Kyler Murray remains a heavy favorite at sportsbooks to be the No. 1 overall pick, but his odds were on the move as Thursday's NFL draft approached.

The odds of the Oklahoma quarterback to be taken first overall by the Arizona Cardinals had been listed at -1,200 in previous weeks at FanDuel's New Jersey sportsbook, but were down to -400 as of Wednesday morning.

Ohio State defensive end Nick Bosa is next at +350, followed by Alabama defensive end Quinnen Williams at +500.

The odds on Murray being the first overall pick have shifted wildly over the past two months as bookmakers tried to keep up with the latest news and mock drafts. On March 5 -- the day after the scouting combine concluded -- the SuperBook at Westgate Las Vegas installed Murray as a -140 favorite to be the No. 1 pick and took instant action on the favorite. As speculation grew that Murray would be the Cardinals' pick at No. 1, his odds improved all the way to -2,500 before the SuperBook eventually took the wager off the board this week.

This will be the third year Nevada sportsbooks have taken bets on the NFL draft. Nevada Gaming Control regulations require books to halt betting on the draft 24 hours prior to the event. New Jersey sportsbooks, like FanDuel and DraftKings, are planning to take bets up until the first round kicks off Thursday.

As of Wednesday morning, Bosa had attracted more bets than any other player at multiple sportsbooks. More money had been wagered on Murray, though.

Overall, the NFL draft is not a heavily bet market, bookmakers say, and doesn't draw much interest from public bettors. The abundance of news leading up to the draft -- and separating fact from fiction -- makes it a difficult market to book, and the odds are often more reflective of the public's perception than true probabilities. Oddsmakers simply monitor the news and move their odds to coincide with the betting at their sportsbooks.

"It's basically mock drafts ... that's your starting point," Johnny Avello, director of sportsbook operations for DraftKings, told ESPN. "Then, really stay on top of it, because things change really fast with this."

Among dozens of props of the draft, DraftKings is offering wagers on whom the New York Jets and New York Giants will take with their first picks.

Houston defensive lineman Ed Oliver (+200) and Kentucky linebacker Josh Allen (+250) are the favorites to be the Jets' selection with the No. 3 pick. Williams, the Alabama defensive end, is next at +350.

Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins and Duke quarterback Daniel Jones are co-favorites at +300 to be taken by the Giants with the sixth pick in the first round.

PITTSBURGH -- The last Killer B left will guide the Steelers into a new era.

The Steelers are giving quarterback Ben Roethlisberger a new two-year extension to go along with the one year he had left on his contract, tying him to Pittsburgh through the 2021 season, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Pittsburgh announced the signing Wednesday.

The extension all but guarantees Big Ben ends his career with the same franchise that drafted him in 2004.

"I am grateful to the Rooneys and the Steelers organization for continuing to believe in me," Roethlisberger said in a statement announcing the deal. "It has always been a goal to play my entire career in Pittsburgh. This is home for me and my family, and we love this city. I am as excited to be a Steeler in year 16 as I was when they drafted me. They will get my absolute best."

Roethlisberger, who turned 37 on March 2, had one year left on a four-year, $87.6 million extension he signed in 2015. That deal included a $12 million base salary for 2019, which the Steelers have reworked as part of the new extension. Roethlisberger also earned a $5 million roster bonus on March 15.

With Le'Veon Bell leaving in free agency after a yearlong holdout and Antonio Brown forcing a trade to the Oakland Raiders, Roethlisberger is essential in guiding Pittsburgh past a drama-filled offseason.

The Steelers began discussing a new deal for Roethlisberger after the 2018 season, but the sides hadn't agreed to terms in time for the new league year. Complicating matters is a ballooning quarterback market: Seattle Seahawks star Russell Wilson became the highest-paid player in the NFL when he signed a four-year, $140 million contract extension last week.

Since the Steelers typically don't guarantee their contracts beyond the signing bonus, Roethlisberger's deal is likely to include multiple roster bonuses.

Roethlisberger has two Super Bowl victories and ranks sixth all time in passing yards (56,194) and seventh in touchdowns (363). He led the NFL in passing yards in 2018 with 5,129. The Steelers never have had a losing season with him at quarterback, and he is among the franchise leaders in career games played, with 216.

The quarterback has been the subject of public criticism for his dealings with Brown, who had six straight 100-catch seasons before leaving Pittsburgh. Brown wasn't happy when Roethlisberger criticized the receiver's route running on a radio show after a Week 12 loss to the Denver Broncos. Brown later tweeted that Roethlisberger has an "owner mentality" by calling out coaches and teammates who are afraid to question him.

Brown later told ESPN's Jeff Darlington in an on-camera interview that he got mixed messages from his quarterback.

"If I'm your guy, make me know I'm your guy, but don't say I'm your guy and point fingers," Brown said. "Don't say I'm your guy and then don't throw me the ball the whole first quarter."

General manager Kevin Colbert defended Roethlisberger during a media session in mid-February but created more heat when he said the QB had "52 kids" under him. Colbert later specified on NFL Network that he was trying to convey that Roethlisberger has more experience than his teammates, along with a Super Bowl pedigree.

"Ben is the unquestioned leader of this group," Colbert said Feb. 20. "He's the elder statesmen and the [only] Super Bowl winner [remaining on the roster]. If our players were smart, they'd listen to him because he's been there, he's done it. He can tell them, 'No, guys, what you're doing is or is not good enough.' And I honestly believe that can be a burden on him more often than he may like to admit, because he has to ... he's got 52 kids under him, quite honestly. I want them to step up and say, 'Hey, Ben, what do I have to do? Can I do this better? What do we have to do to win a Super Bowl?'

"I think that once you win it, you've got 53 guys who can say what it took, but right now, he's the only one, so I have no problem with him. He can call me out, and that's fine."

In 2019, Roethlisberger will be tasked with leading an increasingly young locker room and lifting a passing game that lost two major talents in as many years. The team is giving him multiple years to do just that.

Some teams are angling to move up. Even more are angling to move down.

The 2019 NFL draft is almost here, and NFL Nation reporters are making one prediction for every team.

Scan through all 32 teams by division, or jump ahead to your team by clicking on its logo here:

AFC EAST

Buffalo Bills

Good draft depth leads Bills to trade down

General manager Brandon Beane made his mark trading up in the 2018 draft, but circumstances are different in 2019. There seems to be good depth at the top of the draft at positions of need for Buffalo -- offensive tackle and defensive line. By trading down in the first round, the Bills could still tap into the talent at those positions while picking up extra picks to address other areas. Unlike last year, the Bills enter the draft without any extra selections until the fourth round. -- Mike Rodak

Miami Dolphins

Dolphins will pass on QB, trade down and pick DL

Miami is probably the NFL's most quarterback-needy team, but there is reason to believe the Dolphins aren't in love with this year's QB crop and are willing to wait until 2020 to take a shot at that position while building along the offensive and defensive lines in 2019. Miami general manager Chris Grier learned a lot from Bill Parcells, and he's hesitant to select quarterbacks with little college starting experience such as Kyler Murray and Dwayne Haskins. That, combined with the fact that the strengths of this draft (DL and OL) line up with some of Miami's biggest needs, makes the decision easier for Grier. The Dolphins have prioritized collecting 2020 picks throughout the offseason, so look for them to try to trade back to get more picks in each of the next two years. -- Cameron Wolfe

New England Patriots

Patriots will double dip at wide receiver

The Patriots' top pick at wide receiver will come in the second round. The team has had some notable success by taking multiple players at the same position in a draft, and it makes sense to think receiver is the spot that could happen this year, as it is a top need. Ideally, one of those receivers -- such as Georgia's Mecole Hardman -- will have punt-return experience and thus would fill multiple roles. -- Mike Reiss

New York Jets

Jets will be active traders, but not in first round

Despite a desire to move down, they will stay put at No. 3 overall. But look for them to be active on Days 2 and 3. With two third-round picks and linebacker Darron Lee on the trading block, they have the ammunition to get into the second round. GM Mike Maccagnan is "on a mission" to regain a second-round pick, an opposing personnel source said. -- Rich Cimini

AFC NORTH

Baltimore Ravens

Ravens won't try to find C.J. Mosley's replacement in draft

The loss of Baltimore's leading tackler in free agency doesn't necessarily mean the team will take an inside linebacker in the first couple of rounds. The Ravens have young talent in Patrick Onwuasor and Kenny Young on the inside. What Baltimore lacks in the middle is experience. The more likely play for the Ravens is signing a veteran such as Zach Brown or Josh Bynes after the draft. -- Jamison Hensley

Cincinnati Bengals

Bengals will focus on upgrading both sides of line

While linebacker is the most obvious need, it's unlikely Devin White is going to fall into the Bengals' lap. That means they will look elsewhere instead of reaching for a pick. While the right side of the offensive line still needs help, don't rule out an early defensive lineman, either. If the right one is there, that is certainly in play with the 11th overall pick. -- Katherine Terrell

Cleveland Browns

Browns won't move back into first round

Much as John Dorsey might like to get back up and get a player he likes late in the first round, the odds do not favor that happening. The Browns will wind up looking at Odell Beckham Jr. as their first-round pick and they will take the best player available, likely on defense, with their second-round choice. -- Pat McManamon

Pittsburgh Steelers

Steelers will try to strike second-round WR gold again

The Steelers will draft a receiver in the second round for the third consecutive year. The franchise has had too much success finding receiver talent outside of the first round not to take a swing on Day 2. Pittsburgh has the do-it-all playmaker in JuJu Smith-Schuster, a still-developing deep threat in James Washington and needs an infusion of open-field quickness and speed with Antonio Brown gone. South Carolina's Deebo Samuel could be the ideal fit. -- Jeremy Fowler

AFC SOUTH

Houston Texans

Texans will give Deshaun Watson another target

On paper, Houston has a dynamic offense ... when its receivers can stay healthy. While the Texans have been able to count on star receiver DeAndre Hopkins, wideouts Will Fuller and Keke Coutee have had problems staying on the field. Fuller is still recovering from a torn ACL and Coutee's hamstrings bothered him throughout his rookie season, so Houston will provide quarterback Deshaun Watson some insurance and add another receiver. -- Sarah Barshop

Indianapolis Colts

Colts will use a second-round pick on a receiver

The Colts signed veteran Devin Funchess in free agency to possibly be the second receiver to go with T.Y. Hilton. Signing Funchess eases the pressure to use their first-round pick on a wideout, but receiver is still a position of need for the Colts, who have two second-round picks. Deon Cain will basically be a rookie in 2019 after his real rookie season ended because of a torn ACL in the first preseason game. Daurice Fountain, also a rookie in 2018, spent most of the season on the practice squad. -- Mike Wells

Jacksonville Jaguars

Jaguars will draft two tight ends

The team signed Geoff Swaim in free agency, but he had only 26 catches in 10 weeks before a wrist injury ended his 2018 season. The other two tight ends on the roster are James O'Shaughnessy and Ben Koyack. That's not exactly a feared group of pass-catchers. The Jaguars could take one in the first round (T.J. Hockenson at No. 7), but it's a deep group of tight ends and there will still be good players available if they wait until the middle rounds. Getting help for Nick Foles is a priority. -- Michael DiRocco

Tennessee Titans

Titans will attack the middle of the line

Tennessee has been linked to the top centers and guards during the draft process. The Titans have also done extensive homework on a lot of the top interior defensive linemen. Under coach Mike Vrabel, the Titans are focused on establishing a physical presence. Adding beef on the interior on both sides of the ball would be a big step. -- Turron Davenport

AFC WEST

Denver Broncos

Broncos will be forced into taking another tight end

The Broncos have used three draft picks in the past four years on tight ends -- Jeff Heuerman (2015), Jake Butt (2017) and Troy Fumagali (2018) -- and all three have missed at least one season with injuries. Butt has now missed most of his first two NFL seasons after being held out of his rookie season recovering from an ACL tear in his final college game, and then he suffered another ACL tear in 2018. Offenses are exploiting tight-end matchups throughout the league, and Denver would like to join that production party. So if the Broncos don't dive in with the No. 10 pick -- and Iowa's T.J. Hockenson is the only TE on the board worth that pick -- look for them to take a look later on at prospects such as San Diego State's Kahale Warring, Mississippi's Dawson Knox or Texas A&M's Jace Sternberger. -- Jeff Legwold

Kansas City Chiefs

Chiefs won't ignore offense this year

The Chiefs will have a more balanced draft than last year, when they took defensive players with their top five picks. They have too many needs, now and in the future, on the offensive side of the ball. The Chiefs can use help at wide receiver, running back, tight end and on the offensive line. -- Adam Teicher

Los Angeles Chargers

Chargers will free up their pass-rushers by picking a DT

The Bolts have only three defensive tackles on the roster -- Brandon Mebane, Justin Jones and T.Y. McGill -- so it should be a position they target early in the draft. They need an interior pass-rusher with a profile similar to Chris Jones of the Kansas City Chiefs -- a player who can push the pocket, helping talented edge rushers Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram get to the quarterback more consistently. -- Eric D. Williams

Oakland Raiders

Raiders will hit their favorite fishin' hole

The Raiders will trade back to acquire more picks. The question is when. Because while they do have four picks among the top 35 selections, the Raiders are shut out between No. 36 and No. 105. New general manager Mike Mayock lamented that fact recently, essentially saying his favorite stretch is from No. 20 to No. 60. "I'd love to get a couple more picks in there," he said. "I just think we have a lot of holes that need to be filled. I think that's a really good place to go fishing." -- Paul Gutierrez

NFC EAST

Dallas Cowboys

Cowboys will pick an RB to back up Elliott

The Cowboys will pick a running back in the draft, but it won't come in the second round. One of the holes Dallas has not filled in the offseason is finding a backup to Ezekiel Elliott. The Cowboys had three running backs to The Star on national visits, with Alabama's Damien Harris the highest-rated. But with Elliott expected to get almost all of the significant work, using a second-round pick on a runner would not be the most economical use of the team's top pick. From the third round on, however, a runner is more palatable, and two names to keep an eye on are Texas A&M's Trayveon Williams and Ohio State's Mike Weber. -- Todd Archer

New York Giants

Giants will trade up into the second round

The Giants will add either a second- or third-round pick in this draft. They currently have 12 selections, but general manager Dave Gettleman will use some of that draft capital to move up at some time in the 58 picks between their current second- and third-round selections. -- Jordan Raanan

Philadelphia Eagles

Eagles will trade out of the No. 25 spot

Executive vice president of football operations Howie Roseman has stayed put in the first round in just three of the eight drafts he has overseen. If a top-end pass-rusher falls into the Eagles' orbit, it wouldn't be a shock if they slide up a few spots to snare him. -- Tim McManus

Washington Redskins

Daniel Jones will be a first-round QB target

If the Redskins draft a quarterback in the first round, it'll be Daniel Jones. That also assumes Dwayne Haskins will be gone by the time they pick at 15. Jones is more consistent than Drew Lock with his mechanics and therefore the Redskins would know more about what they'd be getting. He operates well in the quick-game concepts Washington likes to use. There's no guarantee by any means that the Redskins take Jones; they also will be aggressive in looking for playmakers, whether via trades or drafting an impact defensive player. -- John Keim

NFC NORTH

Chicago Bears

Bears will draft a running back

Chicago signed veteran Mike Davis in free agency, but the Bears still need more depth at the position after losing Jordan Howard (traded to Philadelphia) and Benny Cunningham (signed with Jacksonville) in the offseason. The Bears don't currently have a pick until the third round, but general manager Ryan Pace is adept at finding running backs later in the draft. Tarik Cohen (2017), Jeremy Langford (2015) and Howard (2016) were all Day 3 RB picks under Pace. -- Jeff Dickerson

Detroit Lions

Lions will make a trade, but probably not on Day 1

Lions general manager Bob Quinn has been pretty open about saying he's willing to listen to trade offers, and if the right one comes up at No. 8 (unless, say, Josh Allen or Quinnen Williams were on the board), he'd at least consider it. But at some point during the three-day draft, he'll make a move. He's been aggressive throughout his career as a general manager, including trading up last year for Kerryon Johnson and Da'Shawn Hand in separate deals. Keep an eye on the second round, where the Lions historically make moves (although it hasn't always gone so well -- with Kyle Van Noy and Mikel Leshoure being recent non-Quinn examples). -- Michael Rothstein

Green Bay Packers

Almost a Lock that Packers won't pick QB on first two days

The Packers won't take a quarterback with any of their first three picks. That means no Drew Lock, the Missouri star they had in for a pre-draft visit. Not at No. 12, not at No. 30 and not even at No. 44, if he were somehow to slip that far. Any quarterback taken in 2019 would probably hit free agency before Aaron Rodgers is done, so it's not the time to select his heir apparent. The Lock visit was subterfuge, to borrow a word from GM Brian Gutekunst. -- Rob Demovsky

Minnesota Vikings

Vikings won't take an offensive lineman at No. 18

This isn't that bold in theory, especially if general manager Rick Spielman thinks the team would be reaching to draft someone they could possibly trade back for and land late in the first round. But if Minnesota doesn't take an offensive lineman early, I predict the first-round pick will be used on a tight end. While it feels unlikely that T.J. Hockenson would fall to 18, if Noah Fant is available, the Vikings could look to draft him as a replacement for Kyle Rudolph, especially if they move the 29-year-old on Thursday to acquire more draft capital and relieve their salary-cap situation. -- Courtney Cronin

NFC SOUTH

Atlanta Falcons

Falcons will move up, but not in first round

The Falcons will use one or more of their nine draft picks to move up in the draft. Not saying this will happen in the first round with the 14th overall selection, but general manager Thomas Dimitroff has been willing to trade up or back throughout the years. There might be a player in the second or third rounds worth moving up for. -- Vaughn McClure

Carolina Panthers

Panthers will pick a quarterback on Day 2

The Panthers haven't selected a quarterback in any round since making Cam Newton the first pick of the 2011 draft. It is time, with Newton rehabbing from shoulder surgery and his contract up for renewal after the 2020 season. It's time to get insurance for the short term and potentially long term. -- David Newton

New Orleans Saints

Saints will replenish on the offensive line

The Saints have had one of the NFL's best offensive lines for the past two seasons. But they need to start replenishing because Pro Bowl center Max Unger just retired and Pro Bowl guards Andrus Peat and Larry Warford are scheduled to become free agents in the next two years. Look for a versatile Round 2 prospect, such as Kansas State's Dalton Risner or Mississippi State's Elgton Jenkins, who could start out as a swing backup. -- Mike Triplett

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Bucs will pick a pass-rusher early

The Bucs will select a defensive lineman/edge rusher in either of the first two rounds, possibly with their first-round pick. The quality of the talent is simply too good to pass up. Gerald McCoy could be finished with the Bucs, and who knows how many more double-digit sack seasons Jason Pierre-Paul can produce? They'll absolutely jump at the chance to grab Quinnen Williams or Josh Allen if either falls to them at No. 5, and they'll strongly consider Ed Oliver, even if Devin White is still on the board. Players such as Montez Sweat, Jeffery Simmons, Rashan Gary, Dexter Lawrence and Jaylon Ferguson are also options should the Bucs trade down from No. 5 or opt to address the position in Round 2. -- Jenna Laine

NFC WEST

Arizona Cardinals

Cardinals won't pause at a good offer for No. 1 pick

The Cardinals will try to trade out of the first pick -- and just might succeed. If the Cardinals can get what they want for the No. 1 overall selection, I don't think they'll hesitate to make the trade, stockpile picks and try to improve on their 3-13 record with depth. Trading for picks would make sense because Arizona has needs at wide receiver, offensive line, tight end and on the defensive line. -- Josh Weinfuss

Los Angeles Rams

Rams will try to add picks to address both lines

The Rams will attempt to trade down, out of the 31st overall selection, to collect more picks later in the draft. They must find a young offensive lineman who is capable of contributing immediately after losing left guard Rodger Saffold in free agency and declining the option on center John Sullivan's contract. They also have a need on the defensive line, with tackle Ndamukong Suh a free agent and unlikely to return, and must find a player also capable of contributing early. Last year, general manager Les Snead showed a knack for trading down and collecting picks as the Rams finished 2018 with 11 selections. They'll start Thursday's draft with seven picks, but don't be surprised if they add a few more. The Rams also have needs at linebacker and in the secondary. -- Lindsey Thiry

San Francisco 49ers

49ers will draft a receiver on Day 2

The Niners missed on a trade for Odell Beckham Jr. and followed by signing veteran Jordan Matthews, but they still have serious work to do at wideout. In 2018, Niners receivers combined for 152 receptions (28th in the NFL) for 1,990 yards (29th). This draft is lacking in terms of top receivers, so it's hard to imagine San Francisco taking one in the first round, barring a trade down or two from their perch at No. 2. But there appears to be no shortage of options who could be available in the second and third rounds. The 49ers have done their homework on most of the players expected to go in that range, bringing in many of them for pre-draft visits. With pick Nos. 36 and 67 on Friday, the Niners should be well positioned to get one of their favorite pass-catchers, even if they look to move back and acquire more picks before grabbing their guy. -- Nick Wagoner

Seattle Seahawks

Seahawks will take an edge rusher with their first pick

That position went from one of their top needs to by far their top need after they traded Frank Clark, who was their only edge player with double-digit-sack ability. It's a good thing this draft is loaded with defensive linemen. The Seahawks could even move back from No. 21 in order to add to their pick total if they believe a blue-chip edge rusher would still be there a few selections later. Either way, there's an excellent chance they address that need in the first round. -- Brady Henderson

DENVER -- Jamal Murray glided undetected from the right side of the court to the left before making a leaping interception on a San Antonio Spurs long pass like a stealthy cornerback. Gary Harris later flew in from behind and swatted away a Patty Mills layup before landing in the stands, standing and posing for a few seconds.

The Denver Nuggets finally played their best and most complete game of the postseason, and now the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference is on the verge of eliminating the Spurs. The Nuggets, who came into this postseason without much playoff experience, beat the Spurs 108-90 in Game 5 to take a 3-2 series lead.

The Nuggets have won two straight and are beginning to look like the regular-season force they were when they won 54 games. Perhaps even worse for the Spurs, the Nuggets look as if they are beginning to see and believe in their playoff potential.

"Just a glimpse of knowing what we can do," Murray said of what Denver displayed Tuesday night. "We're having a lot of fun right now. Learning through mistakes, ups and downs, there's been injuries all season and all that but playoff experience or not, we are having a lot of fun and we're getting the job done."

The Nuggets raced to their first first-quarter lead of the series and never looked back. They turned a four-point game into a 15-point lead just before the end of the first half with a 14-3 run. Murray ignited the run with 5 points, 2 assists, 1 rebound, 1 steal and 1 block during that span.

Denver then had the Pepsi Center rocking by opening the third quarter with a 16-4 run that pushed San Antonio 23 down with 7:44 left in the third.

Denver coach Michael Malone challenged Murray to be more consistent in this series. Murray was up-and-down in the first three games, and also was outplayed by San Antonio point guard Derrick White, especially in Game 3, when White had a career-high 36 points.

Since then, though, Murray scored 24 points in the Nuggets' Game 4 win in San Antonio and then followed with 23 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 block while making 9-of-16 shots overall in 28 minutes Tuesday.

Meanwhile, White has been held to a total of 20 points and 8-of-19 shooting since Game 3 after Malone switched Harris onto White to start while inserting Torrey Craig into the starting lineup for Will Barton and putting Craig on DeMar DeRozan.

Harris was a two-way nuisance for the Spurs, scoring 13 of his 15 points in the first half to help the Nuggets get the raucous crowd into the game while also playing physical defense on White and DeRozan, who finished with 17 points but shot 6-of-15 from the field.

Though Malone called San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich "the Bobby Fischer" of the NBA chess match between coaches, Popovich tried all he could to stop the bleeding in Game 5 without any success.

Popovich managed to keep his dry sense of humor despite watching his team shoot 20-of-46 inside the paint, several of the missed shots coming on easy layups the Spurs normally make. The 26 missed shots inside are tied for their second most in a game this season, including playoffs, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

"That was my best Bobby Fischer, tell Mikey that," Popovich deadpanned after seeing his team fall behind by as much as 30.

What the Spurs have yet to solve has been how to slow down Denver All-Star center Nikola Jokic. Jokic continues to be a nightly triple-double threat, collecting 16 points, 11 rebounds and 8 assists in three quarters in Game 5.

Jokic buried two 3-pointers in the final 39.6 seconds of the third quarter that basically served as the 1-2 knockout combination that finished the Spurs. Jokic is now averaging 19.6 points, 11.6 rebounds and 9.0 assists in his first playoff series.

"What Nikola is doing in his playoff debut has not happened very often in the history of this game," Malone said. "... I hope in this playoff crowd, national TV audience, that people are tuning in and watching us and saying, man, this kid Nikola Jokic is for real."

If the Nuggets can play in Game 6 in San Antonio on Thursday the way they did when they shot 50 percent and smothered the Spurs at times Tuesday night, the NBA will get an opportunity to see what Denver can do in the second round against Damian Lillard and Portland.

"This whole series is so many firsts for all our players," Malone said of his team's lack of experience. "First home playoff game. First road playoff game. Now this will be our first opportunity to close out a series. Most of our guys haven't been in this situation.

"All I told them was this: This will be the hardest game of your career. Closing out an opponent like San Antonio in their home gym is going to be one of the hardest things we've ever tried to do."

PORTLAND, Ore. -- It's a shot that will be replayed for years to come, one of the all-time postseason moments as Damian Lillard closed out the Oklahoma City Thunder in five games from almost 40 feet to give himself an even 50 points and his team a spot in the second round.

The official play-by-play lists it as a 37-foot shot, but it hung in the air for nearly two seconds, hitting the bottom of the net as the buzzer expired to lift the Trail Blazers in Game 5 118-115.

"It was a great feeling when it left my hands," Lillard said. "It felt good."

With the score tied, Russell Westbrook barreled at the rim and missed a tough layup with 18.3 seconds left. The Blazers grabbed the rebound and decided not to called timeout, getting the ball into Lillard's hands. He crossed midcourt with about 10 seconds left, and held his dribble near the logo. The seconds ticked off the clock and at a certain point -- somewhere around three or four seconds -- it became obvious Lillard was going to shoot it.

Paul George realized it too, taking a step forward to close the gap on Lillard. Lillard hit a "pound dribble," as he called it, and set to let it fly.

"I didn't want to put it into the referee hands," Lillard said. "Where if there was contact or maybe they get away with contact or I end up having to take a tougher shot because there was contact and they don't want to decide the game. So I was standing there looking at the rim and I was like this is a comfortable range."

Last week when Lillard was in Oklahoma City going through a workout, his trainer Phil Beckner suggested Lillard shoot a few deeps ones from near midcourt.

"He was like, 'You're gonna hit one of these,'" Lillard said. "He just kept saying, 'You gonna hit one of these' and when I was standing there I was like, 'I'm gonna shoot it.' [George] was a little bit off of me and I was [thinking] this was enough space for me just to raise up and shoot it for game."

George lurched to contest it, and actually got reasonably close as Lillard let it go.

"That's a bad, bad shot," George said. "I don't care what anybody says. That's a bad shot. But hey, he made it. That story won't be told that it was a bad shot. We live with that."

For most anyone else, it probably is. For Lillard, it has become maybe his most lethal. Per Second Spectrum, Lillard is 8-of-12 from 30-plus feet this postseason, compared to 6-of-38 for everyone else.

After Lillard hit it, as he does, he kept it cool, giving a quick glance and a brief wave at the Thunder bench before his teammates mobbed him. It was a contentious series with the Thunder, highlighted by a tense Game 3 in which the trash talk between the teams percolated.

"The game, the series was over and that was it," Lillard said. "And I was just waving goodbye to them. I think after Game 3, Dennis Schroder was out there pointing to his wrist, they was out there doing all these celebrations and doing all these stuff. We kept our composure and after one win that's what they decided to do. And we was just like, 'OK, what we want to do is win four games.' And then when we win those four games there's not going to be nothing to talk about. So that's what that was.

"There's been a lot of back and forth, a lot of talk and all this stuff, and that was the last word. That was having the last word."

Lillard is famous for another series-ending shot -- 2014 against the Houston Rockets -- but he noted this one was different. That one, the Blazers were down two, and he broke the play to go get the ball. This one, he said the pressure was off because a miss just meant overtime. He had to think about it, but Lillard called it "probably the best" game of his career.

"That's easily the best performance I've ever seen with my eyes," Meyers Leonard said. "The way Dame leads, the way he approaches every day, the teammate that he is, the friend that he is, the amount of work he's put in, the fact that he wants to stay in Portland and make it happen here ... where else can I go with this? The guy is simply unbelievable."

Lillard scored 34 of his 50 in the first half, playing the first 36 minutes of the game before finally taking a break to begin the fourth quarter. Without him on the floor, the Thunder outscored the Blazers 10-2, and eventually led by 15 with 7:55 to go. George played his best game of the series for the Thunder (36 points on 14-of-20 shooting) and Westbrook had a triple-double (29-11-14 on 11-of-31 shooting). But the Blazers had a response, and in part, it was sparked by a surprise cameo.

With 3:55 left, George finished a layup to put the Thunder up eight. Jusuf Nurkic appeared on the Blazers bench, the first time he has been at a game since breaking his leg on March 25. He was shown on the big screen in the arena and fans reacted with a roaring ovation.

"I was told we were down eight when he showed up," Portland coach Terry Stotts said. "So he's a plus-8. Actually more than that. We won by three, right? So plus-11. So his plus/minus was really good.

"You felt it in the building when they showed him on the big screen. No one knew he was going to show up, and honestly I think we fed off that. I think it was a little good karma when he did show up."

For the Blazers, topping the Thunder is an achievement worth celebrating, especially after the disappointment of last postseason. It was the driving force for the franchise all season, getting swept in the first round -- their second straight sweep -- and dealing with the shock and embarrassment that came with it. Nurkic's injury seemed as if it would derail a bounce-back season, but with Lillard rising to a new level, the Blazers overcame.

"You gotta go through some stuff," Lillard told ESPN's Mark Schwarz after the game. "We had some failures. Some challenges and I think I've had success in the postseason, and last year we had the ultimate failure. I think when you experience those things, you're just built for it. I think that's the first thing, and the second is just putting the time in. Everybody says they put the time in, but when everything is on the line the truth comes out. And that's what happened tonight."

In the final seconds of Game 5 between the third-seed Portland Trail Blazers and sixth-seed Oklahoma City Thunder, the score was tied at 115. Damian Lillard went one-on-one with Paul George before letting the clock expire as he drained a 37-foot 3-pointer to give the Trail Blazers a 118-115 win. The win clinched a second-round berth for the Blazers, their first playoff series win in three years.

The Trail Blazers' official Twitter account eloquently summed up what transpired.

akudfhjalksfjd;aioefj;aiejf;aiweljf;ailekjf'aoeijf;aehwf;aeha;wefj;aowijfeao;'eijwf;aoe'ijwf;aeiowfja;efja;ewifjk;alejaefwff

— Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) April 24, 2019

Next question.#RipCity pic.twitter.com/ob9bpGTrPV

— Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) April 24, 2019

NBA players were equally stunned by Lillard's incredible shot.

DAME DAMN!!!!

— DWade (@DwyaneWade) April 24, 2019

⌚️

— LeBron James (@KingJames) April 24, 2019

God DAME!!!

— Allen Iverson (@alleniverson) April 24, 2019

Disbelief ?

— Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) April 24, 2019

A little late to the party but that was absolutely ridiculous @Dame_Lillard

— Kevin Love (@kevinlove) April 24, 2019

ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME ??????????? ????

— Enes Kanter (@Enes_Kanter) April 24, 2019

... now thats a dagger. What a performance. All series long. Salute to a true hooper. ?

— Ricky Rubio (@rickyrubio9) April 24, 2019

Damn Dame! Wow!

— Draymond Green (@Money23Green) April 24, 2019

DAME FOR GAME? #DAMETIME ⌚️

— Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) April 24, 2019

Na Dame!!! ????

— Lou Williams (@TeamLou23) April 24, 2019

What a game @Dame_Lillard!! ????#Respect @nba #WhereAmazingHappens #NBAPlayoffs

— Pau Gasol (@paugasol) April 24, 2019

??? that's just different Dame!!!

— Tim Hardaway Jr (@T_HardJR) April 24, 2019

Bro that might be the COLDEST game winner I've ever seen ??? Dame is an absolute MONSTER!

— Anthony Tolliver (@ATolliver44) April 24, 2019

wtf was that!!! LOGO LILLARD!

— Jordan Clarkson (@JordanClarksons) April 24, 2019

Wow ?

— Tyson Chandler (@tysonchandler) April 24, 2019

Dame cold blooded?❄️

— Kev (@KevKnox) April 24, 2019

What!!!!!! Did i just watch!!!!!!!!!!!! This was the best playoff game I've watched in a long long time!

— Channing Frye (@channingfrye) April 24, 2019

Oh. My. Goodness. ????? @Dame_Lillard

— Pat Connaughton (@PlanetPat5) April 24, 2019

My dawg for life @Dame_Lillard ????

— Tim Frazier (@Timfraz23) April 24, 2019

NO HE DIDNT

— Kevin Huerter (@KevinHuerter) April 24, 2019

Meanwhile, Chandler Parsons -- who was on the wrong end of Lillard's previous series-clinching buzzer-beater in 2014 -- sent his condolences to the Thunder.

happens to the best of us

— Chandler Parsons (@ChandlerParsons) April 24, 2019

There's no doubt that Damian Lillard's shot to end the Portland Trail Blazers' first-round series against the Oklahoma City Thunder was one of the most incredible postseason shots we've ever seen. But was it a good shot?

After the game, Paul George, the man defending Lillard, weighed in.

"That's a bad, bad shot," George said. "I don't care what anybody says. That's a bad shot. But hey, he made it. That story won't be told that it was a bad shot. We live with that."

Well, maybe not.

As a whole, the league made just 25.9 percent of shots from that distance, so it's fair to say that for most dudes, shots from that range aren't very "good."

Lillard isn't most dudes. He sank 39.2 percent of his shots from 30 to 40 feet this season.

That's pretty good.

On average, NBA shooters convert 35.5 percent of their 3s, and George sank 38.6 percent of his 3-point tries this season. In other words: Deep-space Dame appears to be as good of an option as the typical NBA 3-point look, or even an average Paul George 3-point attempt.

If it's true that an average Paul George 3-pointer is a good shot, which it is, then an average Damian Lillard bomb from 30-plus feet is also a good shot (at least according to this 51-shot sample).

NBA 3-point shooters are better than ever, and bolder than ever. When Stephen Curry hit his famous 37-foot game winner in Oklahoma City in 2016, he also challenged the definition of a good shot. Like Lillard, Curry is able to convert 30- to 40-footers around 40 percent of the time, which is pretty good by any standard. These days, you can't claim a good or a bad shot without accounting for who is doing the shooting.

Dudes like Lillard, Curry and Trae Young are special because their range extends far beyond what was normal or acceptable even five years ago. That trio combined to hit 71 of their 186 attempts on 30- to 40-footers this season, converting at a 38 percent clip while making up the entire top three in attempts from that distance.

These guys are leading a new generation of shooters who are expanding the good shot territory at a rapid clip, and though George's assertion that Lillard's attempt was bad may have been true just a few years back, it's not true any longer.

Regardless of whether Lillard's game winner was a "bad, bad shot," one thing is for certain: Dame is a bad, bad man.

NEW YORK -- Power pitching, that's what the New York Mets hope to get from Zack Wheeler.

But power hitting?

Wheeler connected for his first major league home run and struck out 11 in seven sharp innings as the Mets handed the Philadelphia Phillies their fifth loss in six games, 9-0 on Tuesday night.

"Pitching's obviously first, but we work a lot on our hitting and we take pride in it," Wheeler said.

"We want to go up there and do well as a staff and not give them an easy out. Luckily, I wasn't an easy out tonight," he said.

For the Phillies, it was another quiet day. Until two out in the ninth, that is.

That's when Mets reliever Jacob Rhame sailed two fastballs over Rhys Hoskins' head. The benches started to clear after the first time, and Hoskins angrily slung his bat after the next one, which was ball four.

"I understand baseball. They got hit a couple times yesterday," Hoskins said.

But that didn't make it any easier to accept, not after high heat buzzed his helmet. Mets catcher Travis d'Arnaud "just said they were trying to go inside and I laughed," the Philadelphia cleanup man said.

No doubt, it could make for tense times in the series finale Wednesday night.

Before the late shenanigans, it was the Wheeler show.

Wheeler also doubled and drove in three runs and Todd Frazier connected for a grand slam that made it 8-0 in the fifth.

"I was like, God, he makes it look easy and I'm trying to get an extra-base hit or get on base," Frazier said. "It was nice to have him supply the RBI, give himself a little breathing room and I came in at the end."

Wheeler (2-2) became the majors' first 100-100 player this season -- he hit and pitched a ball at least 100 mph, according to Statcast data.

"First pitcher ever to do that," Mets manager Mickey Callaway said. "That put him over the top, it seems like. And that's a real stat, by the way, I'm not making that up. He did everything right."

Wheeler did it in his 100th career start, too. He fanned seven straight in the early innings, and gave himself a cushion at the plate.

A career .129 hitter, Wheeler lined a two-run double in the second off Zach Eflin (2-3). The next time up, Wheeler did even better, launching a drive over the wall in left-center.

Wheeler kept up a surprising long ball show by Mets pitchers. Noah Syndergaard and Jacob deGrom also have gone deep this year, making the Mets the first National League team in more than 110 years to have three pitchers homer in the first 25 games of a season.

Frazier broke open the game with his fifth career slam, tagging Drew Anderson. Frazier made his season debut Monday after being slowed by a strained left oblique.

Bryce Harper and the Phillies have totaled just two runs while losing three in a row, and were shut out for the first time season. They went down quietly Monday when their final 16 batters were retired, and manager Gabe Kapler said before this game he wanted to see whether his team would respond with any energy.

It didn't, at least until two out in the ninth. The closest the Phillies came to scoring was in the fourth when Maikel Franco was thrown out at the plate by left fielder Jeff McNeil on Cesar Hernandez's single.

"Very frustrating," Kapler said, adding, "It wasn't good effort."

Hernandez also let an easy grounder roll through his legs with two out in the second, allowing Wheeler to score from second.

Mets relievers Luis Avilan and Rhame finished off the five-hitter.

Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Rich Hill is set to make his season debut Sunday against the Pittsburgh Pirates, manager Dave Roberts said Tuesday.

Hill hasn't pitched since straining his left knee during spring training and started the season on the injured list.

Ahead of his debut, Hill was dominant in his final planned workout Monday. He told reporters that he had 16 strikeouts in six innings at the team's Camelback Ranch facility.

"I'm ready to get out there," Hill said. "I'm excited. Obviously, we've been playing great. ... You want to be a part of it and contribute and earn your keep, so to speak."

Hill said he isn't feeling any pain but will continue to wear a knee brace as recommended.

Ross Stripling will move to the bullpen with Hill's return. Stripling is 1-1 with a 3.07 ERA in five starts this season. He is set to start Thursday against the Chicago Cubs.

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- All throughout the day Tuesday, Mike Ford found himself the butt of the same joke told by his New York Yankees teammates.

"The running joke was I might have been the only guy in major league history to have two intentional walks and just one hit," the first baseman said, laughing.

Indeed, the Los Angeles Angels walked Ford intentionally twice in Monday's series opener at Angel Stadium, despite the fact the longtime minor leaguer hadn't yet shown off his power at the major league level.

Typically the big boppers with proven pop get the intentional free passes.

After Tuesday's big fly off Ford's bat, maybe he'll start earning more of them. Keep swinging -- and winning -- the way he and the rest of the replacement Yankees have this past week, and few opposing pitchers will want to face any of them.

It was in the fifth inning of Tuesday's 7-5 Yankees win over the Angels when Ford, one of the slew of fill-ins called up from New York's Triple-A affiliate in recent weeks, lined his first career homer into the seats above the massive wall in right field. The ball came to rest into a pair of fans' hands 419 feet away.

Soon, that very same ball, after being scooped up by the Yankees, will be in New Jersey, and in the possession of Ford's parents, Bob and Barb.

"They've supported me through everything," Ford said. "[Want to] give it to them, share the moment with them."

It took Ford 561 career minor league games to make it to the majors. For infielder Thairo Estrada, it took slightly less time. Estrada, a 23-year-old native of Venezuela, was just under 400 career minor league games when he was first called up to the Yankees' big league squad this season.

On Sunday, he had his first major league plate appearance, laying down a crucial sacrifice bunt ahead of catcher Austin Romine's walk-off heroics.

On Tuesday, Estrada started for the first time in the majors and picked up his first and second major league hits.

"Everyone tells me he rakes," Yankees first baseman and designated hitter Luke Voit said, "so it's pretty awesome to see that. And to see him hit two (liners) back-to-back was pretty cool."

After Estrada was thrown out via a force following his first hit, cameras caught him and Ford in the Yankees' dugout sharing smiles and a quick hug. Three weeks ago, it was hard for either of them to fathom collecting such milestone hits in an MLB stadium.

With 13 players on their injured list, the Bronx Bombers have had to get creative with how they've been able to field a team. As a whopping two-thirds of the Yankees' Opening Day lineup -- the likes of Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Gary Sanchez, Troy Tulowitzki, Greg Bird and Miguel Andujar among them -- sits shelved on the IL, the team has had to rely on unfamiliar names like Ford and Estrada.

Another name even the most casual of baseball observers might not recognize is Domingo German, who might not be ace Luis Severino but still has been extraordinarily effective to this point in the season, recording a 1.75 ERA through his first five appearances.

German, 26, was particularly dominant Tuesday, giving up an unearned run and four hits in a five-strikeout, 6⅔-inning performance.

"It wasn't real easy for him the first couple of innings. It wasn't his sharpest breaking ball -- certainly that he's had -- but he pitched," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. "He keeps showing us that even when he's not necessarily at his best, he's still able to go out and have a performance like he did."

Combine an outing like German's with contributions from the newest Yankees, and sprinkle in a breakout game from a pair of the most veteran hitters in the lineup, and there's a recipe for a win. Tuesday's victory was the Yankees' seventh in eight games.

Longtime Yankee Brett Gardner shined batting third, going 4-for-5 and coming a home run shy of a cycle. Voit, much less tenured though the most recognizable power bat in Tuesday's lineup, also had a big evening, collecting his first multihit game of the season.

Going 2-for-4, Voit posted his third career multihomer game in pinstripes, and his first this season. He also reached base in his 34th consecutive game (dating to last season). It's the longest active such streak in baseball.

"It's pretty cool," Voit said of the streak.

Much of his offensive success this season has come in the first inning. His 22 total bases in that inning this year leads all of baseball. His four first-inning homers are tied with Christian Yelich for the most in MLB. His seven first-inning RBIs also are tied with Yelich and Alex Gordon for the most in the league.

Voit's 1.768 first-inning OPS trails only Shin-Soo Choo's 1.825.

"I guess maybe more in the first inning [opposing pitchers] are trying to get more ahead, establish their stuff and maybe they're a little more liable to make mistakes," Voit said. "But I'm just trying to stay in my back side, not pull off, not to get too big and stay with that up the middle approach, right field."

Boone says he feels proud of the contributions from less-heralded players such as Voit, among others throughout his banged-up, depleted roster.

"When you're a little beat up and facing adversity and things are a little difficult, you need everyone to kind of pull their weight," Boone said. "You need everyone to contribute and chip in on a given night, and that's been one of the common themes over the last week, really, is a lot of different people doing their job and having an impact on helping us win a game."