MENU
The 76ers won again, the Knicks didn’t and we got turned right around for a pedestrian 3-2 run on a quiet Tuesday night. We didn’t drown, but we would have fared better had we bought into Denver’s struggles and not been suckered by the Knicks. In the end, everything probably went exactly as it should and it helped prepare us for a heavy Wednesday night.
We’re fully loaded with 11 NBA games to pick tonight, and while perfection is probably out of the question, we’ll at least look to pile on some extra wins to our 410-213 season mark:
Pistons @ Pacers
Detroit is slowly getting back on track after losing star point guard Brandon Jennings, as they’ll enter Indiana with two straight wins. The Pacers still pack a punch defensively, but their inability to piece together consistent offense puts them at a disadvantage in this showdown. D.J. Augustin could have revenge on the brain, too.
Pick: Pistons 104, Pacers 97
Wizards @ Hawks
Atlanta looks to start a new winning streak when the Wizards come to town, while John Wall is banged up and Marcin Gortat will come into the night without his mohawk. Change is happening, but Hawks fans will bank on it being for the better thanks to Atlanta’s gaudy 23-3 home record.
Pick: Hawks 107, Wiz 104
Nuggets @ Celtics
Denver has been a total mess, as they’ve lost three straight and nine of their last 10. Boston isn’t the toughest opponent in the world, but they do put up points and they host this one. We should expect to see a lot of offense, but the Celtics could be the slight favorites.
Pick: Celtics 105, Nuggets 103
Nets @ Raptors
These two teams combined for an epic double overtime battle in their last meeting, so we might be able to expect another gritty showdown. Toronto edged the Nets that time and owns a 2-0 series lead, so they should be the pick even with Deron Williams being back.
Pick: Raps 107, Nets 104
Thunder @ Pelicans
Kevin Durant is probably out another game and OKC just hasn’t looked great overall, anyways. A suddenly very solid Pellies team plays host and should look to get a third straight win.
Pick: Pelicans 103, Thunder 102
Bulls @ Rockets
Dwight Howard is still out and James Harden is slightly iffy for this one, while the Bulls host with a completely healthy lineup. Chicago is actually solid on the road and if Houston is down two stars, the Bulls could win, going away.
Pick: Bulls 106, Rockets 104
Lakers @ Bucks
Milwaukee is heating up with four straight wins entering tonight, and now they get to host the Lakers, who have lost nine of their last 10 contests. It’s hard not to fall in love with the Bucks tonight, but if Brandon Knight is out for the second straight game, we could understand rolling with L.A.
Pick: Bucks 102, Lakers 99
Heat @ Timberwolves
Dwyane Wade is still out and Miami heads to Minnesota, where a suddenly fully healthy Timberwolves team could start getting wins at a higher rate. The T’Wolves have dropped three straight and eight out of 10, but Ricky Rubio, Nikola Pekovic and Kevin Martin are all back. We’ll take the healthy T’Wolves tonight.
Pick: Timberwolves 101, Heat 98
Magic @ Spurs
Orlando is a dumpster fire right now and it’s probably only a matter of time before Jacque Vaughn gets canned. Heading into San Antonio with nine straight losses doesn’t help.
Pick: Spurs 108, Magic 102
Grizzlies @ Jazz
Utah has actually been pretty competitive lately (4-6 in their last 10) and plays solid defense when Rudy Gobert is on the court, but their lack of consistency makes them a tough upset pick. That’s especially the case when they’ve got the Grizzlies, winners of seven in a row, coming into town.
Pick: Grizz 105, Jazz 101
Mavericks @ Warriors
Dallas and Golden State cap the night with a potential classic, as two hot offenses wage war. The Warriors rarely lose at home (22-2), but they’ve slipped a bit lately and the Mavs come in hot with three wins in a row. We can probably expect a solid effort from Dallas offensively, but their defense still needs work and betting against Stephen Curry and co. at the Oracle Arena is rather silly.
Pick: Warriors 107, Mavs 105
