A pair of teams in the thick of the NBA playoff race meet up on Monday, April 7 with the Detroit Pistons hosting the Sacramento Kings at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
The game is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. EDT and will be broadcast on NBA TV, NBC Sports California Plus and FanDuel Sports Network Detroit Extra. Fans looking to watch this NBA game can do so for free by using DirecTV Stream, which offers a free trial, or FuboTV, which also offers a free trial and up to $25 off your first month. SlingTV doesn’t offer a free trial but has promotional offers available.
The Kings are 38-40 and trying to secure a spot in the play-in. Currently ninth in the West, Sacramento is only half a game ahead of the Dallas Mavericks in 10th. However, the Phoenix Suns in 11th are three games behind Sacramento with four left to play for both teams, including the last game of the season.
Detroit has lost three of its last four and slipped to sixth in the East. The 43-35 Pistons are one game behind the Milwaukee Bucks with these teams playing a home-and-home to close out the season. The fifth seed will almost certainly take on the Indiana Pacers and the sixth seed will likely go against the New York Knicks.
Who: Sacramento Kings vs. Detroit Pistons
When: Monday, April 7 at 7 p.m. EDT
Where: Little Caesars Arena in Detroit
Stream: FuboTV (free trial); Sling; DirecTV Stream (free trial)
Betting: Check out our MA sports betting guide, where you can learn basic terminology, definitions and how to read odds for those interested in learning how to bet in Massachusetts.
What is FuboTV?
FuboTV is an internet television service that offers more than 200 channels across sports and entertainment including Paramount+ with SHOWTIME. From the UEFA Champions League to the WNBA to international tournaments ranging across sports, there’s plenty of options available on FuboTV, which offers a free trial and up to $25 off the first month for new customers.
What is DirecTV Stream?
DirecTV Stream offers practically everything DirecTV provides, except for a remote and a streaming device to connect to your television. Sign up now and get three free months of premium channels including MAX, Paramount+ with SHOWTIME and Starz.
What is SlingTV?
SlingTV offers a variety of live programing ranging from news and sports and starting as low as $20 a month for your first month. Subscribers also get a month of DVR Plus free if they sign up now. Choose from a variety of sports packages without long-term contracts and with easy cancelation.
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The NBA’s playoff chase enters its final week. Here’s a look at what’s happening
By The Associated Press
It’s playoff-positioning time in the NBA.
Going into Monday, there are 57 games left in the season. The 10 Eastern Conference postseason teams are set; Cleveland, Boston, New York, Indiana, Milwaukee and Detroit are in the playoffs. Orlando, Atlanta, Chicago and Miami have clinched play-in spots.
In the Western Conference, Oklahoma City is the No. 1 seed and Houston is in the playoffs. The Los Angeles Lakers, Denver, the Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State enter Monday holding playoff spots, with Minnesota and Memphis chasing them and trying to stay out of the play-in. Dallas and Sacramento have the inside track for the last two West play-in berths, with Phoenix (2 1/2 games back of 10th entering Monday) still alive.
Add it up, and 21 of the 30 teams are still playing for something other than lottery odds with a week to go in the regular season.
Monday’s games
Sacramento at Detroit — The Kings can take a big step toward getting home-court for the West’s No. 9 vs. No. 10 play-in game on April 16. The Pistons need a win to stay within reasonable striking distance of the No. 5 seed in the East.
Philadelphia at Miami — If the Heat are going to escape the East’s 9-10 game, they probably need a 4-0 week to finish the season.
National TV schedule
Monday’s Sacramento-Detroit game is also on NBA TV. Tuesday has a TNT doubleheader, with New York-Boston and Golden State-Phoenix.
Betting odds
Oklahoma City (+175) is favored to win the NBA title, according to BetMGM Sportsbook, followed closely by Boston (+200), Cleveland (+500), then the Lakers (+1000), Golden State (+1200) and Denver (+1600). Nobody else has odds shorter than 35-1.
Key dates
April 11 — All 30 NBA teams play.
April 12 — No games.
April 13 — All 30 NBA teams play, end of regular season.
April 15 — The No. 7 and No. 8 finishers in both conferences play to start the play-in tournament. Winners are the No. 7 seed for the playoffs; losers will host play-in elimination games on April 18.
April 16 — The No. 9 and No. 10 finishers in both conferences play. Winners move on to April 18; losers are finished for the season.
April 18 — The April 15 game losers play host to the April 16 game winners. Winners are the No. 8 seed for the playoffs; losers are finished for the season.
April 19 — NBA playoffs begin.
Numbers watch
— The NBA record for total 3-pointers made in a season fell on Sunday. Boston also has broken the NBA’s single-season records for 3-pointers made and attempted by a team.
— For the first time, the NBA could have three players make 300 3-pointers in a season. Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards has 303, Detroit’s Malik Beasley has 301 and Golden State’s Stephen Curry has 294. Edwards and Beasley — both of whom crossed the 300-make threshold on Saturday — are the fourth and fifth players to do so in NBA history. Curry has five seasons of 300 3s or more, James Harden has one and Klay Thompson has one.
— There have been four instances of teammates each having 250 3-pointers in a season: Curry and Thompson did it four times when they were the Warriors’ “Splash Brothers.” Boston could have three players reach that number this season: Derrick White is already there with 258, Payton Pritchard has 246 and Jayson Tatum has 243.
Stat of the day
Denver is 47-32 for fourth in the West, while the Clippers, Golden State, Minnesota, and Memphis — in that order — are all 46-32 entering Monday. A half-game separates No. 4 through No. 8 in the West with a week to go.
The Associated Press contributed to this article
