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A crucial Game 4 matchup between the No. 4 seed Los Angeles Clippers and the No. 5 seed Dallas Mavericks is set to take place in the 2024 NBA playoffs on Sunday afternoon. The Clippers must come out aggressive to avoid falling into a 3-1 hole. In Game 3, Dallas defended its home court and secured a 101-90 victory. Kawhi Leonard (knee) is set to miss Sunday’s showdown for the Clippers.

Tip-off is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET at American Airlines Center in Dallas. The Mavericks are 5.5-point favorites in the latest Clippers vs. Mavericks odds, while the over/under for total points scored is 209.5. Before making any Mavericks vs. Clippers 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 the second week of the 2024 NBA playoffs on a sizzling 90-58 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning more than $2,800. Anyone following the model has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on Clippers vs. Mavericks and just locked in its picks and Game 4 predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are several NBA betting lines and trends for Mavericks vs. Clippers:

Clippers vs. Mavericks spread: Dallas -5.5
Clippers vs. Mavericks over/under: 209.5 points
Clippers vs. Mavericks money line: Dallas -213, Los Angeles +176
LAC: The Clippers are 1-5 ATS in their last six games
DAL: The Mavs are 15-5 ATS in their past 20 games
Clippers vs. Mavericks picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the Mavericks can cover
Guard Kyrie Irving owns some of the best handles in the NBA. Irving’s quickness makes it tough for defenders to stay in front of him and he excels in high-pressure moments. Through three games against Los Angeles, Irving is averaging 25 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game. In his last outing, Irving totaled 21 points, four rebounds, and six assists.

Center Dereck Lively II provides Dallas with an energetic and active member of the frontcourt. Lively uses his wingspan to alter shots in the paint while being a great cutter and finisher around the rim. In the Game 3 win over the Clippers. Lively had 13 points, two blocks, and went 6-of-8 from the field. Forward Derrick Jones Jr. is another athletic and downhill scorer. Jones Jr. does his best work in the paint, scoring 10-plus points in consecutive games. See which team to back at SportsLine.

Why the Clippers can cover
Guard James Harden generates offense in a multitude of ways. Harden still owns the handles to break down defenses and utilizes his jumper to stretch out the floor. The 10-time All-Star also finds a way to get his teammates involved. In this series, Harden averages 23.7 points, seven assists, and 1.3 blocks. In his last outing, he notched 21 points and five assists.

Forward Paul George is an athletic two-way threat. George brings a great perimeter defender to the floor with the instinct to jump into passing lanes. The Fresno State product also has a smooth jumper. In three games thus far, George is averaging 17 points, 4.3 rebounds, and four assists per contest. In Game 2, he finished with 22 points and four assists. See which team to back at SportsLine.

How to make Mavericks vs. Clippers picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning Over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 219 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in well over 50% of simulations. You can only see the picks at SportsLine.

So who wins Clippers vs. Mavericks, and which side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Mavericks vs. Clippers spread you need to jump on, all from the model on a 90-58 roll on top-rated NBA picks this season, and find out.

The Mavericks once again held the Clippers to under 100 points in their Game 3 win and, at one point, were up by 21 points. Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving put in their best tag team effort, as Doncic dominated in the first half, while Irving took over after halftime. It was a complete team effort from a Dallas team that appears to have shaken off the embarrassing Game 1 loss against this Clippers team.

L.A., on the other hand, looked out of rhythm on offense, as Paul George and Kawhi Leonard combined for just 16 points. PG will have to step it up in Game 4, as Leonard has been ruled out indefinitely with knee inflation.

Here’s what to know ahead of Game 4:

Mavericks at Clippers — Game 4
Date: Sunday, April 28 | Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: American Airlines Center — Dallas
TV channel: ABC | Live stream: fubo (try for free)
Odds: Mavericks -5.5; O/U 209.5
Storylines
Mavericks: Doncic has been leading the Mavericks, but he’s been rather inefficient in doing so. It’s not super alarming, but he’s shooting just 37.7% from the field and 30% from deep. The 3-pointer clearly isn’t falling for him, and yet in Game 2, he settled for some poor shots from deep despite going 3 of 14 from beyond the arc. Dallas needs him to be a bit smarter in his shot selection, especially when the 3-ball isn’t falling. Doncic is still turning in elite performances, and he continues to put in a great deal of effort defensively, but if the Mavericks want to go on a deep run they’ll need him to start upping his efficiency.

Clippers: With Leonard ruled out of Game 4 with knee inflammation, the Clippers can’t afford for someone like George to have an off night. James Harden did his job, but he didn’t get much help elsewhere in the starting lineup. Norman Powell had 21 points off the bench, but that won’t do it against a Mavericks team that has all the momentum heading into Game 4.

Prediction
The Mavericks are likely riding high after their Game 3 win, and in most cases, it would make sense to pick them to carry that momentum into another win. But Dallas has a tendency to relax after big wins, and after the Clippers practically no-showed in Game 3, I’m betting on George to have a bounce-back game and lead L.A. to a win. The Pick: Clippers +5.5

Clippers president Lawrence Frank spoke to reporters ahead of L.A.’s Game 4 matchup against the Dallas Mavericks Sunday afternoon, and he relayed that Kawhi Leonard will miss the game with knee inflammation. Frank said there is no timetable for Leonard’s return, meaning he’ll be out indefinitely. This is a significant blow to the Clippers, who could potentially be without their franchise star for the remainder of this series and already find themselves in a 2-1 series hole against a Mavericks team that has a ton of momentum heading into Sunday’s game.

“He’s not playing today. He wants to play, but it was obvious in Game 3 that his mobility was severely restricted,” Frank said. “So organizationally, we just made a decision, he’s out. The obvious question I know is coming so I’ll beat you to it, when is he coming back? Can’t tell you a timeline, I wish I had a crystal ball, it will just basically — until he can show that he can make all the movements that he needs to make, that’s when he’ll come back. That will be the timeframe.”

Leonard was listed as questionable ahead of Game 4 after a performance in Game 3 that showed he wasn’t exactly 100%. Leonard looked rather stiff in the two games he’s played in this series, and his production reflected that, averaging just 12 points. Leonard had missed the last eight games of the regular season with knee inflammation and was held out of Game 1 of this series for the same reason. But after the extended time away he tried to give it a go in Game 2 and 3, but it was clear he wasn’t fully healthy out there on the floor.

It’ll be an uphill battle for the Clippers without Leonard, though the silver lining is that in the one game this team did play without him, they managed to blow out the Mavericks. That was thanks to James Harden, Paul George and Ivica Zubac all scoring at least 20 points and holding Dallas to under 100 points in the game. Perhaps they can go back to that game plan for Game 4, but this team is obviously always in a better position when Leonard is on the floor.

This is such a tough blow for Leonard, who when healthy was playing at an MVP level. Prior to the knee inflammation to end the season he played in 68 games, the most he’s played in a regular season since the 2016-17 season. But it appears as though the injuries are creeping up again with him, which puts a damper on things for a Clippers team that constantly has championship aspirations but always gets undercut by injuries.

There’s obviously a chance that Leonard could return at some point this postseason, but for now, the Clippers will have to gameplan without him. That means George and Harden will need to step up, as well as guys like Terance Mann and Norman Powell.

A pivotal Game 4 matchup has the No. 6 seed Indiana Pacers hosting the No. 3 seed Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday evening. The Pacers have a chance to defend their home court and go up 3-1 against the Bucks. In Game 3, Indiana topped Milwaukee 121-118 in overtime. Two of the three games played thus far in this series have been won by double digits.

Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indiana. The Pacers are 10-point favorites in the latest Bucks vs. Pacers odds, while the over/under for total points scored is 216. Before making any Pacers vs. Bucks 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 entered the second week of the 2024 NBA playoffs on a sizzling 90-58 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning more than $2,800. Anyone following the model has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on Bucks vs. Pacers and just locked in its picks and Game 4 predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are several NBA betting lines and trends for Pacers vs. Bucks:

Bucks vs. Pacers spread: Indiana -10
Bucks vs. Pacers over/under: 216 points
Bucks vs. Pacers money line: Indiana -455, Milwaukee +347
MIL: The Bucks are 1-7 in their last eight games on the road
IND: The Pacers are 2-4 ATS in their last six games played on a Sunday
Bucks vs. Pacers picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the Bucks can cover
Forward Bobby Portis will have a larger role to play in this matchup. Portis is a modern big man due to his ability to space the floor with his jumper. The Arkansas product fights on the glass, constantly creating space in the lane. The 29-year-old leads the team in rebounds (13.3) to go along with 15.3 points per game. In Game 3, he notched a double-double of 17 points and 18 boards.

Center Brook Lopez is another contributor in the frontcourt. Lopez uses his long arms to swat away shots around the rim with a consistent jumper to be an asset on the outside. Through the first three games, Lopez averages 15.7 points, three rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game. Additionally, he’s shooting 53% from beyond the arc. Lopez finished with 14 points, four boards, and three assists in his last outing. See which team to back at SportsLine.

Why the Pacers can cover
Center Myles Turner provides Indiana with an athletic rim protector. Turner finishes with force around the rim and has a solid shooting stroke from beyond the arc. Standing at 6’11”, Turner moves well for his size. He’s averaging 22.7 points, eight rebounds, and one block per game. In his last matchup, Turner finished with 29 points and nine boards.

Guard Andrew Nembhard gives the Pacers another capable ball handler and scorer in the backcourt. Nembhard has the speed to get out in space and plays feisty defense on the other end. The Gonzaga product is averaging 14 points, three rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game in this series. On April 26, Nembhard notched 16 points, five rebounds, and four assists. See which team to back at SportsLine.

How to make Pacers vs. Bucks picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning Over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 227 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in nearly 70% of simulations. You can see the picks only at SportsLine.

So who wins Bucks vs. Pacers, and which side of the spread hits almost 70% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Pacers vs. Bucks spread you need to jump on, all from the model on a 90-58 roll on top-rated NBA picks this season, and find out.

Golden State Warriors guard Chris Paul will be back soon. The 38-year-old future Hall of Famer, who broke his hand during a game against the Detroit Pistons on Jan. 5 and had surgery three days later, fully participated in Wednesday’s practice, according to coach Steve Kerr. Paul will miss Golden State’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday, but won’t be out for much longer.

“He’s doing great,” Kerr told reporters. “Just played 5-on-5, took part in our whole practice. He’s getting close. He won’t play tomorrow, but he’s feeling really good. He played a lot over the All-Star break, he told me, so the next step is for the training staff to get a feel for where he is conditioning-wise and just make sure everything is set for him to be out there.”

Heading into Friday’s game against the Lakers, the Warriors are 27-26 and 10th in the Western Conference. They’ve won eight of their past 10 games, and during that span, they’ve scored 120.9 points per 100 possessions (which is one percentage point better than the Boston Celtics’ league-best mark this season) and allowed 111.2 per 100 (which is point better than the Oklahoma City Thunder’s fourth-ranked defense).

All of this is to say that Paul will return to a team that has changed in many meaningful ways during his absence. When he fractured his second metacarpal, Draymond Green was suspended, Andrew Wiggins was coming off the bench, Kevon Looney was (sometimes) starting, Gary Payton II was injured, and both Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody were frustrated with their respective roles. Now Golden State appears to have found something with a new starting lineup of Stephen Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Wiggins, Kuminga, and Green, which has outscored opponents by 27.1 points per 100 possessions in 106 minutes since Green’s return. Just before the break, Klay Thompson came off the bench for the first time since he was a rookie and played his best game of the season.

At practice on Thursday, Kerr showed the Warriors the standings. The point was to “make sure they know what’s at stake,” Kerr said.

“We’re in 10th, we’ve been on a good run, but we’ve gotta carry that forward,” Kerr said. “And there’s no reason why we can’t keep winning and do what we did a year ago, which was climb up the standings and put ourselves in a favorable position for the playoffs.”

Last season, Golden State was 29-30 and 10th in the West after losing its first game coming out of the All-Star break. Then it won 15 of its final 23 games and finished sixth, avoiding the play-in by the skin of its teeth.

When Paul returns, his presence could complicate how the Warriors close games, but he should also stabilize a second unit that now features two former All-Stars. He and Podziemski have worked well together, and having too many players who clearly deserve significant minutes is surely a welcome problem for Kerr, who has dealt with the opposite issue for most of the season.

After the Lakers game, Golden State will host the Charlotte Hornets on Friday and the Denver Nuggets on Sunday.

We’ve got another exciting Eastern Conference matchup on the NBA schedule as the Orlando Magic and Cleveland Cavaliers are set to tip at 7 p.m. ET on Thursday at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Cleveland is 36-17 overall and 19-9 at home, while Orlando is 30-25 overall and 12-17 on the road. The Cavaliers have dominated this series in recent years, winning eight of the last 10 meetings against the Magic.

This time around, the Cavaliers are favored by 8.5 points in the latest Cavaliers vs. Magic odds, and the over/under is 217 points. Before entering any Magic vs. Cavaliers 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 18 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a sizzling 60-36 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning nearly $2,300. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.

The model has set its sights on Orlando vs. Cleveland. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA betting lines for the game:

Cavaliers vs. Magic spread: Cavaliers -8.5
Cavaliers vs. Magic over/under: 217 points
Cavaliers vs. Magic money line: Cavaliers: -352, Magic: +276
Cavaliers vs. Magic picks: See picks here
What you need to know about the Magic
Winning is just a little bit easier when you work as a team to post 10 more assists than your opponent, a fact the Magic proved last Wednesday. They enjoyed a cozy 118-100 victory over New York. The win came about thanks to a strong surge starting at the 11:34 mark of the second quarter when the Magic were facing a 39-27 deficit.

Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero were among the main playmakers for the Magic as the former scored 21 points along with six assists and three steals and the latter went 6 for 10 from beyond the arc en route to 36 points and five assists. The Magic are 8-2 against the spread in their last 10 games and they’re 4-1 ATS in their last five games on the road.

What you need to know about the Cavaliers
Meanwhile, the Cavaliers posted their closest victory since January 7th last Wednesday. The Cavs narrowly escaped with a win as the team sidled past Chicago 108-105. The victory was all the more spectacular given the Cavaliers were down 17 points with 6:14 left in the second quarter.

Donovan Mitchell was his usual excellent self, scoring 30 points along with seven assists and six rebounds. For the season, Mitchell is averaging 28.4 points, 6.3 assists and 5.4 rebounds per game. Mitchell (illness) is listed as questionable for tonight’s contest. The Cavaliers have won 10 of their last 11 games and they’re 13-7 against the spread in their last 20 contests.

How to make Cavaliers vs. Magic picks
The model has simulated Cavaliers vs. Magic 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 70% of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.

We’ve got another exciting Atlantic Division matchup on the NBA schedule as the Brooklyn Nets and Toronto Raptors are set to tip at 7 p.m. ET on Thursday at Scotiabank Arena. Toronto is 19-36 overall and 11-16 at home, while Brooklyn is 21-33 overall and 8-16 on the road. The Nets have dominated this series in recent years, winning eight of the last 10 meetings against the Raptors.

This time around, the Raptors are favored by 1 point in the latest Raptors vs. Nets odds, and the over/under is 231.5 points. Before entering any Nets vs. Raptors 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 18 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a sizzling 60-36 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning nearly $2,300. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.

The model has set its sights on Brooklyn-Toronto. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA betting lines for the game:

Raptors vs. Nets spread: Raptors -1
Raptors vs. Nets over/under: 231.5 points
Raptors vs. Nets money line: Raptors: -115, Nets: -104
Raptors vs. Nets picks: See picks here
What you need to know about the Nets
The Nets were expected to have a tough go of it last Wednesday, and, well, they did. It’s going to take some time for them to recover from the 136-86 bruising that the Boston Celtics dished out last Wednesday. The loss unfortunately continues a disappointing trend for the Nets in their matchups with the Celtics: they’ve now lost four in a row.

Perhaps unsurprisingly given the score, the Nets struggled to get the ball back on offense and finished the game with only six offensive rebounds. Brooklyn has struggled as the underdog this season and is currently 9-28 in that position. The Nets are also 2-12 against the spread in their last 14 games on the road.

What you need to know about the Raptors
Meanwhile, the Raptors’ recent rough patch got a bit rougher last Wednesday after their third straight defeat. They fell just short of Indiana by a score of 127-125. Despite their loss, the Raptors saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Scottie Barnes, who dropped a double-double with 29 points and 12 rebounds, was perhaps the best of all.

For the season, Barnes is averaging 20.1 points, 8.1 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game. Barnes racked up 17 points and 11 rebounds in Toronto’s setback against Brooklyn on Nov. 28.

How to make Raptors vs. Nets picks
The model has simulated Raptors vs. Nets 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 50% of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.

The Memphis Grizzlies (14-25) host the Golden State Warriors (18-21) as part of the MLK Day NBA schedule. This is the first matchup of the regular season between these Western Conference rivals. Golden State narrowly leads the all-time series 53-50. Draymond Green is expected to return from a 16-game absence (suspension/reconditioning) for Golden State. The top-five scorers for Memphis are all on the injury report with Jaren Jackson Jr. (knee) and Santi Aldama (knee) listed as questionable, while Ja Morant (shoulder), Desmond Bane (ankle) and Steven Adams (knee) are all out.

Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET at FedExForum in Memphis. Golden State is an 8-point favorite in the latest Warriors vs. Grizzlies odds via SportsLine consensus. The over/under for total points is 226. Before making any Grizzlies vs. Warriors picks, you need to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s advanced computer model.

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 Warriors vs. Grizzlies and just locked in its picks and NBA predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Now, here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Grizzlies vs. Warriors:

Warriors vs. Grizzlies spread: Golden State -8
Warriors vs. Grizzlies over/under: 226 points
Warriors vs. Grizzlies money line: Golden State -327, Memphis +260
GS: The Golden State Warriors have hit the 1Q game total Under in 15 of their last 21 games
MEM: The Memphis Grizzlies are 16-23 ATS this season
Warriors vs. Grizzlies picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the Warriors can cover
Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Green are the headliners, but the Warriors have had some role players step up recently. Forward Jonathan Kuminga is an athletic, downhill scorer for the Warriors. The 21-year-old is averaging 13.4 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. In his last contest versus the Bucks, Kuminga dropped a season-high 28 points with three boards.

Forward Trayce Jackson-Davis has been thrust into more playing time as of late. Jackson-Davis is a standout defender and has the length to be a reliable shot-blocker. The Indiana product is tough to stop in the open court and is always cutting to the rim for easy looks. He’s logged 12-plus points and at least one block in four straight games. On Jan. 10 against the New Orleans Pelicans, Jackson-Davis totaled 19 points, five boards and one block. See which team to pick here.

Why the Grizzlies can cover
With the Grizzlies decimated by injuries, guard Luke Kennard is getting opportunities to help carry the scoring load. Kennard thrives at moving off the ball to create space from defenders. The Duke product is putting up 9.1 points while shooting 40% from beyond the arc. In Saturday’s game against the Knicks, Kennard supplied 14 points and two assists. This was his third straight game in double figures.

If Jackson Jr. can go for the Grizzlies, he would give them a massive boost. Jackson Jr. plays lights-out defense around the rim due to his length and recovery speed. The Michigan State product also has a smooth jumper that can stretch the floor. Jackson Jr. logs 21.3 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. On Jan. 7 against the Suns, he finished with 28 points, 10 boards and six assists. See which team to pick here.

How to make Grizzlies vs. Warriors picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning Under on the total, projecting 223 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in nearly 70% of simulations. You can only see the model’s picks at SportsLine.

The Indianapolis International Airport has installed a full basketball court in the middle of its main lobby ahead of next month’s NBA All-Star Game being hosted by the Indiana Pacers. The court features everything from stanchions to glass backboards to a hardwood paint job.

According to WTHR, fans and travelers won’t be permitted to actually play basketball on the court, but they will be welcome to walk on it and take photos. The airport will also be featuring custom basketballs painted by local artists among many other decorations and activations throughout the terminal in the leadup to the All-Star Game.

pic.twitter.com/ii68GLC6AK

— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) January 14, 2024
The basketball court capitalizes on the state of Indiana’s long-held love of basketball, which ranges from the Pacers in the NBA to the Indiana Hoosiers in college basketball. Much of the state’s championship glory belongs to the Hoosiers, who boast five national championships including three from 1976 to 1987. The Pacers won three championships in four years in the ABA in the early 1970s, but have yet to win their first NBA title.

It remains to be seen which members of the Pacers will have made the All-Star roster, which will be revealed at the conclusion of Fan Voting.

San Antonio Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama, the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, has committed to participate in the Skills Challenge at 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend, according to Shams Charania. This year’s All-Star Weekend is set for Feb. 16-18 in Indianapolis with the Skills Challenge kicking off All-Star Saturday Night on Feb. 17.

Wembanyama was one of the best prospects to ever enter the league and has lived up to the billing with a phenomenal start to his rookie season. He’s averaging 19.4 points, 10.2 rebounds and a league-leading 3.1 blocks per game, and is first among all rookies in all three categories. And that’s despite being on a minutes restriction for the last month as the result of a freak ankle injury that occurred when he stepped on a ball boy’s foot prior to a game against the Dallas Mavericks.

In a win over the Pistons on Jan. 10, Wembanyama recorded the second-fastest triple-double in NBA history when he put up 16 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists in just 21 minutes. Back on Dec. 8, he became the youngest player ever with a 20-20 game when he finished with 21 points and 20 rebounds against the Bulls. He has eight games with at least five blocks, which is already tied for the 12th-most such games in a season this decade.

You could go on and on with the accolades. The point is, Wembanyama is having an incredible debut season and would be the runaway Rookie of the Year if it wasn’t for Oklahoma City Thunder big man Chet Holmgren. (Who, it must be said, is playing in a far better situation.)

Wembanyama may even have a case to make the All-Star Game as a reserve, but even if he doesn’t he’ll be on his way to Indianapolis. In addition to the Skills Challenge — which has been a team event for the past two seasons — on All-Star Saturday Night, he’s a shoe-in for the Rising Stars Challenge on that Friday.