Los Angeles Lakers at Minnesota Timberwolves odds, picks and predictions

Analyzing Monday’s Los Angeles Lakers at Minnesota Timberwolves odds and lines, with NBA expert picks, predictions and best bets.

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The Los Angeles Lakers (12-8) square off against the Minnesota Timberwolves (9-10) Monday evening. Tip-off from Target Center is set for 8 p.m. ET (NBA TV). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s NBA odds around the Lakers vs. Timberwolves odds and make our expert NBA picks and predictions for the best bets.

Season series: Lakers lead 1-0

The Lakers survived a 105-104 scare at Utah Sunday as 5-point favorites. F Anthony Davis had 33 points and 11 boards, and F LeBron James had 27 points and 14 dimes. The Lakers shot 21% from distance (7-for-33). The Lakers are 2-5 in the last 7 games.

The Wolves snapped a 4-game skid with a 93-92 win over the LA Clippers Friday. The failed to cover as 6.5-point faves and are 2-8 ATS in the last 10. F Julius Randle‘s numbers are down across the board. After averaging 24 PPG, 9.2 RPG and 5 APG, he’s down to 21.2 PPG, 6.9 RPG and 4.1 APG. Ant-Man and the T-Wolves need more.

Lakers at Timberwolves odds

Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list of NBA odds. Lines last updated at 2:05 p.m. ET.

  • Moneyline (ML): Lakers +260 (bet $100 to win $260) | Timberwolves -350 (bet $350 to win $100)
  • Against the spread: Lakers +8.5 (-115) | Timberwolves -8.5 (-110)
  • Over/Under (O/U): 219.5 (O: -105 | U: -115)

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Lakers at Timberwolves key injuries

Lakers

(Not yet submitted — below was for Sunday’s game)

  • C Jaxson Hayes (ankle) out
  • G Austin Reaves (pelvis) out
  • F Cam Reddish (illness) out
  • G D’Angelo Russell (illness) out
  • F Jarred Vanderbilt (foot) out
  • C Christian Wood (knee) out

Timberwolves

  • F Joe Ingles (calf) out

For most recent updates: Official NBA injury report.

Lakers at Timberwolves picks and predictions

Prediction

Lakers 119, Timberwolves 117

Moneyline

So the Lakers are old and on a back-to-back and just going to roll over, right? Wrong. In fact, they are 3-0 on no rest this season. They’re going to need to shore up their outside shooting, but the T-Wolves are struggling with life after Karl-Anthony Towns.

The Lakers are 4-3 in the last 7 meetings. I’ll take my chances on LAKERS +260.

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Against the spread

I’m going with LEBRON JAMES UNDER 1.5 THREE-POINTERS (+100). He is 0-for-15 from downtown in his last 3 games.

For even money, I’ll take the chance.

Over/Under

The Lakers have cashed 5 straight Unders, and both teams are 2-8 O/U in their last 10. Those trends have dropped this total enough to be broken. The Over cashed in 3 of the last 5 meetings, and this would be the second-lowest total in their last 10 meetings.

Take the OVER 219 (-105).

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Is Riley Moss playing today? Injury updates for Broncos CB

Broncos cornerback Riley Moss (knee) won’t play against the Browns tonight.

Denver Broncos second-year cornerback Riley Moss went down with a knee injury against the Las Vegas Raiders last week and he missed all three days of practice leading up to Monday Night Football against the Cleveland Browns in Week 13. Here’s the latest on his status.

Riley Moss injury update

Moss was ruled out on Saturday afternoon and he won’t suit up against the Browns on Monday. He is the only player on Denver’s injury report who did not practice in any capacity last week.

How long will Riley Moss be out?

After the Raiders game last week, Broncos coach Sean Payton said “there was some thought” that Moss could have returned to the game. Payton also said the injury “wasn’t really serious.” After hosting the Browns on Monday, Denver will have a bye in Week 14 before hosting the Indianapolis Colts in Week 15. That will give Moss an extra week to recover, so it seems possible that the cornerback could return in time to play against the Colts on Dec. 15.

Broncos cornerback depth chart

With Moss ruled out this week, Levi Wallace is expected to play as the team’s No. 2 cornerback across from Pat Surtain while Ja’Quan McMillian continues to play in the slot. The Broncos also have Damarri Mathis, Tremon Smith and Kris Abrams-Draine providing additional depth at cornerback.

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Florida moves up in USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll after perfect November

The best start for Florida basketball since 2009 has the Gators up to No. 13 in the latest USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll.

Thanksgiving week featured a ton of college basketball, and some surprise finishes led to changes in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll. Florida ended the month of November undefeated (8-0) and the Gators are now ranked No. 13 in the country following a convincing win at the ESPN Events Invitational (Wake Forest, Wichita State).

The Orange and Blue began the season at No. 21 in the preseason rankings, moved up to No. 19 in the Week 1 and Week 2 updates and jumped to No. 16 a week ago. Florida now trails Alabama by 14 poll points and has a sizable 51-point lead over Cincinnati.

The top five went through some dramatic changes this week. Kansas remains at No. 1 but is no longer the runaway favorite for the title of the best team in the country. Auburn earned 12 of 31 first-place votes and moved up to No. 2 as UConn plummeted out of the top 25 with a three-loss tournament.

Tennessee moved into the top three, an undefeated Marquette team is up to No. 4 and Iowa State remains at No. 5 this week.

SEC schools in the Coaches Poll top 25

Even with the Arkansas Razorbacks falling out of the top 25, the Southeastern Conference boasts eight programs — including Florida — in the top 25. Auburn (No. 2) remains the highest-ranked team in the SEC, followed Tennessee (No. 3), the Kentucky Wildcats (No. 6), Alabama (No. 12), Florida (No. 13), the Ole Miss Rebels (No. 20) and Texas A&M Aggies (No. 24).

The Texas Longhorns earned 54, making them the de facto No. 28 team in the country, and the Mississippi State Bulldogs are right behind them in a tie for No. 29 with 39 poll points this week. Arkansas is unofficially No. 31 with 28 points, and the Georgia Bulldogs are No. 46 with three points.

Coaches Poll Top 25 Week 4 rankings

Ranking Team Record Points Change
1 Kansas 7-0 760 (19)
2 Auburn 7-0 755 (12) +1
3 Tennessee 7-0 694 +3
4 Marquette 8-0 646 +7
5 Iowa State 5-1 629
6 Kentucky 7-0 628 +2
7 Purdue 7-1 535 +5
8 Gonzaga 7-1 517 -4
9 Duke 5-2 472 +1
10 Oregon 8-0 457 +27
11 Wisconsin 8-0 450 +6
12 Alabama 6-2 441 -3
13 Florida 8-0 427 +3
14 Cincinnati 6-0 376
15 Memphis 6-1 265 +20
16 Baylor 5-2 262 +2
17 Illinois 6-1 234 +12
18 Houston 4-3 221 -11
19 Pittsburgh 7-1 213 +6
20 Ole Miss 6-1 139 +4
21 Oklahoma 7-0 111
22 North Carolina 4-3 96 -9
23 Michigan 6-1 90
24 Texas A&M 6-2 86 -4
25 Michigan State 6-2 73 +15

Schools Dropped Out

No. 2 UConn; No. 15 Indiana; No. 19 Creighton; No. 21 Arkansas; No. 22 Xavier; No. 23 Arizona

Others Receiving Votes

UConn 63; San Diego State 56; Texas 54; Mississippi State 39; Arizona State 39; Drake 34; Texas Tech 32; Arkansas 28; UCLA 17; Xavier 16; BYU 16; Ohio State 15; Utah State 13; Saint Mary’s 12; Dayton 10; St. John’s 8; Nebraska 8; Indiana 8; Creighton 8; West Virginia 5; Maryland 5; Clemson 5; Georgia 3; Arizona 2; UC Irvine 1; Nevada 1

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Georgia receives votes in Coaches Poll

Georgia basketball is receiving votes in the Coaches Poll ahead of a big home game against Notre Dame

The Georgia Bulldogs basketball team is off to a 7-1 start to the 2024-2025 college basketball season. UGA has a pair of solid nonconference wins over St. John’s and Georgia Tech.

The Bulldogs’ lone loss of the season came to No. 4 Marquette. Georgia received three votes in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll.

Georgia has a big home game coming up on Dec. 3 at 7:00 p.m. ET against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The Georgia-Notre Dame game will be televised on ESPNU. Georgia, who is 5-0 at home, has a 78.6% chance to beat Notre Dame according to ESPN.

Georgia freshman standout Asa Newell, a projected NBA first-round draft pick, leads Georgia in scoring at 15.4 points per game. Notre Dame is Georgia’s final nonconference opponent from a major conference.

Georgia is rated as the No. 27 team in the country per the NCAA’s NET rankings.

USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll for Dec. 2

Rank Team Record Points
1 Kansas 7-0 760 (19)
2 Auburn 7-0 755 (12)
3 Tennessee 7-0 694
4 Marquette 8-0 646
5 Iowa State 5-1 629
6 Kentucky 7-0 628
7 Purdue 7-1 535
8 Gonzaga 7-1 517
9 Duke 5-2 472
10 Oregon 8-0 457
11 Wisconsin 8-0 450
12 Alabama 6-2 441
13 Florida 8-0 427
14 Cincinnati 6-0 376
15 Memphis 6-1 265
16 Baylor 5-2 262
17 Illinois 6-1 234
18 Houston 4-3 221
19 Pittsburgh 7-1 213
20 Ole Miss 6-1 139
21 Oklahoma 7-0 111
22 North Carolina 4-3 96
23 Michigan 6-1 90
24 Texas A&M 6-2 86
25 Michigan State 6-2 73

Schools Dropped Out

No. 2 UConn; No. 15 Indiana; No. 19 Creighton; No. 21 Arkansas; No. 22 Xavier; No. 23 Arizona;

Others Receiving Votes

UConn 63; San Diego State 56; Texas 54; Mississippi State 39; Arizona State 39; Drake 34; Texas Tech 32; Arkansas 28; UCLA 17; Xavier 16; BYU 16; Ohio State 15; Utah State 13; Saint Mary’s 12; Dayton 10; St. John’s 8; Nebraska 8; Indiana 8; Creighton 8; West Virginia 5; Maryland 5; Clemson 5; Georgia 3; Arizona 2; UC Irvine 1; Nevada 1;

2025 NFL draft: Chiefs land blue chip Ohio State WR in expert mock

See which blue chip Ohio State WR the #Chiefs take in the first round of this mock draft from the experts at Pro Football Network.

The Kansas City Chiefs made significant investments in their receiving corps during the 2024 offseason, but injuries have depleted the group’s depth heading into Week 14.

Despite the additions of Marquise ‘Hollywood’ Brown, Xavier Worthy, DeAndre Hopkins, and JuJu Smith-Schuster, reigning Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes could still use another pass-catcher who can keep opposing defenses guessing.

Luckily, the Chiefs will get their chance to add another outstanding wide receiver prospect in the 2025 NFL draft.

In a mock draft released by Pro Football Network last week, Kansas City doesn’t waste any time addressing its need at the position and selects Ohio State Buckeyes wideout Emeka Egbuka to shore up the depth of its receiving corps.

Take a look at what Pro Football Network’s Lead NFL Analyst Dalton Miller had to say about his decision to send Egbuka to the Chiefs in the first round:

“What if we took JuJu Smith-Schuster and made him better in almost ever distinguishable way? You’d probably have Amon-Ra St. Brown, or a player like Emeka Egbuka as a solid middle ground.

The Ohio State receiver doesn’t quite have the big-play ability of the top pass catchers, but the detail he possesses in his route running makes him a consistent separator. Egbuka has the frame and play strength to win on the outside, but his skill set makes him even more dangerous as a primary slot option.”

Through 12 games with the Buckeyes this season, Egbuka has tallied 60 catches for 743 yards and nine touchdowns.

Kansas City is expected to be among the last teams to make a first-round selection in the 2025 NFL draft, but if Egbuka is still on the board when the Chiefs are on the clock, general manager Brett Veach will have a hard time passing on the Ohio State standout.

Brooklyn Nets at Chicago Bulls odds, picks and predictions

Analyzing Monday’s Brooklyn Nets at Chicago Bulls odds and lines, with NBA expert picks, predictions and best bets.

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The Brooklyn Nets (9-12) square off against the Chicago Bulls (8-13) Monday evening. Tip-off from the United Center is set for 7 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s NBA odds around the Nets vs. Bulls odds and make our expert NBA picks and predictions for the best bets.

Season series: Nets lead 1-0

The Nets dropped 2 in a row to the Orlando Magic, culminating with a 100-92 defeat as 7-point dogs Sunday. F Cam Johnson led the way with 26 points — but rolled his left ankle in the final minute — and G Dennis Schroder added 20 and 7 dimes. The Nets are 4-6 over the last 10 games.

The Bulls dropped their second in a row Friday with a 138-129 cover as 12-point dogs against the Boston Celtics. C Nikola Vucevic had 32 points and 11 boards while drilling 6-for-9 from downtown. F Zach LaVine added 29 points on 4-for-11 from distance. The Bulls have lost 3 of 4.

Nets at Bulls odds

Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list of NBA odds. Lines last updated at 1:25 p.m. ET.

  • Moneyline (ML): Nets +260 (bet $100 to win $260) | Bulls -350 (bet $350 to win $100)
  • Against the spread: Nets +7.5 (-110) | Bulls -7.5 (-110)
  • Over/Under (O/U): 233.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)

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Nets at Bulls key injuries

Nets

(Not yet submitted — below was for Sunday’s game)

  • G Bojan Bogdanovic (foot) out
  • F Dorian Finney-Smith (ankle) out
  • G Cam Thomas (hamstring) out

Bulls

  • G Coby White (ankle) questionable
  • F Patrick Williams (foot) out

For most recent updates: Official NBA injury report.

Nets at Bulls picks and predictions

Prediction

Bulls 114, Nets 110

Moneyline

Upon looking at this matchup, my initial thought was: “OK, I like the Bulls, and Vucevic is going to be tough to stop.” Then I saw the -350 odds, and my thinking pattern went: “Eww.”

I wouldn’t take the Bulls -350 against a college team.

Instead, this is what I need you to do. Pop open your BetMGM app and place a wager on NIKOLA VUCEVIC OVER 1.5 THREE-POINTERS (-125). I expected this to be 2.5. He’s shooting a career-high 46.9% from downtown. His 3-point shooting lines from the last 7 games: 6-for-9, 2-for-6, 1-for-3, 2-for-4, 2-for-5, 2-for-7, 6-for-8.

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Against the spread

Before dropping 2 games to Orlando, the Nets beat Sacramento, Golden State and Phoenix — all on the road. The Nets have also defeated the Bulls in 4 straight games. Brooklyn is 13-7-1 ATS on the year.

I like NETS +7.5 (-110) here.

Over/Under

The last 3 meetings have gone Over, but the totals were 228.5, 214.5 and 221. We haven’t seen a total this high in this matchup since F Kevin Durant and G Kyrie Irving were in Brooklyn. The Nets are 6-4 O/U in their last 10, but the totals peaked at 224.5. Chicago is 7-3 O/U with fairly high totals as the Bulls are 4th with 118.5 PPG and 1st in pace. I believe those to be outliers and not conducive to this roster.

I like the UNDER 233.5 (-110).

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Oklahoma Sooners enter USA TODAY Sports College Basketball Coaches Poll

After winning the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament, the Oklahoma Sooners entered the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll for the first time in 2024-2025.

It’s been a strong start to the season for Porter Moser and the Oklahoma Sooners men’s basketball team. OU moved to 7-0 on the season after securing the [autotag]Battle 4 Atlantis[/autotag] tournament title, earning wins over Providence, No. 24 Arizona, and Louisville.

The Sooners moved up to No. 40 in the nation in the KenPom ranking system.

After their huge week, the Oklahoma Sooners entered the USA TODAY College Basketball Coaches Poll for the first time this season, earning the No. 21 spot in the top 25. The Sooners are one of nine teams that are undefeated in the coaches poll, which is led by Kansas, Auburn, Tennessee, and Marquette as the top four teams this week.

Kansas received 19 first place votes while Auburn picked up the other 12. The SEC led the way with eight teams featured in the poll this week, with OU seventh in the conference, just one spot behind No. 20 Ole Miss.

Oklahoma has a chance to build on their undefeated start to the season at home against the ACC’s Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in what will be a strong nonconference test Tuesday night.

Rank Team Record Points
1 Kansas 7-0 760 (19)
2 Auburn 7-0 755 (12)
3 Tennessee 7-0 694
4 Marquette 8-0 646
5 Iowa State 5-1 629
6 Kentucky 7-0 628
7 Purdue 7-1 535
8 Gonzaga 7-1 517
9 Duke 5-2 472
10 Oregon 8-0 457
11 Wisconsin 8-0 450
12 Alabama 6-2 441
13 Florida 8-0 427
14 Cincinnati 6-0 376
15 Memphis 6-1 265
16 Baylor 5-2 262
17 Illinois 6-1 234
18 Houston 4-3 221
19 Pittsburgh 7-1 213
20 Ole Miss 6-1 139
21 Oklahoma 7-0 111
22 North Carolina 4-3 96
23 Michigan 6-1 90
24 Texas A&M 6-2 86
25 Michigan State 6-2 73

Others Receiving Votes

UConn 63; San Diego State 56; Texas 54; Mississippi State 39; Arizona State 39; Drake 34; Texas Tech 32; Arkansas 28; UCLA 17; Xavier 16; BYU 16; Ohio State 15; Utah State 13; Saint Mary’s 12; Dayton 10; St. John’s 8; Nebraska 8; Indiana 8; Creighton 8; West Virginia 5; Maryland 5; Clemson 5; Georgia 3; Arizona 2; UC Irvine 1; Nevada 1;

List Of Voters

The USA TODAY Sports Board of Coaches is made up of 31 head coaches at Division I institutions. All are members of the National Association of Basketball Coaches. The board for the 2024-25 season: Tobin Anderson, Iona; Adrian Autry, Syracuse; John Becker, Vermont; Randy Bennett, Saint Mary’s; Jeff Boals, Ohio; Alvin Brooks, Lamar; Scott Drew, Baylor; Matt Driscoll, North Florida; Dan Earl, Chattanooga; Jonas Hayes, Georgia State; Alan Huss, High Point; Donte’ Jackson, Grambling; Ben Jacobson, Northern Iowa; James Jones, Yale; Greg Kampe, Oakland; Brad Korn, Southeast Missouri State; Greg McDermott, Creighton; Nick McDevitt, Middle Tennessee; Mike McGarvey, Lafayette; Niko Medved, Colorado State; Dan Monson, Eastern Washington; Chris Mooney, Richmond; Nate Oats, Alabama; Eric Olen, UC San Diego; Matt Painter, Purdue; Michael Schwartz, East Carolina; Patrick Sellers, Central Connecticut State; Zach Spiker, Drexel; Brett Tanner, Abilene Christian; Stan Waterman, Delaware State; Jeff Wulbrun, Denver.

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Michigan basketball makes debut in USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll

About time. #GoBlue

Outside of Ann Arbor, not many had faith that Michigan basketball would be among the best teams in the country, but a few weeks into the 2024-25 season, new head coach Dusty May has the Wolverines rolling. At 6-1 thus far, the maize and blue are getting better and better, up to No. 22 in Kenpom with the 38th-best offense and No. 10 defense.

Coaches around the country are taking notice, it appears. In the fifth iteration of the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll, the Michigan basketball team made its debut, coming in at No. 23. Other Big Ten teams ranked include Purdue at No. 7, Oregon at No. 10, Wisconsin at No. 11, Illinois at No. 17, and Michigan State at No. 25.

Here are the full rankings.

USA TODAY Coaches Poll

Rank Team Record Points
1 Kansas 7-0 760 (19)
2 Auburn 7-0 755 (12)
3 Tennessee 7-0 694
4 Marquette 8-0 646
5 Iowa State 5-1 629
6 Kentucky 7-0 628
7 Purdue 7-1 535
8 Gonzaga 7-1 517
9 Duke 5-2 472
10 Oregon 8-0 457
11 Wisconsin 8-0 450
12 Alabama 6-2 441
13 Florida 8-0 427
14 Cincinnati 6-0 376
15 Memphis 6-1 265
16 Baylor 5-2 262
17 Illinois 6-1 234
18 Houston 4-3 221
19 Pittsburgh 7-1 213
20 Ole Miss 6-1 139
21 Oklahoma 7-0 111
22 North Carolina 4-3 96
23 Michigan 6-1 90
24 Texas A&M 6-2 86
25 Michigan State 6-2 73

Schools dropped out:

No. 2 UConn; No. 15 Indiana; No. 19 Creighton; No. 21 Arkansas; No. 22 Xavier; No. 23 Arizona;

Others receiving votes

UConn 63; San Diego State 56; Texas 54; Mississippi State 39; Arizona State 39; Drake 34; Texas Tech 32; Arkansas 28; UCLA 17; Xavier 16; BYU 16; Ohio State 15; Utah State 13; Saint Mary’s 12; Dayton 10; St. John’s 8; Nebraska 8; Indiana 8; Creighton 8; West Virginia 5; Maryland 5; Clemson 5; Georgia 3; Arizona 2; UC Irvine 1; Nevada 1

Chiefs dubbed the NFL’s ‘luckiest’ team

According to the experts at Pro Football Network, the Kansas City #Chiefs are the NFL’s luckiest team.

The Kansas City Chiefs have defied all odds to advance their regular season record to 11-1, and with five games left to play, the defending Super Bowl champions control their own destiny to earn the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs.

Though the stellar play of the Chiefs’ stars— most notably tight ends Travis Kelce and Noah Gray— has buoyed the team in recent weeks, the experts at Pro Football Network have determined that Kansas City’s success has come down to one critical factor: luck.

According to an article by Ben Rolfe, an intrepid analyst and Deputy Editor of Fantasy and Sport Betting at Pro Football Network, the Chiefs are the luckiest team in the NFL.

See what Rolfe had to say about Kansas City’s luck below:

“According to Pro Football Network’s luck metric, the Chiefs are the luckiest team in the NFL right now. Their 11-1 record is 3.21 wins above their projected win-loss record based on their metrics in games this season.

Only two of their wins have been graded as “lucky” by the system, which means their win projection was below 45%. However, they have also won two games in which their win projection was just 51%.

The two games that graded as “lucky” were the Black Friday win over the Raiders and the Week 10 win over the Denver Broncos. Interestingly, both of those games ended with the Chiefs’ opponent within field goal range only to either have their kick blocked or a bizarre turnover cost them the game.”

Though Kansas City’s experience certainly gives the Chiefs an edge over opponents, it seems that the luck factor, however intangible, is the defending Super Bowl champions’ best asset heading into the home stretch of the regular season.

Stay tuned to see if Kansas City’s good fortune continues when the Chiefs face the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 14.

Darren Rizzi offers scant details in postgame injury report

The Saints suffered some significant injury issues over the weekend, but Darren Rizzi offered scant details in his postgame injury report:

The Saints suffered some injury issues during Sunday’s 21-14 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Two of the most notable ones were to offensive lineman Nick Saldiveri and Swiss army knife Taysom Hill.

Saldiveri suffered a knee injury in the third quarter of the game and was carted off of the field. This really hurt the Saints up front, considering the team had already lost Erik McCoy and Lucas Patrick, who Saldiveri was specifically filling in for.

No updates have been provided on his condition to this point, outside of the fact that he was set to go for further imaging after the game. Interim head coach Darren Rizzi said he didn’t want to speculate about either of them.

Hill was also carted off of the field during the game after he took a helmet to the knee.

At the time, he led the team with 5 catches for 37 yards and carried the ball five times for 10 yards. It is the third time this season in which Hill has had to leave the game with an injury. Previously, he had suffered cracked ribs and a bruised lung.

He is one of the most loved players by the fan base, with many questions prompted after he had to exit the game.

The update provided on him most recently was not an optimistic one, coming from a report from NFL insider Ian Rapoport that indicated he thought Hill would be out for the remainder of the season, which was confirmed after imaging on Monday morning.

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