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Stephen Curry continued his dominance, the Magic needed heroics to beat the Lakers, the Knicks got hosed and the Mavs wouldn’t get run over by DeAndre Jordan and the Clippers. Those are just a few flashes of what was an awesome Wednesday night, jam-packed with emotion and entertainment via 11 NBA contests.
Thursday night has the league cooling down considerably, but elite squads like the Warriors and Clippers are still in action on a quieter three-game slate. Let’s break down each matchup and see who is worth betting on tonight:
Los Angeles Clippers @ Phoenix Suns
The Clippers will be performing on the second of a back-to-back, with both games coming on the road. They’re usually much better on their home floor, but after not playing their best ball on Wednesday night, I expect Lob City to come into the desert fired up. Eric Bledsoe should be up to take on his former team and Tyson Chandler gives the Clips a problem down low, but L.A. remains the more talented and battle tested team. The Suns have been solid so far during the 2015-16 NBA season, but they’re no match for a determined (albeit possibly tired) Clippers squad.
Pick: Clips 109, Suns 106
Utah Jazz @ Miami Heat
Rudy Gobert is iffy for tonight, which could be a huge key to this game for the Jazz. If he’s not in, things get a little dicey against Hassan Whiteside down low, while Miami’s guards would also have free reign inside the paint. Utah’s defense should give them a shot in any matchup and they’ve been impressive on the road, but he’s potential absence has us taking the Heat in South Beach.
Pick: Heat 99, Jazz 96
Golden State Warriors @ Minnesota Timberwolves
Ricky Rubio and Andrew Wiggins were both late scratches recently, putting them both on alert going into this huge clash at home with the Warriors. Even with them in the Wolves are obviously over-matched. Stephen Curry has been red hot and the Warriors haven’t lost yet. Odds aren’t good that their first loss comes to Minnesota.
Pick: Warriors 112, T’Wolves 102
