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The Minnesota Timberwolves head to the Kia Center on Wednesday night for a matchup that matters to both playoff races. Minnesota is 47-32 and sitting sixth in the Western Conference, trying to firm up its postseason position on the road at 7:00 PM. Orlando comes in at 43-36, eighth in the East, and riding a three-game winning streak after a strong finish against Detroit. FDSN has the broadcast, and the early market opens with Orlando favored at home. Minnesota just snapped a short skid with a convincing win over Indiana, which at least steadied the mood a bit heading into this trip. Orlando, meanwhile, has been better at home than overall, and that is a big part of this handicap.

The Milwaukee Bucks head to Little Caesars Arena on Wednesday, April 8, for a 7:00 PM matchup against the Detroit Pistons in a game that looks lopsided on paper and, honestly, probably should. Detroit enters at 57-22 and has already locked up the top seed in the East, while Milwaukee comes in at 31-48 and is playing out the stretch with more questions than answers. Fans can catch the game on FDSD. The betting market reflects that gap in a big way. Detroit is laying 18.5 points and sitting in heavy favorite territory on the moneyline, which tells you how the market views Milwaukee’s current roster situation and Detroit’s ability to keep winning even without Cade Cunningham. The Pistons are

Dallas heads to Phoenix on Wednesday night for a 10:00 PM matchup at Mortgage Matchup Center, and the two teams are playing for very different reasons. The Mavericks enter at 25-53 and are mostly evaluating young pieces down the stretch, but Cooper Flagg has turned that process into something worth watching every night. Phoenix comes in at 43-35, sitting seventh in the West and still trying to firm up its postseason position. That alone makes this a meaningful home spot for the Suns. Dallas did just beat the Lakers behind another big Flagg game, but the overall trend still matters more than one result. The Mavericks have dropped nine of their last 11 and are on the second night of

San Diego and Pittsburgh finish their series Wednesday afternoon at PNC Park, with first pitch set for 12:35 p.m. ET. The Padres are 5-6 after dropping Tuesday’s game 7-1, while the Pirates are 7-4 and have now won six of their last eight. The listed starters are Michael King for San Diego and Mitch Keller for Pittsburgh, and this one looks a lot more like a low-scoring, pitching-shaped game than a full breakout offensive spot. The weather matters a bit too. Reuters’ preview for today’s game notes below-average temperatures again in Pittsburgh, and this series has already been played in difficult early-April conditions. That usually points toward cleaner pitching scripts if the starters are in command, which matters here because