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Monday night was quite the icebreaker for a new week of NBA action, as we saw the Spurs lose, Atlanta lose at home, an Andre Drummond buzzer-beater and the Cavs find their offensive mojo (124 points). Tuesday may have a difficult time topping that with just a four-game slate, plus the absence of Anthony Davis (out for the season) makes life weird in New Orleans.
All four games are still worth betting on, however, so let’s tackle them by taking a look at the spreads, totals and matchups:
Hornets @ Nets
Line: Hornets -6 Total: 210
Brook Lopez is due back tonight after sitting out Friday because of a virus. That could give the Nets a nice boost at the Barclays Center, where they’ll take on the Hornets, who are riding high after topping the San Antonio Spurs in Charlotte. This could be the perfect trap game for the Hornets, who aren’t nearly as impressive on the road (13-19). That being said, the Hornets are fighting for first place in the Southeast Division and already have flexed their muscle (up 2-0) in the season series with the Nets.
Pick: Hornets 104, Nets 97
Heat @ Pelicans
Line: -8.5 Total: 210
Anthony Davis is officially done for the year, which leaves the Pelicans in a bad way for the rest of the year. Ryan Anderson is temporarily out of service, as well, as New Orleans will lean hard on Jrue Holiday and hope guys like Dante Cunningham and Luke Babbitt can chip in offensively. They have a remote chance at home after taking down the Clippers sans The Brow in their last game, but Miami is fighting for a division title and is still at least above .500 (17-16) on the road. Miami’s defense and depth should win out in this one, but don’t be too shocked if the Pellies beat the spread.
Pick: Heat 105, Pelicans 99
Rockets @ Thunder
Line: Thunder -9 Total: 222
If you’re looking to target a Total tonight, this is the one, while OKC’s gaudy line is a little dicey with Kevin Durant looking iffy for this one. The same can be said for James Harden, who is also a bit banged up and could potentially sit out this battle against his former team. KD is more questionable to play than Harden, however, so it looks like we could be getting a more evenly matched game than anticipated. It’s also worth noting that the season series is split (1-1) and in both meetings both teams managed to pour in at least 105 points. I’m game for the Total tonight, and as long as KD is out, I think Houston keeps it interesting and beats the spread.
Pick: Thunder 112, Rockets 106
Grizzlies @ Lakers
Line: Grizzlies -3 Total: 202
Memphis is running their offense through Zach Randolph, Kobe Bryant is a nightly question mark and the Lakers still aren’t playing their young players deep into games. Needless to say, this is definitely a toss up game, and with a mild -3 advantage to Memphis, Vegas feels the same. L.A. might get a spark at home and could be the fun underdog play if The Black Mamba suits up, but the Grizzlies have actually kept things together (won two straight) despite their mounting injuries. They’re going to try to keep the ship right until Mike Conley can return for the playoffs, so look for them to stay the course and get the win at the Staples Center.
Pick: Grizz 104, Lakers 98
