In today’s SportSense Entertainment Newsletter…

Additional Model Predictions ⬇️

NHL Model Predictions- Click Here

There were plenty of model predictions to go around yesterday across the NBA, with our model focusing in on one of those predictions in our Featured Matchup. That prediction went 0-1 overall, and you can see how the rest of the model performed below.

Money Line Predictions: 5-5

Over/Under Predictions: 3-7

Spread Predictions: 4-5-1

Featured Matchup: 0-1

Three NBA games are scheduled to take place today. Our model’s predictions for all three matchups can be found below.

Brooklyn Nets @ Minnesota Timberwolves

Model Predicts- Timberwolves ML, OVER 217.5, Nets +8

The Brooklyn Nets will continue a four-game road trip on Saturday, with the next stop coming in Minnesota to take on the Timberwolves.

Brooklyn enters tonight’s matchup in a small spiral, losing three consecutive games. Those losses have worsened the Nets’ record to 21-34 and dropped the team to 11th in the Eastern Conference, while Minnesota still remains the No.1 seed in the Western Conference.

Both squads are coming off a loss in their most recent game, but the short turnaround for Minnesota makes our model believe Brooklyn can keep things close. Let’s take a look at why that is.

Brooklyn Nets

• Enter today on three-game losing streak

  • Losses to Celtics (twice) and Timberwolves

  • -86 point differential across those three matchups

• Often victim of large blowouts

  • Rank 22nd in average scoring margin

  • Losing by average of 28.7 points per game in last three games. Four of last six losses have been by 20+ points

• Injuries- Jaylen Martin (Questionable)

Minnesota Timberwolves

• Lost to Bucks last night

  • Lost 112-107. First loss in four games

• Performance in second-half of many games is questionable

  • Rank 26th in second half points per game (55.6)

  • Outscored 36-13 in third quarter in third quarter last night to lose game

• Injuries- Rudy Gobert (Questionable)

What’s the Play?

It’s certainly not the prettiest bet, but we agree with our model that the Nets can cover the spread here.

Brooklyn always appears to be the verge of getting blown out, but this a situation that the Nets have managed to compete well in. Per TeamRankings, Brooklyn is 6-3-2 against the spread this season when it has the rest advantage, and the likely absence of Gobert hurts Minnesota’s interior defense, which will open up the gates for scoring.

Minnesota’s second-half scoring woes have been a factor in several losses, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see the Timberwolves run out of steam here. Back Brooklyn on the spread.

The Play: Nets +8 (-110)

Money Line Trends 💰

• Boston Celtics- 44-12 overall this season, 7-0 in last seven games

• Minnesota Timberwolves- 39-17 overall this season, 19-6 as the home team

Over/Under Trends ⬆️⬇️

• Boston Celtics- Over is 28-28 this season, 14-13 as the away team

Spread Trends ➕➖

• Brooklyn Nets- 6-3-2 against the spread (ATS) this season when owning the rest advantage

💪 Wembanyama records 15th 5×5 in NBA history. Victor Wembanyama showcased his remarkable skills in a standout performance against the Los Angeles Lakers, recording an impressive stat line of 27 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists, five steals, and five blocks. At just 20 years old, the Frenchman became the 15th player in NBA history to achieve a 5x5 game, surpassing Andrei Kirilenko as the youngest to do so. Wembanyama's performance also earned him the distinction of being the second rookie, after Jamaal Tinsley, and the first player since Jusuf Nurkic in 2019 to achieve a 5x5.

💰 Kerr signs record extension with Warriors. Steve Kerr has signed a two-year contract extension with the Golden State Warriors worth $35 million, making him the highest-paid coach in NBA history with an annual salary of $17.5 million. This extension will keep Kerr with the Warriors through the 2025-26 season. Kerr, who has been the head coach of the Warriors since 2014, has led the team to four championships and six NBA Finals appearances, including a record-setting 73-win season in 2015-16.

Today’s trivia requires you to dig into multiple pockets of your brain, testing your knowledge of recent events as well as those that happened decades ago.

See how many of the below questions you can get correct. Answers are provided at the end of the newsletter.

Question #1- What teams faced off in the 2015 World Series?

Question #2- Who was the first tight end selected in the 2007 NFL Draft, taken with the 31st pick by the Chicago Bears?

Question #3- What college has had the most players selected in the first round of the NBA Draft?

Anyone know what has happened on February 24th throughout history? We didn’t have a clue either, but it appears that it has been a busy day.

On February 24th…

1982- Wayne Gretzky scores his 78th goal of the season. The goal set a new record for a single season, with Gretzky accomplished at just 21 years old. Gretzky would go on to finish the 1981-82 season with 92 goals, which is still the record to this day.

1987- Los Angeles Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabaar scores his 36,000th career point. The performance came in a 97-93 win over the Phoenix Suns, further increasing the gap between himself and the rest of the NBA on the all-time scoring list. Kareem would finish his career with 38,387 points, the second most in NBA history.

2002- Canada defeats the United States in the Winter Olympic Gold Medal game. Canada won by a score of 5-2, with star players Joe Sakic and Jerome Iginla each scoring two goals. The victory gave Canada its seventh hockey gold medal.

1. Kansas City Royals and New York Mets

2. Greg Olsen

3. University of Kentucky