, with a detected edge of 7% and +124 odds on Draftkings Sportsbook.
What Is an Edge in NBA Betting?
An edge occurs when the Dimers.com prediction model projects the probability of an event to be higher than the best odds available with the U.S Sportsbooks. Essentially, it means that the Dimers/Basketball Forever NBA model projects that a bet has a better chance of cashing than the sportsbooks do. That’s why the higher the edge, the better for you.
Although an edge does not guarantee a win, consistently taking picks with a higher betting edge can increase your chances of being a profitable bettor in the long run. This is an essential aspect of successful sports betting.
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Famous for its wide range of betting options, BetMGM enables users to wager on virtually every aspect of major sporting events, including game results and individual player performances. Moreover, it provides comprehensive in-game betting features, allowing bettors to place wagers while the action unfolds, heightening the excitement. For newcomers, BetMGM offers an enticing welcome bonus that allows you to instantly enter the game of sports betting with a nice bankroll to work with.
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