My 10* NBA Game of the Month is on the LA Lakers at 9:00 ET.

The Miami Heat reached this year's NBA Finals as the East's No. 5 to face the LA Lakers, the West's No. 1 seed. Miami is the first team seeded fifth or lower to reach the NBA Finals since the eighth-seeded New York Knicks lost to San Antonio in 1999. The last team seeded fifth or lower to win an NBA title was Houston in 1995, when it beat Orlando as the West's No. 6 seed. 

Miami used a 13-0 run to take a 23-10 lead midway through the opening period of Game 1 but it was ALL Lakers after that. Anthony Davis scored 34 points and added nine rebounds, while LBJ had 25 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists, as the Lakers cruised to a 116-98 win. The Lakers outrebounded Miami 54-36, led by as many as 32 points and made 15 three-pointers. Adding insult to injury, Miami PG Goran Dragic left in the second quarter with a torn plantar fascia in his left foot and PF/C Bam Adebayo left in the third quarter with a shoulder strain.

LBJ scored 33 points with nine rebounds and nine assists in Game 2, while Davis made 14 of his first 15 shots on the way to 32 points, as the Lakers beat the short-handed Miami Heat 124-114 (no Dragic and Adebayo). James and Davis were the first Lakers duo to score at least 32 points in a finals game since Game 3 against New Jersey in 2002, when Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant did it. However, the Heat (still without Dragic and Adebayo) "came up big" and beat the Lakers 115-104 in Game 3. Miami's starters outscored the Lakers' starting five 89-51 and Jimmy Butler played "the game of his life," with 40 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists. Butler became the 21st player to have a triple-double in the NBA Finals but it was just the third 40-point triple-double in Finals history. 

Now, it's time for Game 4 on Tuesday. Do we have a series? The Heat come in with a renewed sense of confidence as they look to even the best-of-seven series. "We're going to win," Heat swingman Jimmy Butler said of Game 4. "We're going to compete. We're not going to lay down; we're going to fight back in this thing and even it up 2-2." Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra said of his star's big performance after Game 3, "How else do you say it other than Jimmy effing Butler," "This was a very urgent game, and he was doing it on both ends of the court. Just put his imprint on every important part of the game." Alrighty then! Meet Jimmy Butler, the incarnation of MJ. A quick reality check of his playoff history, pre-2020. He had appeared in SEVEN postseasons (for three different teams, Bulls, T-wolves and Sixers)  with those teams winning THREE of 10 series, going 24-34 (.414). 

LBJ played a typical game in Sunday's loss (25-10-8), as he's averaging 27.7-10.7-9.0 through three games. However, the Lakers committed 10 turnovers in the first quarter alone in Game 3, one more than they had total in Game 2. They finished the contest with 20, James being responsible for eight and Anthony Davis five. Davis, after scoring 34 and 32 points in the first two games, took just NINE shots and finished with only 15 points. LA's other three starters (Howard, Green and Caldwell-Pope), combined for a pathetic11 points on 3-0f-13 shooting (23.1%).

LA's complementary players have been an on-and-off situation all season but let me note that the Lakers haven't dropped back-to-back games all postseason. My bet says they don't start here vs a 'wounded' Heat team, even though Miami features "the INCOMPARABLE" Jimmy Butler. Lay the points!

Good luck...Larry

My NBA 10* Game of the Year is on the LA Lakers at 9:00 ET.

The Miami Heat may be just the East's No. 5 but they are in The Finals against the LA Lakers, the West's No. 1 seed. Miami is the first team seeded fifth or lower to reach the NBA Finals since the eighth-seeded New York Knicks lost to San Antonio in 1999. The last team seeded fifth or lower to win an NBA title was Houston in 1995, when it beat Orlando as the West's No. 6 seed. The Lakers cleared enough cap space to lure LeBron James in 2018 free agency and then traded the cache of draft assets they collected in six straight trips to the lottery for Anthony Davis. Owning two of the five best players in the league has the Lakers on the verge of tying the Celtics for the most NBA titles all-time, at 17.

While the Lakers own the two-best players in this series, look at the Heat's journey to The Finals. They swept the undermanned Indiana Pacers in the first round (4-0 ATS) and then KO'd two-time reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and the East-leading Milwaukee Bucks in the second round (4-1 SU & ATS) on the strength of a versatile defense and an arsenal of offensive weaponry, They then beat the equally well-balanced Celtics in the conference finals in six games (4-2 SU & ATS) by out-hustling and out-executing Boston. All FIVE starters average in double figures, led by PG Dragic (20.9-4.2-4.7), swingman Butler (30.7-5.7-4.5) and PF Adebayo (18.5-11.4-4.9). SF Crowder (12/3 & 5.7) and SG Robinson (11.5) round out the starting-five, while Kentucky rookie guard Tyler Herro (16.5) has become a playoff star coming off the bench.

Switching to the Lakers, it's A.D. (28.8 & 9.3) and LBJ (26.7-10.3-8.9) plus a ever-changing cast of characters that play well one game and then disappear in the next. Kuzma is the team's first player off the bunch and is the only other Laker to average in double digits (10.5), more than two 'TDs' fewer than A.D. and LBJ. Caldwell-Pope (9.9) and Danny Green (8.1) have joined A.D. and LBJ as having started all 15 games of the playoffs LA. Caldwell-Pope, Green and Kuzma are joined by a rotating collection of Alex Caruso, Dwight Howard, JaVale McGee, Markieff Morris and Rajon Rondo, not exactly the kind of supporting cast you would expect on a dominant playoff team.

Both teams are 12-3 with Miami  going 12-3 ATS, while the Lakers are 9-5-1 ATS. The Lakers can be a disjointed group but A.D. and LBJ are truly a 'Dynamic Duo!' Also, the Lakers are shooting an impressive 49.8% as a team and when they've been favored by six points or less in this season's playoffs, have gone 4-0-1 ATS. My NBA Game of the Year is on the LA Lakers!

Good luck...Larry

My 10* NBA Conference Finals Game of the Year is on the Bos Celtics at 8:30 ET.

The Celtics dropped the first two games of this best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals against the Heat, each time blowing significant leads (14 points in Game 1 and 17 points in Game 2). However, they then won Game 3 of the series 177-106, while leading wire-to-wire. That contest was on Saturday, meaning that each team has had a three-day break heading into tonight's Game 4. Which team will be best-served by the layoff? Boston is looking to win consecutive playoff games for the first time since the start of its second-round series against the Toronto Raptors, while Miami attempts to respond to just its SECOND loss of the postseason.

Knowing that Game 3 would be followed by three days off for scheduling purposes, the Celtics leaned heavily on their stars in Saturday's crucial win. Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Kemba Walker combined for 72 points, each playing more than 40 minutes. What's more, Gordon Hayward took the court for his first game since an ankle injury sustained on Aug 17 sidelined him for more than a month, and played 31 minutes off the bench! The Celtics shot nearly 48.2 percent from the floor and outscored the Heat 60-36 in the paint, leading by as much as 20 points in the fourth quarter.

Miami is an NBA-best 10-2 SU & ATS this postseason but as Jimmy Butler opined after the team's Game 3 loss, "I think it gets old, playing from behind consistently. Especially against a great team like Boston and what they bring to the table." Butler is averaging a modest 17.0 PPG through the first three games, as PF Bam Adebayo (22.0 & 10.7) and PG Goran Dragic (21.7 & 4.7 APG) have led the way. However, Miami's won with balance scoring this postseason, as all five starters are scoring in double digits plus rookie PG Herro has averaged 14.8 PPG off the bench.

I believed Boston to be the better team at the start of this series, while acknowledging that terrific play of Miami up tom this point. It's "put up or shut up" time from Boston tonight (and for me, by the way)!

Good luck...Larry

 My 10* Game of the Week is on the Bos Celtics at 7:00 ET.

No team had played better this NBA postseason than the East's No. 5 seed, the Miami Heat. The Heat were dominant through the first two rounds, going 8-1 SU & ATS. Miami's lone loss was 118-115 (OT) vs Milwaukee in Game 4, when the Heat had the Bucks 'buried' in an 0-3 'hole.' The Heat's team defense has been OUTSTANDING, as Miami has held opponents in its eight wins to an average of just 101.9 PPG. The Celtics are the East's No. 3 seed (won 48 regular season games to Miami's 44) and swept the 76ers in the first round. However, after going up 2-0 vs the Raptors in the second round, they were extended to seven games by the defending champs. The Celtics won Game 7 but only by a 'hair,' when Marcus Smart made what was a game-deciding block with just under one minute left (Boston would win, 92-87).

Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals was an excellent one, as the teams made the statement, who needs the No. 1 and 2 seeds for excitement. The Celtics led the Heat by 12 points entering the final quarter and were up 14 early in the 4th. However, the Heat made a dramatic comeback and in OT, Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo were the heroes. Butler completed the game-winning three-point play with 12 seconds remaining but it was Adebayo's block to deny Jayson Tatum the chance to tie with 3.7 seconds left that garnered the most attention postgame. PG Dragic continued his outstanding postseason play with 29 points and SF Crowder added 22. Butler had 20-5-5 and Adebayo 18-6-9. Let's NOT ignore the performance of rookie guard Tyler Herro (Kentucky), who fell an assist shy of his first career triple-double (12 points, 11 rebounds, nine assists) in 40 minutes off the bench.

Boston's Tatum led the Celtics with 30 & 14 plus Smart continued his strong playoffs with 26 points in the loss. However, another poor showing by All-Star point guard Kemba Walker really hurt Boston, Walker needed 19 shots (he made just six) to get to 19 points. It was his THIRD straight game failing to reach 20 points while shooting worse than 32 percent. He was 1 of 9 from three-point range. "I'm just playing terrible, to be honest," Walker said. "Not much I can say, but I have to be better. I have to do better for this team on both ends of the floor. I have to make better decisions. I just have to make shots overall."

It's only Game 2 but doesn't it feel like a "Make or Break" one for Boston. Reading the Game 1 recap on ESPN.com, it was reported that the Celtics had been 156-1 since the shot-clock era started 65 years ago -- winners of 92 straight -- when leading by 12 or more points going into the fourth quarter of a playoff game. They're now 156-2. There's no real 'gap' between these two teams but n\my bet says Boston ties it up at one-all.

Good luck...Larry

 My 10* Game 7 Decider is on the LA Clippers at 9:00 ET.

The entire NBA 'world' is anticipating a Western Conference showdown between the Lakers and Clippers. Both LA teams took 3-1 leads in their respective semifinal series and the 'Battle 4 LA' seemed all but set in the Orlando 'bubble.' However, the Nuggets have so far, put that 'party' on hold. The Lakers finished off the Rockets handily in Game 5 of their series (119-96) but the Clippers have now blown back-to-back double digit leads in Games 5 and 6 of their series with Denver The Nuggets trailed by 16 points at the half in Game 5 but went on the win 111-105 and "did it again" in Game 6.The Clippers led Denver by 19 points with 22 minutes to go, only to see Denver pull away for a 111-98 victory. Denver won the third quarter 30-16 and the 4th, 34-19. LA head coach Doc Rivers was blunt after the team's Game 6 loss, saying there was 'no secret' to his team's collapses. "There's no secret like potion that something happened," Rivers said on Monday about the Clippers' two blown leads in a row. "The two things that we didn't do, clearly defensively, they shot almost 60% in the second half. The one thing that did stand out, they went to the free throw line like on every play."

Denver center Jokic (26.1-9.9-5.5) and PG Murray (26.1-5.1-6.5) have led the Nuggets during the playoffs, as only PF Porter (11.8 & 6.9) joins them in double digits this postseason. In Sunday's contest, Jokic had 34 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists, while Murray had 21 points, Gary Harris added 16 and Michael Porter Jr. chipped in with 13. The Nuggets outscored the Clippers 64-35 in the second half. "It was just amazing," Denver head coach Michael Malone told the media after the game. "We had 11 straight stops at one point. Coming into this round they were the No. 1 offense in the playoffs, so I'm running out of adjectives, superlatives, whatever you want to call it to speak on our team because that is a tough, resilient group of you know what. I love our team."

Paul George has had an uneven postseason for the Clippers but had 33 points, six rebounds and five steals in Game 6 for the Clippers. Kawhi Leonard contributed 25 points, eight boards and five assists but those numbers were below his playoff averages of 29.4-9.6-5.5. "Just gave up the lead again, pretty much," said Kawhi, who made 8 of 18 shots and 3 of 5 three-pointers. "They came down and either scored or got fouled in the third quarter, and we couldn't buy a basket. That's how they came back."

So here we are in the FOURTH Game 7 of the 2020 playoffs and naturally, the Nuggets are again part of the story. Denver played two seven-game series in the 2019 playoffs (1-1) and came back from a 3-1 deficit in their first round series to oust the Jazz. The Nuggets will be trying to become the first NBA team to rally from a 3-1 deficit in back-to-back series. As Nuggets center Nikola Jokic said, "To us, Game 7 is just another game. Truthfully, the 'weight' of a Game 7 contest will weigh more heavily on the Los Angeles Clippers. They are attempting to advance to their first-ever Western Conference final and they are 0-7 in franchise history in previous attempts to get there.

The "difference" this time around? The Clippers never had a player like Kawhi Leonard before. He was the Finals MVP for the Spurs in 2014 and then repeated that performance last year in leading Toronto to that franchise's first-ever NBA title. Can he lead the Clipps to the 2020 title? That's NOT the question here. However, my bet says he helps the Ciphers erase the above-mentioned 0-7 record by leading them to a double-digit win in Game 7.

Good luck...Larry

My 9* Game 1 Series Opener is on the Bos Celtics at 6:30 ET.

No team has played better this NBA postseason than the East's No. 5 seed, the Miami Heat. The Heat have been dominant through the first two rounds, going 8-1 SU & ATS. Miami's lone loss was 118-115 (OT) vs Milwaukee in Game 4, when the Heat had the Bucks 'buried' in an 0-3 'hole.' The Heat's team defense has been OUTSTANDING, as Miami has held opponents in its eight wins to an average if just 10.19 PPG. The Celtics are the East's No. 3 seed (won 48 regular season games to Miami's 44) and swept the 76ers in the first round. However, after going up 2-0 vs the Raptors in the second round, they were extended to seven games by the defending champs. The Celtics won Game 7 but only by a 'hair,' when Marcus Smart made what was a game-deciding block with just under one minute left (Boston would win, 92-87).

All five Miami starters are averaging in double digits, led by swingman Butler (21.8-5.6-4.2), PG Dragic (21.1-4.4-4.8) and PF Adebayo (16.2-11.7-4.8), who is shooting a team-best 54.1% among the Miami's six double-digit scorers.  Kentucky rookie Herro chips in 14.7 PPG off the bench. Boston hasn't "missed a beat" after Gordon Hayward went out with an injury in the team's first playoff game. Marcus Smart has started in his place and is averaging 13.1-5.5-4.2 this postseason. The team's "Big 3" of Tatum (25.3 & 10.1), Brown (21.0 & 7.6) and Walker (19.6 & 5.3) has been excellent (Note: Walker's had his ups and down). 

The Celtics 'rode' their stars hard down the stretch of their semifinal series with Toronto, with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Kemba Walker and Marcus Smart each playing north of 40 minutes in the final two contests. However, the Celtics haven't played since Friday, so fatigue should NOT be ANY factor. As for Miami, the Heat have been idle since Sep 8. Could the layoff 'cool' them off (couldn't resist that one!)? I'm on Boston in this one.

Good luck...Larry

My 10* 2nd Round Game of the Year is on the Bos Celtics at 9:00 ET.

The Toronto Raptors won the franchise's first-ever NBA title behind the spectacular play AND leadership of Kawhi Leonard. However, Kawhi left for the Clippers and starting SG Danny Green left for the Lakers. The cupboard was hardly left bare though, plus Nick Nurse won Coach of the Year honors in 2019, his FIRST as an NBA head coach. The Raptors finished this year's interrupted regular season with a 53-19 record, giving them the East's second-seed (note: Toronto owned a better regular season record than ALL Western Conference teams. The Raptors drew a tough second round matchup in the third-seed Celtics, who have given Toronto "more trouble" this season than ANY other team. Toronto promptly fell behind 0-2 in its best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal against Boston and few would have imagined the series going seven games. However, that's EXACTLY where we are as of Friday.

Toronto 'stole' Game 3 with a winning three-pointer at the buzzer and then took Game 4, 100-93. An angered Boston team routed the Raptors111-89 in Game 5 but Toronto stayed 'alive' with a thrilling 125-122 double-OT win in Game 6. Reserve SG Norman Powell scored 15 of his 23 points in the OT periods. His three-point play with 38.8 seconds left gave the Raptors a four-point lead and his free throws with 5.0 seconds remaining helped Toronto hold on. Kyle Lowry was brilliant in scoring 33 points in 53 minutes. Joining Lowry in playing 50-plus minutes in Game 6 were Siakam (54 minutes), VanVleet (51) and OG Anunoby (50).

FOUR of Boston's five starters also logged 50-plus minutes, with Brown adding 31 & 16, Tatum 29-14-9 and Smart (23-11-10), who recorded his second-career triple-double. A name you just didn't read was that of PG Kemba Walker. He played 52 minutes but was just AWFUL, scoring only FIVE points on 2 of 11 shooting. "Just a bad offensive night for me, terrible offensive night for me," Walker said. You think?

I'm a big fan of the Raptors and with the top-seeded Bucks KO'd already, Toronto may just think its path to a return trip to the NBA Finals is wide-open (note: The winner of this series better be VERY afraid of the red-hot Heat). However, in watching and reviewing this series, I have concluded that Boston IS the better team. The Raptors are 7-0 in Orlando against all other opponents but just 3-4 vs the Celtics. In fact, after Boston's 111-89 Game 5 win, the Celtics owned FOUR wins over the Raptors by 15 or more points this season while the rest of the NBA, combined, has ONE!

Lowry (36.9& overall / 30.0% on threes) and VanVleet (33.7% / 29.8%) have NOT shot well most of this series and I wouldn't want to rely on them here. One could argue that Tatum (23.5-10.0-5.0) and Brown (20.7 & 8.8) have been the two-best players in the series plus Smart (12.8-5.4-5.8) has started the last nine games (for Hayward), including posting a line of 15.7-6.7-5.0 vs Toronto. As for Walker, after a subpar showing in Game 4, he responded with 21 points on 8-of-15 shooting in the blowout victory in Game 5. Want a bonus prop bet? Take the OVER in Walker's posted point total for Game 7. More importantly, make a "Big Play" on the Celtics in this Game 7. Not for nothing, the Celtics are 23-9 all-time in Game 7s.

Good luck...Larry

My 10* Weekly Wipeout is on the Hou Rockets at 7:00 ET.

Houston's "small ball" won out in Game 1 of this series, as the team's excellent trio of guards dominated the game. Harden scored 36 points, Westbrook 24-9-6 and Gordon 23. Here's the 'autopsy.' Houston pulled away in Game 1, outscoring the Lakers 27-18 in the fourth quarter to lead by as many as 19 points in a comfortable 112-97 victory. Houston held the Lakers to 97 points, 42.2 percent shooting from the floor, including 11-of-38 from three-point range (28.9%). The rebounding numbers were even (41-41), a big win considering the Rockets are so undersized plus shot 27 FTs to LA's 19, the result of being more aggressive. The Rockets also scored 27 points off of 15 Lakers TOs. "I think it's the speed," LBJ said after the game. "They play with a lot of speed both offensively and defensively. And you can watch it on film and you can see it on film; until you get out there and get a feel for it [you cannot comprehend it]. That's what we did tonight. We got a feel for their speed, and we should be fully aware of that going into Game 2." 

LA took a 67-51 lead at half in Game 2 but Houston won the 3rd quarter 41023 to take a two-point lead into the 4th. LA prevailed by  holding the Rockets to 17 points in the final period to win (AND cover), 117-109. The Lakers shot 56,6% as a team in Game 2. Game 3 was again close, as the  teams were tied entering the 4th, However, the Lakers again won the decisive final period (30-20) to win 112-102. Again, LA shot 55.1% as a team, overcoming Harden's 33 points and Westbrook's 30.

The Rockets haven't been able to beat the Lakers or Warriors come playoff time in recent years and losing Game 4 to fall behind 3-1 in this series, will surely be a 'death nell.' The Rockets played extremely well offensively for lengthy stretches this series but momentum has turned in the fourth quarter in each of the last two games, as the Lakers' defense has held Houston to just 17 and 20 points, respectively. Here's the two key stretches in those games. Trailing 92-90 entering the final period in Game 2, the Lakers held Houston to 2-for-8 shooting and forced two turnovers during a 14-4 run to take the lead. Then, with the score tied at 82 at the close of the third quarter of Game 3, the Rockets missed 4 of 6 shot attempts while committing three turnovers during the decisive stretch that fueled a 17-5 Lakers rally.

Houston needs Harden, Westbrook and Gordon to reprise their Game 1 efforts offensively and for the entire Houston team to play defensively like it did in Game 1, as well. LBJ and LBY make one fabulous duo but the rest of the Lakers can easily 'go in the tank. NOT sure Houston can win THREE of the next four and take this series but Game 4 is clearly a "MUST-WIN" situation for them. I'm taking the points but predict a SU Houston win. Remember, LA's three starters (other than AD and LBJ) scored a combined 14 points in Game 2 and just EIGHT points in Game 3.

Good luck...Larry

My 10* Situational Stunner is on the Mil Bucks at 6:30 ET.

The Milwaukee Bucks owned the NBA's best regular season record in the 2019-20 season (56-17) for the second straight year (went 60-22 last season). The Bucks fell in the Eastern Conference finals last season to Toronto, losing FOUR straight after taking a 2-0 lead. The Bucks looked disinterested in the Orlando bubble, as they finished their eight-game schedule 3-5 and were then shocked by the eighth-seed Magic in Game 1 of their first round series. However, the Magic really never had the talent to stay with the Bucks, who promptly won FOUR in a row with an average margin of victory of 14.0 PPG. The Miami Heat, who finished 12 games worse (44-29) than Milwaukee in the regular season, swept the Pacers 4-0 in the first round and then shocked the Bucks in Game 1 of this series. Many (most?) felt like it would be no more than a blip, with Milwaukee 'righting the ship' much like they did vs the Magic.

That was NOT the case though, as Miami won Games 2 and 3 as well, taking a 3-0 lead. All are aware that no NBA team has ever come back from a 3-0 playoff series deficit to win but the Bucks 'gutted out' a 1118-115 OT win in Game 4, to extend the series at least ONE more game. Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo injured his ankle in Game 3 and his status was uncertain entering Game 4. Giannis would score 19 points in just 11 minutes but he re-injured the ankle and never returned after leaving in the second quarter. Milwaukee prevailed behind Khris Middleton's 36 points (8 rebounds and 8 assists), who played 48 minutes. Milwaukee starters Lopez (42) and Bledsoe (40) also reached the 40-minutes of playing time mark, while Miami players felt as if they 'let their guard down' after Giannis left the game. That sets the stage for Game 5.

Miami is well-coached by Erik Spoelstra (he's VERY under-appreciated) and all five starters are averaging in double digits, while rookie Herro comes off the bench to chip in 14.8-4.5-3.0. Swingman Butler (22.4-5.0-4.0) and PG Dragic (21.6-4.5-6.0) have been superb, while the ever-improving PF Adebayo(16.6-12.4-5.1) leads the team in rebounding AND assists. Make no mistake, this Miami team is for real.

However, I'm still NOT ready to concede the series to the Heat. If Giannis can go, Miami also has five double-digit scorers (four starters plus backup Hill off the bench) and solid depth off the bench. Obviously, the health of Antetokounmpo remains the primary storyline. The Bucks have listed him as questionable for Game 5 and it will almost assuredly be a game-time decision. "We know he's laying it on the line out there for us," Middleton said of Antetokounmpo after his terrific Game 4 effort. "His ankle's already in bad shape. ...Hopefully, we'll have him back again for the next game. But, if not, we still have to play as hard as we can. We've got to fight every night to keep on playing." I'm clearly hoping that Giannis plays but I'm on the Bucks, either way.

Good luck...Larry

My 10* Las Vegas Insider is on the LA Clippers at 9:00 ET.

The Denver Nuggets came back from a 3-1 deficit to beat the Utah Jazz in the first round and then with ONE day off between that grueling series and Game 1 of their second round series with the LA Clippers, got manhandled 120-97. Denver shot an abysmal 9 of 36 on threes (25%) and the team's two stars, center Nikola Jokic and PG Jamal Murray both fizzled. Jokic was held to a line of 15-3-3 and Murray scored only 12 points, shooting 5 of 15 from the floor (2 of 8 from three-point range). Kawhi led LA with 29 points, while George (19), Morris (18) and Harrell (15) all added solid support.

However, Denver has a knack of getting its opponents out of their comfort zone and did just that in Game 2. Murray (27) and Jokic (260 bounced back with excellent games but more importantly, the Nuggets adjusted their defense to collapse inside and block the passing lanes back outside. The change resulted in the Clippers' Kawhi Leonard delivering his worst performance of the playoffs so far. Kawhi just missed a triple-double (13-10-8) but was an AWFUL 4 of 17 from the floor. His teammates didn't fare very well either, as after shooting 57.1% as a team in Game 1 (including 41.7% on threes), the Clippers shot just 40.9%, including 28.1% (9 of 32).

The series is tied at one-all as it resumes Labor Day evening. The Nuggets have been in three previous playoff series the last two postseason and all three have gone SEVEN games. Are we headed for another seven-game series in this one? Some worrisome news for Denver is that it announced Sunday night that Jokic was listed as questionable for Game 3 with a sprained right wrist. The Clippers twice had a one-game lead on the Dallas Mavericks only to see their opponent even the series. However, LA bounced back from a Game to loss to Dallas to win 130-122 and after a Game 4 loss, routed the Mavs 154-11 to go up 3-2 (closed out the series in Game 6. "We will be better for Game 3," George told reporters. "There's no pep talk for it. It's the playoffs. We got to be ready. We've got to come out a lot stronger and we'll be up for the fight." Leonard's run of scoring at least 29 points in each game of the playoffs ended Saturday in Game 2. Anyone really NOT think he'll be a 'MONSTER' in Game 3? Lay it.

Good luck...Larry

My 9* Weekend Wipeout is on the LA Lakers at 8:30 ET.

Here's what I wrote in my Game 1 analysis of Hou/LA on Friday. The Blazers were a 'sexy' pick to upset the Lakers at the start of the playoffs and after Game 1, 'tongues were wagging!' The Lakers shot just 35.1 percent from the floor, including 15.6 percent from three-point range (5 of 32!) in Game 1 but then won FOUR straight from Portland. It sure didn't hurt the Lakers that Lillard dislocated the index finger on his left hand in Game 2 and was never the same. However, LA averaged 123.3 PPG in the four straight wins, while shooting 52.2% from the floor in that span. A.D. averaged 29.8-9.4-4.2 in the series, while LBJ chipped in 27.4-10.2-10.2. Is LA's 'dynamic duo' enough to lead the Lakers to the title this postseason?

LA is well-rested (last played on Aug 29) as the team gets set to meet the Houston Rockets. The Rockets needed all SEVEN games to get past OKC and just finished off the Thunder on Wednesday, edging them 104-102. Harden led Houston in scoring vs OKC, averaging 29.7-6.3-8.0 but his three-point shooting was way off most of the series (31.3%). Fellow superstar Russell Westbrook finally returned for Game 5 of the team's first round series and averaged just 14.7 PPG, about HALF his regular season average of 27.2 PPG. Without center Capela (13.9 & 13.3) since late January, the Rockets have turned to a 'small ball' philosophy and have gone 19-13 (team was 29-18 when Capela was lost for the season). FOUR more Rockets average in double digits in support of Harden and Westbrook, while starting PF Tucker chips in 8.6 & 7.7 and some VERY tough defense. We saw last night with the Clippers routing the Nuggets (LAC were my Las Vegas Insider play), a team coming off a tough seven-game series with just one day before facing a well-rested formidable opponent can get 'steamrolled!'.

One team got steamrolled alright but it was the Lakers, NOT the Rockets. Houston's "small ball" won out, as the team's excellent trio of guards dominated the game. Harden scored 36 points, Westbrook 24-9-6 and Gordon 23. Here's the 'autopsy.' Houston pulled away in Friday night's Game 1, outscoring the Lakers 27-18 in the fourth quarter to lead by as many as 19 points in a comfortable 112-97 victory. Houston held the Lakers to 97 points, 42.2 percent shooting from the floor, including 11-of-38 from three-point range (28.9%). The rebounding numbers were even (41-41), a big win considering the Rockets are so undersized plus shot 27 FTs to LA's 19, the result of being more aggressive. The Rockets also scored 27 points off of 15 Lakers TOs.

"I think it's the speed," James said after the game. "They play with a lot of speed both offensively and defensively. And you can watch it on film and you can see it on film; until you get out there and get a feel for it [you cannot comprehend it]. That's what we did tonight. We got a feel for their speed, and we should be fully aware of that going into Game 2." I have my doubts regarding LA's title hopes (will A.D. and LBJ be enough) but I won't hesitate to lay the points in this classic bounce-back spot for the Lakers.

Good luck...Larry

My 10* NBA 2nd Round Total of the Year is on Mil/Mia Over at 3:30 ET.

Here's what I wrote in support of the Bucks in Games 2 and 3 vs the Heat. Milwaukee went an NBA-best 56-17 on the season, 12 games better than Miami's 44-29 record. The Bucks have been the NBA's best team in each of the last two seasons (went 60-22 last year) and losing streaks have been RARE! How rare? Beginning at the start of the 2018-19 season, the Bucks had gone a remarkable 29-1 SU and 23-7 ATS after a loss, BEFORE losing three straight right before the shutdown. The Bucks showed no interest in their eight regular season games in the bubble but after a Game 1 'hiccup' vs Orlando in this is the playoffs, the Bucks won FOUR straight by an average margin of 14.5 PPG. The Bucks lost Game 1, even though they led by 11 points after the first quarter, as the Heat controlled the rest of the game to win by 11.

The Heat were the team to get off to a quick start in Game 2, leading 38-29 at the end of the first quarter. Miami's lead was 90-86 entering the fourth but Milwaukee had the lead back on the very first possession of the final quarter. Middleton was fouled on a three-point try, He made the first two free throws and the rebound of the third was controlled by the Bucks. Kyle Korver made a three-pointer off that rebound to cap a five-point possession for Milwaukee, which had the lead again at 91-90 for the first time since 14-13. However, the Heat then scored 13 of the next 15 points to not only reclaim the lead but push it to 103-93 with 7:50 left. Miami led by SIX with 27 seconds left but almost let it slip away. I'm sure everyone saw the frantic few seconds but in the end, Miami won 116-114 (and deservedly so).

Then in Game 3, Milwaukee led by 12 points entering the fourth quarter and ultimately lost by 15!! The Bucks were outscored in the fourth quarter by 27 (40-13), which was the largest points differential in a fourth quarter of a playoff game in the shot clock era (since 1955), according to ESPN Stats & Information research. Miami ended the game on a 17-1 run. History says the Bucks are 'dead.' No NBA team ever has come back from an 0-3 deficit to win a series in 139 attempts in NBA playoff history!

The Bucks have confounded me and MANY others as well. History says they are 'dead' but as the saying goes, "all things are true until they aren't!" Giannis Antetokounmpo finished Game 3 with 21 points, 16 rebounds and nine assists but he missed all SEVEN three-point attempts and made only 7 of 12 free throws (he made just 4 of 12 FTs in Game 1). Antetokounmpo was dealing with a twisted right ankle in Game 3, an ailment he sustained in the first quarter on a drive to the basket. It's unclear whether it will limit him in Game 4. He didn't say much about it after Game 3.

Will Giannis even suit up with Milwaukee in an 0-3 'hole?' Giannis is hardly the problem for the Bucks in this series, as Milwaukee has averaged 14.3 turnovers per game and shot 35.1 percent from three-point range so far in the series, including just 20.8 percent in the fourth quarter. The fact that Miami is averaging 31.0 free-throw attempts per game, is a HUGE problem for the Bucks, as is containing Jimmy Butler. He had 40 points in Game 1 (career playoff-high), hit the game-winning free throws with no time on the clock in Game 2 and scored 30 points in Game 3, including 17 in the decisive fourth quarter!

Butler's getting plenty of help from the team's other four starters this postseason (all are averaging between 10.4 and 22.3 PPG) plus rookie Herro has averaged 15.3 PPG off the bench in this year's playoffs. The Bucks no longer have ANY pressure on them (the team's 'obit' has already been written) and what I see (Giannis limited or not) is Milwaukee playing loose and for this game to 'fly' over the total.

Good luck...Larry

My 8* Las Vegas Insider is on the LA Lakers at 9:00 ET.

The Blazers went 6-2 in the Orlando 'bubble' and then secured the No. 8 seed in the West by beating the Grizzlies 126-122 in the Play-In game. Portland has been led by Bubble MVP Damian Lillard, who has averaged 36.9 PPG in Portland's nine-game surge to capture the West's No. 8 seed. He then scored 34 points in Game 1 vs the Lakers, as Portland won 100-93. The Blazers were a 'sexy' pick to upset the Lakers at the start of the playoffs and after Game 1, 'tongues were wagging!' The Lakers shot just 35.1 percent from the floor, including 15.6 percent from three-point range (5 of 32!) in Game 1 but then won FOUR straight from Portland. It sure didn't hurt the Lakers that Lillard dislocated the index finger on his left hand in Game 2 and was never the same. However, LA averaged 123.3 PPG in the four straight wins, while shooting 52.2% from the floor in that span. A.D. averaged 29.8-9.4-4.2 in the series, while LBJ chipped in 27.4-10.2-10.2. Is LA's 'dynamic duo' enough to lead the Lakers to the title this postseason?

LA is well-rested (last played on Aug 29) as the team gets set to meet the Houston Rockets. The Rockets needed all SEVEN games to get past OKC and just finished off the Thunder on Wednesday, edging them 104-102. Harden led Houston in scoring vs OKC, averaging 29.7-6.3-8.0 but his three-point shooting was way off most of the series (31.3%). Fellow superstar Russell Westbrook finally returned for Game 5 of the team's first round series and averaged just 14.7 PPG, about HALF his regular season average of 27.2 PPG. Without center Capela (13.9 & 13.3) since late January, the Rockets have turned to a 'small ball' philosophy and have gone 19-13 (team was 29-18 when Capela was lost for the season). FOUR more Rockets average in double digits in support of Harden and Westbrook, while starting PF Tucker chips in 8.6 & 7.7 and some VERY tough defense.

We saw last night with the Clippers routing the Nuggets (LAC were my Las Vegas Insider play), a team coming off a tough seven-game series with just one day before facing a well-rested formidable opponent can get 'steamrolled!' Second verse, same as the first." Lakers roll.

Good luck...Larry

My 10* Weekly Wipeout is on the Mil Bucks at 6:30 ET.

The Milwaukee Bucks finished the regular season with the best record in the NBA at 56-17, TWELVE games better than the Miami Heat. However, the Bucks are in REAL danger of getting bounced out of the playoffs during the Eastern Conference semifinals, as the Heat have won both Games 1 and 2. Milwaukee jumped out to a 40-29 lead at the end of the first quarter on Monday but it was ALL Miami after that, as the Heat turned that 11-point deficit into an 11-point victory (115-104). The Heat were the team to get off to a quick start in Game 2, leading 38-29 at the end of the first quarter. Miami's lead was 90-86 entering the fourth but Milwaukee had the lead back on the very first possession of the final quarter. Middleton was fouled on a three-point try, He made the first two free throws and the rebound of the third was controlled by the Bucks. Kyle Korver made a three-pointer off that rebound to cap a five-point possession for Milwaukee, which had the lead again at 91-90 for the first time since 14-13. However, the Heat then scored 13 of the next 15 points to not only reclaim the lead but push it to 103-93 with 7:50 left. Miami led by SIX with 27 seconds left but almost let it slip away. I'm sure everyone saw the frantic few seconds but in the end, Miami won 116-114 (and deservedly so).

Giannis Antetokounmpo is averaging 23.5 points, 12.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists vs Miami, after averaging 31.8-16.0-6.0 in the first round. Teammate Khris Middleton is averaging 25.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 6.5 assists, an improvement over his first round performance when he averaged just 15.0 PPG on 33.5% shooting. Speaking of shooting performances, the Bucks shot 28.0 percent (7 of 25) in Game 2. If they DON'T improve, they'll NEVER get back in the series.

Miami's Jimmy Butler scored 40 points in Game 1 (a career playoff-high), while PG Dragic scored 27 and PF Adebayo added 12-17-6. Butler had just 13 points in Game 2 but his final two points (two FTs with 0:00 on the clock), secured the victory. All five Miami starters scored in double digits on Wednesday, led by PG Dragic's 23 points. He's scored at least 20 points in all six playoff games to lead Miami's SIX double-digit scorers this postseason with a line of 23.5-4.5-4.8. That balance has Miami 6-0 SU & ATS in the 2020 postseason.

Milwaukee went an NBA-best 56-17 on the season. The Bucks have been the NBA's best team in each of the last two seasons (went 60-22 last year) and losing streaks have been RARE! How rare? Beginning at the start of the 2018-19 season, the Bucks had gone a remarkable 29-1 SU and 23-7 ATS after a loss, BEFORE losing three straight right before the shutdown. The Bucks showed no interest in their eight regular season games in the bubble but after a Game 1 'hiccup' vs Orlando in this is the playoffs, the Bucks won FOUR straight by an average margin of 14.5 PPG. The Bucks are in an 0-2 'hole' vs Miami and they've 'earned' that position. Maybe I'm 'spitting into the wind,' but I will NOT dismiss the NBA's best team over the last two seasons. Lay the points.

Good luck...Larry

My 8* Las Vegas Insider is on the LA Clippers at 9:00 ET.

The Denver Nuggets edged the Utah Jazz in Game 1 of their first round series in OT but then lost THREE in a row, as the Jazz ripped Denver's defense by shooting 54.5% from the floor, including 47.3% on threes in that span. Denver never really 'cooled off; the Jazz in Games 5 and 6 but the Nuggets but won back-to-back games to send the series to a Game 7. In that one on Tuesday, Denver let a 19-point lead slip away but held on for an 80-78 win. In the process, Denver became just the 12th team in NBA playoff history to comeback and win a series after trailing 3-1. No. 3 Denver now takes on the LA Clippers (No. 2 seed), who needed six games to put away the Luka Doncic-led Mavericks.

Denver center Nikola Jokic has been the team's best player the last two seasons, leading Denver in points, rebounds and assists in each of the last two regular seasons. He was somewhat overshadowed by Jamal Murray against Utah, as Denver's PG averaged 31.6-5.6-6.3, including averaging 47.3 PPG from Games 4 through 6. However, in Tuesday's deciding Game 7, while Murray shot just 7 of 21 (1 of 6 on threes) with 17 points, Jokic scored 30 points (added 14 rebounds), including making the game-winning shot with 27 seconds left!

The Clippers really struggled with Dallas and the remarkable Doncic, who averaged 31.0-9.8-8.7 in his first-ever playoff series. However, Porzingis missed the final two games and Dallas couldn't keep up as LA outscored 154 points the Mavs 265-208 in winning Games 5 and 6. Kawhi Leonard averaged 32.8-10.2-5.2 (shot 53.8%) against Dallas and closed out the first round in style, becoming the seventh player in NBA history to record 30 points (33), 10 rebounds (14), 5 assists (7) and 5 steals (5) in a playoff game and the first to do so since Gary Payton 20 years ago. No one in LA is concerned about Kawhi but there is worry surrounding Paul George. He averaged just 18.5-6.9-4.0 in the series, shooting 35.8% (27.5% on threes), after shooting 43.9% on the season (including 41.2% on threes). The Clippers can't afford George to shoot a combined 10-for-47 (21.3%) in Games 2, 3 and 4, including going 4-for-25 (16.0%) from three-point, again.

I'm pretty sure that George will NOT continue to struggle plus the Clippers should expect MUCH more from PF Harrell, who after averaging 18.6 & 7.1 in the regular season, has seen limited minutes while averaging 9.0 & 3.3, so far. The Clippers are well-rested, having last played on Aug 30 and that game was their ONLY contest since Aug 27. The Clippers take the floor tonight, for just the SECOND time in NINE days! Denver has had just ONE day to get over their great comeback and dramatic Game 7 win over Utah plus Murray seemed to be slowed in the second half of Game 7 after taking a knee to his thigh from Utah's Joe Ingles. SF Barton (15.1-6.3-3.7) has yet to play a game in Orlando plus SGF Harris, the team's best perimeter defender, has just come back the last two games. TOUGH spot for Denver, Lay the points with LA.

Good luck...Larry

My 10* PERFECT STORM is on the Tor Raptors at 6:30 ET.

The Raptors shot poorly in Game 1 vs the Celtics (36.9% overall, including 25% on threes in going 10 of 40). Boston jumped out to a 39-23 lead at the end of the first quarter and cruised to a 112-94 win. The Raptors NEEDED to improve their play (AND shooting) in Game 2 and while Toronto struggled again (especially from three-point range), the Raptors had a 12-point lead in the late third quarter and took an eight-point lead into the final period. However, Boston DOMINATED the fourth quarter and outscored Toronto 32-21 to earn a 102-99 win and take a 2-0 lead in the series. Marcus Smart made FIVE 3-pointers in just a span of 3:04 in that final period, totaling 16 of his 19 points for the game in that span.

My 10* Game of the Week is on the Mil Bucks at 6:30 ET.

he Milwaukee Bucks knew the Heat would be a tough opponent, as Miami had won TWO of three regular season meetings between the two teams plus the Heat were coming off an impressive 4-0 sweep of the Pacers (also 4-0 ATS), in which they held Indiana to just 100.8 PPG. The Bucks sure didn't want a repeat of their Game 1 opener against Orlando in the first round, when the 14-point underdog Magic shocked the Bucks, 122-110. Milwaukee jumped out to a 40-29 lead at the end of the first quarter on Monday but it was ALL Miami after that, as the Bucks turned that 11-point deficit into an 11-point victory (115-104). Milwaukee needs to 'hit reset' here in Game 2, much like the Bucks did in immediately turning the tables on the Magic, romping 111-96 in Game 2 of that series (the first of FOUR straight double-digit wins).

Miami's Jimmy Butler scored 40 points in Game 1 (a career playoff-high), while PG Dragic scored 27 and PF Adebayo added 12-17-6. Giannis just missed a triple-double (18-10-9) but made just 4 of 12 FTs, contributing to Miami outscoring Milwaukee 25-14 from the line (note: Giannis had averaged 30.6-16.0-6.0 vs Orlando. The good news was Middleton played his best game of the playoffs with 28 points and Brook Lopez chipped in 24 points.

Here's the rub, "short & sweet!" Milwaukee went an NBA-best 56-17 on the season, while Miami was a much more modest 44-29. Milwaukee's been the NBA's best team in each of the last two seasons (went 60-22 last year) and losing streaks have been RARE! How rare? Beginning at the start of the 2018-19 season, the Bucks had gone a remarkable 29-1 SU and 23-7 ATS after a loss, BEFORE losing three straight right before the shutdown. The Bucks showed no interest in their eight regular season games in the bubble but this is the playoffs. As noted, off that Game 1 loss to Orlando, the Bucks won by 15. Here, there is no double-digit pointspread to cover, so expect the Bucks to win "with room to spare!"

Good luck...Larry

My 10* Situational Stunner is on the Tor Raptors at 5:30 ET.

The Toronto Raptors were DOMINATED by the Boston Celtics in Game 1 of their second round series, 112-94. All five Boston starters finished in double digits, with Tatum and Smart leading the way with 21 points apiece. Meanwhile, Toronto starters shot a combined 4 of 25 from three-point range, including 3 of 16 by VanVleet and Lowry. Raptors head coach Nick Nurse summed up the defeat saying, "Tough day for us, right? Nothing was much fun out there today. They were great. We weren't very good. So we're going to have to bounce back."

I guess maybe this was no surprise. Boston has now won seven consecutive Game 1s, the longest such streak for the Celtics since taking 11 consecutive 1-0 series leads between the start of the 1985 playoffs and the 1987 NBA Finals. As for Toronto, the Raptors have lost Game 1 in 14 of their last 18 series! Want more? Toronto is 0-2 against Boston at Disney, losing by a combined 40 points and not leading for a SINGLE moment in those two games. BTW...The Raptors are 11-0 at Disney against everybody else!

I 'bit' on Toronto in Game 1 and 'got burned' but I will NOT shy away from playing them here in Game 2. The Raptors' starting-five against the Nets consisted of guards VanVleet (21.3-4.0-7.8) and Lowry (12.5-7.0-4.8), SF Anunoby (9.0 & 5.5), PF Siakam (20.8-7.8-4.8) and center Gasol (6.3 & 4.5). PF Ibaka (19.8 7 10.3) and SG Powell (17.5-4.-4.5) both had HUGE series coming off the bench. I noted how poorly Van Vleet and Lowry shot in Game 1 and I'll add Siakam's poor effort (13 points on 5 of 16  shooting plus only 3 rebounds and 2 assists) here. Ibaka had 15 & 9 and Powell 10 points but combined to shoot just 8 of 22 from the floor (36.4%).

Boston did EVERYTHING right in Game 1 plus got a HUGE game from undersized center Theis, who 13 points and 15 rebounds. Can they possibly play that well again and can Toronto possibly play that poorly again? The Celtics are now 5-0 SU and 4-1 ATS in the postseason but my bet is that we see the Toronto team we've seen for most of this season in this one, the team that was 57-19 SU and 44-31-1 ATS prior to Sunday's Game 1.

Good luck...Larry

My 10* Series Opener (Bos/Tor) is on the Tor Raptors at 1:00 ET.

I first posted this back on Wednesday (a scheduled Thursday tip-off) but as EVERYONE knows all games scheduled from Wed-Fri were postponed due to a protest by NBA players. This Game 1 is now slated to be the first of THREE games played on Sunday. NOTHING about my game analysis has changed!  

The Celtics and Raptors are BOTH coming off 4-0 sweeps, Boston taking down longtime rival Philadelphia, while the Raptors cruised past the over-matched Nets. PF Tatum (27.0 & 9.8) is just 22 and SG Jaylen Brown (21.5 & 5.8) only 23. That duo, along with vet PG Kemba Walker (24.3-4.3-3.8), have led the way for Boston. The loss of SF Gordon Hayward (17.5-6.7-4.1 in the regular season) was lost after an injury in Game 1 and remains out for this series. Marcus Smart was inserted into the starting lineup for Hayward and averaged 12.0-4.0-3.0. The Celtics used their center combo of Theis (8.5 & 3.8) and Kanter (5.5 & 6.0) successfully against Philly. 

The Raptors' starting-five consists of guards VanVleet (21.3-4.0-7.8) and Lowry (12.5-7.0-4.8), SF Anunoby (9.0 & 5.5), PF Siakam (20.8-7.8-4.8) and center Gasol (6.3 & 4.5). PF Ibaka (19.8 7 10.3) and SG Powell (17.5-4.-4.5) both had HUGE series coming off the bench. Lowry is battling an injury (he's listed as day-to-day) and as his above numbers indicate, they are down from his season averages of 19.4-5.0-7.5. 

Boston has won THREE of the four meetings with Toronto during the regular season, including a 122-100 rout on Aug 7. However, I believe that only serves as extra-motivation for the defending champs. Obviously, a 100%-healthy Lowry would be preferred (maybe the extra rest will help?) but VanVleet has become an elite player and is a more consistent shooter than Lowry. The Celtics didn't miss Hayward vs the Sixers but his absence will be felt against this foe. The Raptors, led by Kawhi, won the franchise's first-ever title last season but sans Kawhi (as well as Danny Green), this year's Toronto team looks every bit a contender for back-to-back titles. I will back them in a big way in this Game 1. 

Good luck...Larry

My 10* NBA Game of the Month is on the Hou Rockets at 6:30 ET.

The OKC Thunder had to like their chances against the Houston Rockets heading into this first round series, as former Thunder star Russell Westbrook (27.2-7.9-7.0) was expected to be sidelined for the entire series with a quad injury (more later). However, the Rockets would dominate the first two games of the series, winning 123-108 and 111-98. Harden (29.0-8.0-6.0) led the way but FIVE other Houston players averaged double digits in the first two contests. Meanwhile, the Thunder shot just 44.2 percent as a team. Veteran Chris Paul just missed a triple-double in Game 1 (20-10-9) but he recorded an 'ugly' minus-36 rating in Game 2 (14-6-2), the WORST of anyone on the court! Another big key to OKC's lack of success was the play of backup PG Dennis Schroder, who missed the first six of OKC's first eight games in Orlando. He was back for this series but he averaged just 9.5 PPG and 4.5 APG the first two games (he averaged 18.9 & 4.0 in the regular season). 

However, as the series resumes on Saturday for Game 5, it's all tied at two and Chris Paul and Dennis Schroder are two of the biggest reasons behind the Thunder making this a best-of-three series. Paul and Schroder, the Thunder's starting and backup PGs, were not often on the floor together for most of this season. However, Oklahoma City head coach Billy Donovan has elected to go to a small lineup, with those two being the primary beneficiaries. Paul and Schroder combined to average 26.5 points and shoot 39.7 percent from the floor as OKC fell behind 0-2 but in the last two games, the duo has combined to average 55.5 points, while shooting 52.6 percent (Paul's had 26 points in both Games 3 & 4, while Schroder chipped in 29 and 30 points, respectively. 

Houston has leaned heavily on a small lineup since the trade deadline, making up for what it lost in rim protection by switching relentlessly on "D" and wearing opponents down on the perimeter. It worked perfectly in Games 1 and 2. However, in the OT of Game 3, Donovan took out center Steven Adams and went with a lineup where 6-foot-10 Danilo Gallinari, the best three-point shooter on the Thunder, was their biggest man on the floor. Speaking of three-point shots, the Rockets have set a playoff record this series for most three-point attempts. They 58 from behind the arc in Monday's loss to break the record they had set with 56 tries in Game 2. 

Harden remains Houston's leader, averaging 32.0-7.8-8.8 but with this Game 5 being pushed back from Wednesday to Saturday because of the protests, Russell Westbrook is expected to play. Westbrook went through full-speed, 5-on-5 action on Thursday and looked "as explosive as ever." All reports are, he WILL play. Plus, as noted above, FOUR others are averaging in double digits. The big surprise has been 12-year veteran Jeff Green. he was signed by the Houston Rockets to a 10-day contract on Feb 18, 20202, after being waived by Utah. The Rockets announced that they had signed Green for the remainder of the season in late February and he's been Houston's second-best player this series, averaging 19.3 PPG. 

Yes, OKC has won back-to-back games but Houston could have won either one. Houston led by four points into the 4th-quarter in Game 3 and led by FIVE (102-97) with less than one minute to go. House tied the game at 104-104 with 9.5 seconds left but missed the second free throw. The game went to OT, where the Thunder outscored the Rockets 15-3. In Game 4, Houston led by one with about 1 1/2 minutes left (108-107) but lost 117-114. In the end, the Rockets need Harden to "come up big." He went 6-for-13 from behind the arc in the opener but he's lust 11-for-39 (28.2 percent) from behind the three-point line over the last three games. I expect "just that." The bonus is the likely return of Westbrook. How much he actually contributes is unknown but either way, expect the Rockets to make it a convincing win in Game 5. NO late-game missteps in this one! 

Good luck...Larry

My 10* Weekly Wipeout is on the LA Clippers at 9:00 ET.

My 10* Las Vegas Insider is on the Por Blazers at 9:00 ET.

The Blazers went 6-2 in the Orlando 'bubble' and then secured the No. 8 seed in the West by beating the Grizzlies 126-122 in the Play-In game. Portland has been led by Bubble MVP Damian Lillard. Talk was, the Lakers could be had, after some lackluster play in their eight games in Orlando, pre-playoffs. The Lakers clinched the West's No. 1 seed back on Aug 3 and then went just 1-4 (0-5 ATS) the rest of the way, needing a Kyle Kuzma shot at the buzzer to capture their lone win.

Lillard had 34 points in Game 1 vs the Lakers, leading a balanced attack that saw McCollum score 21 points while center Jusuf Nurkic (17.9 & 11.8 in Orlando) added 16 & 15. Nurkic's backup, Hassan Whiteside, chipped in 7 & 8, with his plus/minus of plus-13 ranking 2nd to only Lillard's plus-19 for the game. Defensively, Portland held the Lakers to 35.1 percent shooting from the floor, including 15.6 percent from three-point range (5 of 32!). A.D. had 28 & 11 and LBJ added his 24th career playoff triple-double (23-17-16) but LA's dynamic duo combined to shoot 1 of 10 on threes. LA's starters shot a combined 3 of 23 on threes. Kuzma, LA's only other consistent scorer during the regular season, added 14. LA's center combo of McGee and Howard (10 points / 13 rebounds) was outplayed by Nuric alone, not even adding in Whiteside's contributions.

All of a sudden, the Lakers DID look very vulnerable, while Lillard and the Blazers were becoming 'the story' of Orlando. However, things can turn on a dime in the world of sports. I made a HUGE play on the Lakers in Game 2 and they responded with an 111-88 win. LBJ had a modest line of 10-6-7 but A.D. had 31 & 11 plus the Lakers shot 47.8% as a team. Nurkic contributed just 9 & 8, while Lillard and McCollum combined for only 31 points and shot 2 of 12 on threes. The big story entering Game 3 was Lillard's health, as he had dislocated the index finger on his left hand in the third quarter.

Lillard had 34 points in Game 3, while McCollum added 28 but Nurkic was again a non-factor (10 & 7). Meanwhile, LBJ bounced back with a line of 38-12-8 and A.D. wasn't far behind (29-11-8). Overall, LA shot 50.0% as a team in the 116-108 win. So here we are in Game 4, where the Blazers can square it at two-all, or LA can open up a commanding 3-1 lead.

I'm not sure that Portland can even the series but taking the points looks very 'juicy.' Lillard can still "make the plays" with his injured left hand but the Blazers will NEED Nurkic to play MUCH better plus the bench CAN'T contribute just EIGHT points again, like it did in Game 3. When LBJ and A.D. play like they did in Game 3, the Lakers "two-man" team looks good enough to win a championship but I still see the Lakers as having way too many 'holes.' After all, even with 'monster' games from their two superstars AND a 28-18 edge in made FTs, the Lakers only won Game 3 by EIGHT points. I expect this contest to come "right down to the wire," taking more than a 'TD' seems HUGE!

Good luck...Larry

My 9* Situational Stunner is on the Ind Pacers at 6:30 ET.

Miami recorded its THIRD straight win over Indiana with a 114-92 rout on Aug 10 in Orlando but the Pacers finally bested the Heat with a 109-92 on Aug 15. That broke a tie for fourth place in the Eastern Conference. However, all games are being played in Orlando, there IS no home court edge to go along with that No. 4 seed. The Heat controlled most of the play in each of the first two games of this series, winning 113-101 and 109-100. Miami then did so again in Saturday's 124-115 Game 3 on Saturday, a contest that was heavily impacted by free-throw shooting. The Heat went to the line 52 times and made 43, whereas the Pacers attempted just 28 foul shots and made 21.

Miami has successfully held T.J. Warren to 19.7 PPG, after he averaged 31.0 PPG in the eight games prior to the start of the playoffs. The Pacers remain without their best player, Sabonis (out for the year), who averaged 18.5-12.4-5.0 before getting hurt. However, Malcom Brogdon has shined, averaging a team-best 24.3 PPG in the series, while also leads all clubs in assists with 33 through three games. Oladipo has also looked "more like himself" the last two games, scoring 22 and 20 points, respectively.

Miami's basically gone to a seven-man rotation and the Heat have ridden balanced scoring to take a 3-0 lead. FIVE players are all averaging 15-plus points. The group includes starters Butler (24.3-6.0-4.7), Dragic (22.7-5.7 APG), Adebayo (15.3-8.7-5.0) and Duncan Robinson (15.0), plus Kentucky rookie Herro (16.7), who comes off the bench. NO way the Pacers come back to win this series but four-game sweeps are rare when featuring comparable opponents. The third-seeded Celtics completed a sweep over the sixth-seeded 76ers on Sunday but failed to cover. This is a 4 vs 5 matchup (remember, Indiana is the 4-seed) and I see the Pacers bringing their "A-game" to this win or go home contest. Upset alert? I wouldn't call an Indiana win here an upset. Take the points.

Good luck...Larry

My 10* "signature" LEGEND Play is on the Den Nuggets at 9:00 ET.

Utah missed a great opportunity to 'steal' Game 1 against the Nuggets (lost in OT), when even Donovan Mitchell's 57 points weren't enough. However, everything has clicked for the Utah Jazz on offense and defense these last two games. The Jazz have overwhelmed the Nuggets on both ends of the court in back-to-back games, averaging 18 made three-pointers per game, while shooting 45 percent or better from behind the arc in both Game 2 and Game 3 wins. The Nuggets are a mess on defense (have allowed 124.3 PPG in the series) plus have struggled to find a consistent rhythm on offense the last two contests. After scoring 135 points in Game 1's OT victory, Denver has been held to 96.0 PPG in the two losses (Nuggets averaged 111.3 PPG during the regular season).

Denver continues to miss two starters, SF Barton (15.1-6.3-3.7) and SG Harris (10.4), who happens to be the team's best perimeter defender. Are those losses too much to overcome? I am NOT ready to concede that. Jokic was his usual self in the first two games (28.5-10.4-4.5) but he had just 15 points in Game 3. Jokic had a breakout postseason last year and I expect a HUGE game from him here. PG Murray and the ever-improving Michael Porter Jr. should also be MUCH better in Game 4.

Mitchell had those 57 points in the Game 1 loss but in Utah's two wins, scored 30 and 20 points. Center Rudy Gobert (20.0 & 9.3) has at least played Jokic to a draw so far and PG Mike Conley had a HUGE game on Friday. Conley led Utah with 27 points in its Game 3 romp (returned from a two-game absence), shooting a career-best 7-of-8 from three-point range. However, Conley has been erratic all season, shooting only 40.9% during the regular season, including 37.5% on threes.

It's my bet that Utah will NOT replicate its performance from the last two games, when the team shot 51,7% (20-of-44 on threes) and 51.2% (18-of-37 on threes), respectively. Denver gained valuable playoff experience by playing in two, seven-game series in the 2019 postseason (beat the Spurs / lost to the Blazers) and I expect them to lean on that here. Expect Jokic and Murray to be "at their best" as the Nuggets tie this series at two-all. Take ANY points available.

Good luck...Larry

My 10* 1st Round Total of the Year is on Bos/Phi Over at 1:00 ET.

The third-seeded Boston Celtics hope to complete a playoff-series sweep of the Philadelphia 76ers (No. 6 seed) in Game 4 of their best-of-seven series on Sunday afternoon. Boston scored Game 3's final 10 points on Friday, walking away with a 102-94 win. Here's how the game turned down the stretch. Embiid gave the 76ers their last lead of Game 3 at 94-92 on two free throws with 2:14 remaining but with the 76ers having a chance to add to their lead, he attempted a cross-court pass out of a double-team. The ball was intercepted by Marcus Smart and turned into a three-point play by Jaylen Brown for a 95-94 advantage for the Celtic. Philly had a chance to retake the lead on their next possession but Embiid's off-balance jumper was blocked by Jayson Tatum, who was then fouled in the open court, resulting in a clear-path infraction and two free throws. He made one and when Kemba Walker buried a 20-footer with 1:05 left on the Celtics' ensuing possession, Boston was up four and headed to a commanding series lead.

And so it goes. Boston's Hayward was lost for the series in Game 1 but Boston has produced a trio of 20-point scorers in this series, Tatum (26.7 & 8.0), Brown (23.3 & 6.0) and Walker (21.7-4.3-3.7). Smart has replaced Hayward in the starting lineup the last two games and has averaged 12.0-6.0-2.5. Philly began the series with Simmons and Embiid has been the 'big dog,' averaging 30.0 & 13.0. Regular starters Richardson (17.7 & 4.0) and Harris (14.3 & 11.0) have played well enough, as has Milton (14.7), who has replaced Simmons. Philly was counting on Horford to step up his game come playoff time but that hasn't been the case. He's averaging 30.7 MPG (has started two of the three) but is averaging just 5.3 & 6.3 (averaged 11.9 & 6.8 in the regular season.

Many feel as if the 76ers are 'toast' and that head coach Brett Brown "is as good as gone." However, the 76ers have had real chances to win in BOTH Games 1 and 2. Philly had a chance to win Game 1, leading 79-75 into the 4th quarter and trailed by just THREE with under a minute to go in the game. I've also detailed the team's late-game collapse in Game 3, above. Embiid was dominant in the first half during Game 3, racking up 22 points and 10 rebounds while going 6-for-11 from the floor. However, he would shoot just 1-for-9 from the floor in the second half, finishing with 30 points and 13 rebounds.

Here's the rub. Embiid's been the MVP of the series in the first halves, averaging 19.0 points on 59.4-percent shooting while adding 8.7 rebounds. However, he's been held to 29.2-percent shooting in the second halves, scoring 11.0 and grabbing a modest 4.3 rebounds. Boston/Philly is the league's oldest rivalry (the franchises are meeting for the 21st time in the postseason) and the simple fact is that the Celtics last swept the 76ers in a playoff series was back in the 1957Eastern Finals, when the franchise played as played as the Syracuse Nationals. I 'm NOT predicting that the 76ers can come back and win but I don't see them going down without a fight in this one. For that to happen, the 76ers will HAVE to score more than the pathetic 98/7 PPG they've averaged through the first three games of the series. That's NOT a stretch, as Philly averaged 110.7 PPG during the regular season. In this "win-or-go-home" game, expect Philly to at least reach that season average which means, this one is Goin' Over!

Good luck...Larry

My 9* Division Game of the Month (Atlantic) is on the Phi 76ers at 1:00 ET.

The third-seeded Boston Celtics hope to complete a playoff-series sweep of the Philadelphia 76ers (No. 6 seed) Game 4 of their best-of-seven series on Sunday afternoon. he Boston scored Game 3's final 10 points on Friday, walking away with a 102-94 win. Here's how the game turned down the stretch. Embiid gave the 76ers their last lead of Game 3 at 94-92 on two free throws with 2:14 remaining but with the 76ers having a chance to add to their lead, he attempted a cross-court pass out of a double-team. The ball was intercepted by Marcus Smart and turned into a three-point play by Jaylen Brown for a 95-94 advantage for the Celtic. Philly had a chance to retake the lead on their next possession but Embiid's off-balance jumper was blocked by Jayson Tatum, who was then fouled in the open court, resulting in a clear-path infraction and two free throws. He made one and when Kemba Walker buried a 20-footer with 1:05 left on the Celtics' ensuing possession, Boston was up four and headed to a commanding series lead.

And so it goes. Boston's Hayward was lost for the series in Game 1 but Boston has produced a trio of 20-point scorers in this series, Tatum (26.7 & 8.0), Brown (23.3 & 6.0) and Walker (21.7-4.3-3.7). Smart has replaced Hayward in the starting lineup the last two games and has averaged 12.0-6.0-2.5. Philly began the series with Simmons and Embiid has been the 'big dog,' averaging 30.0 & 13.0. Regular starters Richardson (17.7 & 4.0) and Harris (14.3 & 11.0) have played well enough, as has Milton (14.7), who has replaced Simmons. Phily was counting on Horford to step up his game come playoff time but that hasn';t been the case. He's averaging 30.7 MPG (has started two of the three) but is averaging just 5.3 & 6.3 (averaged 11.9 & 6.8 in the regular season.

Many feel as if the 76ers are 'toast' and that head coach Brett Brown "is as good as gone." However, the 76ers have had real chances to win in BOTH Games 1 and 2. Philly had a chance to win Game 1, leading 79-75 into the 4th quarter and trailed by just THREE with under a minute to go in the game. I've also detailed the team's late-game collapse in Game 3, above..Embiid was dominant in the first half during Game 3, racking up 22 points and 10 rebounds while going 6-for-11 from the floor. However, he would shoot just 1-for-9 from the floo in the second half, finishing with 30 points and 13 rebounds.

Here's the rub. Embiid's been the MVP of the series in the first halves, averaging 19.0 points on 59.4-percent shooting while adding 8.7 rebounds. However, he's been held to 29.2-percent shooting in the second halves, scoring 11.0 and grabbing a modest 4.3 rebounds.Boston/Philly is the league's oldest rivalry (the franchises are meeting for the 21st time in the postseason) and the simple fact is that the Celtics last swept the 76ers in a playoff series was back in the 1957Eastern Finals, when the franchise played as played as the Syracuse Nationals. I 'm NOT predicting that the 76ers can come back and win the series but I will NOT count them out of salvaging a pride-saving win in Game 4. I want ALL those points!

Good luck...Larry

My 10* Weekend Wipeout is on the OKC Thunder at 6:00 ET.

The OKC Thunder had to like their chances against the Houston Rockets heading into this first round series, as former Thunder star Russell Westbrook (27.2-7.9-7.0) was expected to be sidelined for the entire series with a quad injury. So far, NOT so good for OKC, as Houston has won handily in each of the first two games, 123-108 and 111-98. Naturally, Harden (29.0-8.0-6.0) has led the way but FIVE other Houston players have averaged double digits in the first two contests. The most surprising of those five is 12-year vet Jeff Green, who the Rockets acquired in late February from Utah. Green's averaging 18.5 PPG and only Harden is averaging more rebounds than Green's 6.5 per.

The Rockets have never been known for their defense but the Rockets have held the Thunder to 44.2 percent shooting by rotating with determination. Chris Paul NEEDS to step up for OKC. He just missed a triple-double in Game 1 (20-10-9) in Game 1 but he recorded an 'ugly' minus-36 rating in Thursday's defeat (14-6-2), the WORST of anyone on the court! What can the Thunder do to turn things around?

How about utilize 6-11 center Steven Adams more. He's averaged 12.5 & 11.2 and his size leaves the small-ball Rockets with few options to stop him. The 6-10 Danilo Gallinari has led the way for OKC averaging 23.0 PPG and Gilgeous-Alexander has averaged 20.0 & 5.0. It's great to have reserve guard Dennis Schroder back (he missed all of OKC's first eight games in Orlando), as while he's averaged just 9.5 PPG and 4.5 APG in this series, he averaged 18.9 & 4.0 in the regular season.

Here's a couple of things to note about OKC. The Thunder were the NBA's best pointspread team during the regular season, going 44-28 (compared to Houston's 33-39 mark). What's more, the Thunder have some positive playoff history on their side in situations like this. OKC has won Game 3 in each of the FIVE previous instances in which it fell into an 0-2 series hole. Can you say SIX in a row?

Good luck...Larry

My 9* PERFECT STORM is on the Ind Pacers at 3:30 ET.

Miami recorded its THIRD straight win over Indiana with a 114-92 rout on Aug 10 in Orlando but the Pacers finally bested the Heat with a 109-92 on Aug 15. That broke a tie for fourth place in the Eastern Conference. However, with all games being played in Orlando, there IS no home court edge to go along with that No. 4 seed. The Heat have controlled the play in each of the first two games of this series, winning 113-101 and 109-100. The teams will trade benches and wear different colors for Game 3  but the Pacers will need more than that to get back in this series.

The Heat have shut down T.J. Warren in the first two games, after he had averaged 31.0 points PPG on 57.8 percent shooting, including 52.4 percent with three-pointer, However, Warren's been held to 18.0 PPG (48.5 percent overall / 40.0 percent on threes), as Miami's gone up 2-0 in this series. It's not just Warren, as the Pacers have been held to just 100.5 PPG, the second-lowest total through two games of all 16 teams!

Miami's gone with basically a seven-man rotation, led by the do-everything Butler (23.0-5.0-5.0) and veteran PG Dragic (22.0-4.5-5.5). SG Robinson (15.0), rookie guard Herro (15.0-4.0-3.5) and PF Adebayo (12.0-7.5-5.0) join Butler and Dragic in double digits (note: Herro is coming off the bench).

The Pacers are without arguably their best player, Sabonis (out for the year), who had averaged 18.5-12.4-5.0. However, guards Brogdon (19.5 & 9.5 APG in the two games) and Oladipo (13.0 PPG but just 31.3% shooting) are MORE than capable. The 6-11 Myles Turner (13.0 & 8.5) has held his own up front, even without Sabonis. Here's the rub. Brogdon and Oladipo combined for 39 points in Game 2 (that's the good news) but shot a combined 9 of 29 from the floor (obviously, the bad news).

Do I think Miami is the better team, yes! However, NOT by much and I'm taking the points with the team that's down 0-2. This series in NO way resembles the Toronto/Brooklyn mismatch or the Boston/Philly series, where the 76ers look as if they've "packed it in" for the season. No surprise at all to see Indiana win.

Good luck...Larry

My NBA 10* Weekly Wipeout is on the LA Clippers at 9:00 ET.

Luka Doncic scored 42 points while adding seven rebounds and nine assists in his first-ever playoff game this past Monday. However, it wasn't enough to keep the Mavs from losing 118-110 to the Clippers for the fourth straight time in the 2019-20 season. However, the Mavericks finally found success against the Clippers on Wednesday, despite Doncic being limited to 28 minutes due to foul trouble. That said, Doncic still managed 28-8-7. Fellow starters Porzingis (23 & 7) and Hardaway (17) both played well but the key was three Dallas players off the bench. Trey Burke (16), Seth Curry (15) and Boban Marjanovic (13) combined for 44 points on 19-of-28 shooting (68%).

As for the Clippers, Kawhi scored 35 points and added 10 rebounds but fellow superstar Paul George had just 14 points on 4 of 17 shooting (2 of 10 on threes). LA was just horrific from beyond-the-arc, making just 10-34 (29.4%). Clippers head coach Doc Rivers said the following of the Mavericks performance in Game 2. "They had such a great rhythm against us. Every single guy on their team had confidence with the basketball. They were the more physical team. They played harder. They attacked us. We didn't respond well."

Looking ahead to Game 3, Rivers expects his club to play tougher defense and move the ball better in Game 3. He was disappointed that his starting-five combined for seven assists on Wednesday. "That's not how we've played all year," Rivers said. "If we play like that, we can't win." OK, here's the rub. Why should we NOT expect this Kawhi and George led team to respond and bounce back. No way the Dallas trio of Burke, Curry and Marjanovic combine for 44 points again plus note that while Porzingis had 23 & 7 in Game 2, he's playing through right knee soreness. The Clippers are viewed by many as a possible NBA Finals participant (that group includes me) and I expect a championship-like performance from Kawhi and George. Lay the points as the Clippers win "with room to spare."

Good luck...Larry

My 8* Las Vegas Insider is on the Den Nuggets at 4:00 ET.

Utah missed a great opportunity to 'steal' Game 1 against the Nuggets (lost in OT) but then left no doubt about the outcome in Game 2, in a 124-105 wire-to-wire over the Nuggets. Mitchell's 57 points in Game 1 were not enough for Utah to win but his 30 points in Game 2 were more than enough to lead the way, as Utah shot 51.7% as a team, including connecting on 20 of 44 three-pointers! Denver Nikola Jokic center was his usual self (28 & 11) and Michael Porter continued his  excellent play in Orlando with 28 points (made 6 of 9 three-pointers), but PG Jamal Murray went from scoring 36 points in Game 1, to 14 in Game 2. Denver continues to miss two starters, SF Barton (15.1-6.3-3.7) and SG Harris (10.4), who happens to be the team's best perimeter defender.

The Jazz are expected to get starting point PG Mike Conley back in the lineup after he missed two games for the birth of his son but I'm not sure that's all good news. Conley (14.4 & 4.4 APG) has generally been a disappointment in his first season with Utah. The Jazz did almost everything right in Game 2. Utah shot 19 of 33 from three-point range and 36 of 62 from the floor overall during the first three quarters, entering the final period with a commanding 104-77 lead. The Jazz finished with 32 assists on 45 total baskets and made only SIX turnovers. However, that kind of effort/performance will be hard to duplicate in Game 3.

Jokic NEVER seems to play a poor game plus I expect Murray to bounce back. Then there is the continued emergence of Michael Porter Jr. He scored in double digits in all seven of the games he played in Orlando prior to the playoffs, averaging 22.0 PPG. He had just a modest 13 points and eight rebounds in Game 1 but then had that 28-point effort in Game 2, showcasing the mismatches he creates for an opponents' defense.

Denver gained valuable playoff experience by playing in two, seven-game series in the 2019 postseason (beat the Spurs / lost to the Blazers). Meanwhile, Utah has been in the playoffs in 11 of the last 19 seasons but has advanced past the second round just ONCE, with SIX first round exits. Not ready to concede this series to Denver but I will be playing them on Friday, in a near-pick'em setting.

Good luck...Larry

My 10* 1st Round Game of the Year (West Conf) is on the LA Lakers at 9:00 ET.

The Blazers went 6-2 in the Orlando 'bubble' and then secured the No. 8 seed in the West by beating the Grizzlies 126122 in the Play-In game. Portland has been led by Bubble MVP Damian Lillard, who has averaged in the 10 games the Blazers have played in Orlando. He had 34 points in Game 1 vs the Lakers, leading a balanced attack that saw McCollum scoring 21 points while center Jusuf Nurkic (17.9 & 11.8 in Orlando) added 16 & 15. Nurkic's backup, Hassan Whiteside, chipped in 7 & 8, with his plus/minus of plus-13 ranking 2nd to only Lillard's plus-19 for the game. Defensively, Portland held the Lakers to 35.1 percent shooting from the floor, including and 15.6 percent from three-point range (5 of 32!).

A.D. had 28 & 11 and LBJ added his 24th career playoff triple-double (23-17-16) but LA's dynamic duo combined to shoot 1 of 10 on threes. LA's starters shot a combined 3 of 23 on threes. Kuzma, LA's only other consistent scorer during the regular season, added 14. LA's center combo of McGee and Howard (10 points / 13 rebounds) was outplayed by Nuric alone, not even adding in Whiteside's contributions. The Lakers' time in the NBA bubble has been nowhere near as intense as the Blazers'. The Lakers clinched the West's No. 1 seed back on Aug 3 and since that time, the Lakers are just 1-4 (0-5 ATS) and needed a Kyle Kuzma shot at the buzzer to capture their lone win.

Portland was a 'sexy' pick to upset the Lakers and after Game 1, the Blazers have LA's full attention. Portland has won SEVEN of its last eight games but during the Blazers' stay in Orlando, they never had to face the same team twice, much less face the same team in consecutive games. That changes here in Game 2. "It's one game," Lakers head coach Frank Vogel said. "I was pleased with our competitive spirit. We didn't make shots. ... I think we can shoot the ball better than we saw tonight." The Lakers CAN'T shoot any worse than in Game 1, right? I've never been completely 'sold' on this LA team but I'm "all over" them here in this bounce-back situation.

Good luck...Larry

My 8* Las Vegas Insider is on the Mil Bucks at 6:00 ET.

Orlando served up some 'Magic' on Tuesday, as the team shocked the Milwaukee Bucks 122-110 as 14-point underdogs. Center Nikola Vucevic scored a career playoff-high with 35 points plus added 14 rebounds. Guards Augustin and Ross combined for 29 points off the bench, as the Magic shot 49.4% as a team. Likely league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo had 31 points, 17 rebounds and seven assists but also had five turnovers (note: the Magic turned Milwaukee's 16 turnovers into 25 points) and was held without a FG in the game's final 11 minutes. Milwaukee shot poorly overall (43.3%), including 14-of-42 on threes (14-of-42).

The Bucks found themselves in the shadow of the opponent's home base even though they finished the regular season 23 games ahead of the eighth-place Magic but that's hardly an excuse. Milwaukee ranked third in the NBA during the regular season in field goal percentage at 47.6 and MUST shoot better in this one. Khris Middleton (20.9-6.2-4.3 in the regular season), usually Antetokounmpo's able sidekick, was held to 14 points on 4-for-12 shooting. Then there was center Brook Lopez, who after averaging 20.4 PPG in the bubble (on 48% shooting), made just TWO of nine shots (five points)!

Here's the rub. Already mentioned above is the fact that while Milwaukee went 56-17 on the season, Orlando was just 33-40. There is a HUGE gap in talent between these two teams, hence the double-digit pointspread. Milwaukee's been the NBA's best team in each of the last two seasons (went 60-22 last year) and losing streaks have been RARE! How rare? Beginning at the start of the 2018-19 season, the Bucks had gone a remarkable 29-1 SU and 23-7 ATS after a loss, BEFORE losing three straight right before the shutdown. 

Milwaukee seemed disinterested in the bubble, going 3-5. However, its Game 1 loss surely got the Bucks' attention. The Magic are in the WRONG place at the WRONG time. Lay the points.

Good luck...Larry

My 10* Situational Stunner is on the Phi 76ers at 6:30 ET.

The third-seeded Celtics prevailed 109-101 in the series opener against the sixth-seeded 76ers, led by Jayson Tatum (32 & 13) and Jaylen Brown (29). However, it was no 'walk in the park.' In fact, it was much to the contrary. Philly's Joel Embiid made a 22-footer on the first possession of the fourth quarter, as the 76ers took an 81-75 lead. However, Embiid (26 & 16) did not make a field goal over the final 11:36 of the contest, as Boston outscored Philadelphia 34-20 the rest of the way. 

The Celtics rotated fresh bodies on Embiid and will attempt to employ the same strategy here in Game 2. However, some bad news came Boston's way out of Game 1. Gordon Hayward (17.5-6.7-4.1 during the regular season) suffered a Grade III right-ankle sprain in the fourth quarter and is out for the rest of the series and could miss the next round as well if the Celtics get that far. Marcus Smart (12.9-3.8-4.9 in the red season will likely replace him in the starting lineup but that further weakens the Boston bench.

Smart scored just two points (0-5 FGs) off the bench in Game 1 and while Stevens used SIX bench players during the game, the group totaled a meager EIGHT points. In contrast, Philly's Alec Burks had 18 points off the bench, all by himself. Horford and Harris combined for 15 rebounds and 14 assists in Game 1 but shot a combined 9 of 22 from the floor (including 0-4 on threes), scoring a total of 21 points. That duo will HAVE to contribute more points but overall. The 76ers enjoyed a 50-43 advantage on the boards but the "deciding factor" in Game 1 was the fact the Celtics committed just SEVEN turnovers, compared to the 76ers' 18. Another nail-biter is expected and I'm taking the points. A Philly win would NOT be a surprise.

Good luck...Larry

 My 8* Las Vegas Insider is on the Ut Jazz at 4:00 ET.

The sixth-seeded Utah Jazz received 57 points from Donovan Mitchell, who set a Utah record for points in a playoff game, but lost to the third-seeded Denver Nuggets in game 1 of this first round series. Utah entered the 4th quarter with an 83-78 lead and still led by four (102-98) with about 4 1/2 minutes to go. However, the teams would head to OT tied at 115-all. Denver scored the first EIGHTpoints of the extra period and took Game1 by a score of 135-125.

Denver PG Jamal Murray dominated down the stretch. He scored 20 points on 8-of-10 shooting in the fourth quarter & OT, finishing with 36 points and nine assists for the game. Center Nikola Jokic finished with 29 points and 10 rebounds, attacking inside and outside, while getting the best of Rudy Gobert (17 & 7) in their individual matchup. Both teams are missing key pieces as they get set to square off in Game 2. Bojan Bogdanovich (20.2) was Utah's second-highest scorer this season but had surgery to repair a ruptured ligament in his right wrist back in May. PG Conely has had an erratic season (14.4 & 4.4 APG) but the Jazz miss him. He left the bubble for the birth of his son and is back but not yet cleared to play. As for the Nuggets, SF Barton (15.1-5.0-6.3) and SG Harris (10.4), the team's best perimeter defender, each have yet to play in Orlando (won't in Game 2, either).

Mitchell had 22 fourth-quarter points but also committed a costly eight-second backcourt violation in the final two minutes of regulation that ultimately ended up becoming the turning point in the game. "I kind of put a little bit on myself for that eight-second violation and then they come down and hit a three that really changed the entire game," Mitchell said. "But at the end of the day, we're not overreacting. It's one game. We got to go back out there and be ready for Game 2." I'm taking the points!

Good luck...Larry

My 10* PERFECT STORM is on the LA Lakers at 9:00 ET.

The Lakers enter their first round series with the Blazers as the top seed in the Western Conference but I'm sure most have heard "the chatter." The eighth-seeded Blazers, one of the hottest teams in the bubble and led by Damain Lillard (the bubble's most outstanding player), are a dangerous squad and a tough matchup for LA. The Lakers pretty much had the No. 1 seed locked up when they arrived in Orlando and the Lakers played like a team with nothing to prove. LA went 3-5 SU and a money-burning 1-7 ATS in their eight games! In contrast, the Blazers had work to do when they arrived in Orlando, needing to catch Memphis for the No. 8 seed, or stay within four games of the eight-seed, which would force a play-in.

Portland went 6-2 and was able to earn the No. 8 seed, when Memphis went 2-6. That forced a play-in situation in which the Blazers and Grizzlies met last Saturday. A Portland win would give them the final playoff spot, while a Memphis win would force a winner-take-all game on Sunday. Lllard continued his outstanding play last Saturday, scoring 31 points and adding 10 assists, as the Blazers made a Sunday game moot, with a 126-122 win. Lillard had averaged 51.3 points in his three previous games before Saturday, including a career-high tying 61 points in a win over the Dallas Mavericks on Aug 11. Backcourt partner McCollum, who has clearly been affected by a nondisplaced fracture in his back. added 29 points. Center Nurkic had missed all games in the regular season but the COVID-19 stoppage of play allowed him to return in Orlando. He averaged 17.6-1.3-4.0 as Portland went 6-2 plus added 22 points and 21 rebounds in Saturday's seed-clinching game with Memphis.

The Lakers are led by the dynamic duo of A.D. (26.1 & 9.3) and LBJ (25.3-7.8-10.2) but BOTH played erratically in LA's 3-5 effort. LA's only other double-digit scorer this season has been reserve forward Kyle Kuzma (12.8 & 4.9) but Dion Waiters, who was signed prior to the bubble, has averaged 11.9 PPG in 23.5 MPG here in Orlando. The Lakers have started McGee (6.6 & 5.7) with Howard (7.5 & 7.3) coming off the bench at the center position and the combo has been 'quietly' effective.

I have my doubts about LA's ability to "win it all" but after basically 'sleep-walking' through the team's first eight games, I expect A.D. and especially LBJ, to "put Portland in its place" in Game 1 of this series. "Lay it!"

Good luck...Larry

My 8* Las Vegas Insider is on the Mia Heat at 4:00 ET.

The No. 5 Miami Heat and No. 4 Indiana Pacers open a best-of-seven playoff series late Tuesday afternoon, after the teams split a pair of games in the NBA bubble. Miami recorded its THIRD straight win over Indiana with a 114-92 rout last Monday, before the Pacers finally bested the Heat with a 109-92 win on Friday that broke a tie for fourth place in the Eastern Conference. Much has been made of the Jimmy Butler and TJ Warren feud but one can't seriously think it will have an effect on the outcome of this game, or the series!

Warren earned a spot on the All-Bubble first team after averaging 31.0 PPG in the Pacers' eight games since the restart but he had nowhere near that level of success in three games against the Heat this season, shooting just 11-for-31 overall (35.5 percent), including 3-for-11 on three-pointers (27.3 percent), while averaging just 10.3 PPG. What's more, Warren has a foot injury and has been listed as questionable for this contest. If that were NOT enough, Domantas Sabonis (18.5 & 12.4) has not played in Orlando (he is out indefinitely with plantar fasciitis) plus Oladipo (14.5) and Lamb (12.5 & 4.3) are less than 100% (not sure on their status).

The Heat enter this series in much better health, led by swingman Jimmy Butler (19.9-6.7-6.0) and big man Adebayo, who has come into his own this season (15.9-10.2-5.1). veteran PG Dragic (16/2 & 5.1 APG) is joined on the perimeter by undrafted rookie Nunn (15.3), who is set to return for the first time in Orlando (Spoelstra says he'll come off the bench). Rookie guard Herro, 13th overall pick out of Kentucky, has had a solid first season, averaging 13.5 & 4.1 APG). SF Duncan Robinson played just 15 games last season (3.3 PPG in about 11 minutes) but has been a regular this season, averaging 13.5 PPG. SF Jae Crowder, acquired in Feb from Memphis, has given Miami 11.9 & 5.4 in 20 games (28 MPG). 

Erik Spoelstra is a playoff-tested head coach and quite frankly, he brings the better team into this series. Take Miami to win Game 1, "with room to spare!"

Good luck...Larry

My 10* Playoff Opener is on the Bos Celtics at 6:30 ET.

The Celtics and 76ers 'tipped off' their respective seasons back on Oct 23, with the 76ers taking care of the Celtics 107-93. It was a nice confidence-builder for Philly, as the Celtics had gone 7-2 SU & 8-1 ATS in their previous nine meetings with Philly. Now, almost NINE months later, the two longtime rivals open against each other in a #3 (Boston) vs #6 (Philadelphia) first round series from the Orlando 'bubble.' Al Horford joined Philly (from Boston) in the off season and the 76ers did win THREE of the four meetings with Boston this season, seemingly turning the tide. However, this series will take on a different complexion in the playoffs, as Philly's All-Star guard Ben Simmons (16.4-7.8-8.0) has been sidelined following knee surgery.

Is the loss of Simmons that BIG of a deal? Not all think so. Here's what Boston head coach Brad Stevens noted. "In the games that Simmons hasn't played, they're the No. 1 offense in the league," said Stevens. "The spacing, the shooting around [Joel] Embiid posting, the ability to play big with both Embiid and Al (Horford). ... A bunch of shooters around them makes them very tough." The 76ers went 4-4 during the seeding portion of the NBA season restart, ending on a 2-3 stretch in the games without Simmons. Still, as Stevens alluded to, the team surpassed 100 points in each of those contests, with Horford slotting into the starting lineup in a bigger look. Embiid's a stud (23,0 & 11.6), Harris (19.6 & 6.9) is an excellent SF and Horford (11.9-6.8-4.0) has always been more valuable than his stats indicate.

The Celtics have two young stars (superstars?) in Jayson Tatum (23.4 & 7.0) and Jaylen Brown (20.3 & 6.4). Both have had "career years" in the 2019-20 season, while the FA signing of PG Kemba Walker (20.4 & 4.8 APG) has been HUGE. No one in Boston misses Kyrie. Gordon Hayward (17.5-6.7-4.1) is playing like he did three years ago and Marcus Smart (12,9-3.8-4.9) has become a team leader, as well as the team's best defender. Boston's center duo of Theis (9.2 & 6.6) and Kanter (8.1 & 7.4) don't get much respect, but they make up a solid combo.

Don't include me as one who buys into the theory of Philly being better off with Simmons. As for Boston, the Celtics were pretty much 'locked into' the No. 3 seed when the restart began but played well in 'the bubble.' They lost their first game to the Bucks 1189-122 (note: game was tied with 1:30 left) but then went 5-1 over their next six, including FOUR straight, before resting their starters in a 96-90 loss to the Washington Wizards on Thursday. I'm laying the points!

Good luck...Larry

My 10* Game of the Week is on the Mem Grizzlies at 2:30 ET on Saturday.

The NBA season resumed back on July 30th in an Orlando 'bubble.' Each team would play eight games and those W/L records would be added to each teams' record as of the shutdown. A typical 16-team playoff season would follow, as all teams would be seeded 1 through 8 based on their overall record, with a lone exception. If the 9th-seed finished within four games of the No. 8 seed in either conference, those two teams would meet in a "play-in" situation. The No. 9 would need to beat the No. 8 seed  in back-to-back games to earn the final playoff spot, while the No. 8 seed would need to win only once. Win Game 1 and that would end things, or win Game 2, if needed.

The 'battle' for the West's final seed saw the Grizzlies begin the restart with a record of 32-33, which gave them a 3 1/2 game edge over the 29-37 Blazers. The Kings and Pelicans were each 28-36 (also 3 1/2 games back), while the Spurs checked in at 27-36 (4 games back) and the Suns at 26-39 (6 games back). Most expected the Blazers to be the biggest challenger to Memphis and Portland did go 6-2 in Orlando. However, the surprising Suns 'ran the table,' going 8-0. Memphis struggled right from the start in losing its first four games and SIX of its first seven but the team's 119-106 Thursday night win over Milwaukee guaranteed the Grizzlies at least the No. 9 seed. Phoenix routed Dallas 128-102 on Thursday and awaited the result from Portland's game with Brooklyn. Portland could claim the No. 8 seed with a win but the Blazers would miss the postseason with a loss. The Blazers eked out a 134-133 win, leaving the Suns out of luck despite their 8-0 record in Orlando (Memphis claimed the final spot with the same record as Phoenix due to its 3-1 record over the Suns on the season). 

That sets the stage for Saturday's game and Portland can claim the West's final playoff spot (and a date with the Lakers) with a win. Lose, and the teams meet again on Sunday, in a winner-take-all scenario. The Blazers are led by the dynamic backcourt duo of Lillard and McCollum. Lillard's been brilliant, averaging 37.6 PPG in Orlando, including 51.3 PPG over Portland's last three games. McCollum is averaging 20.1 PPG but his play has clearly been affected by a nondisplaced fracture in his back. The Blazers went 53-29 last season and made it all the way to the West Finals, before getting swept by the Warriors. However, Portland was suffering through a disappointing season filled with injuries and bad breaks, along with sloppy, inconsistent play. However, the COVID-19 forced break allowed the return to health of center Jusuf Nurkic and PF Zach Collins. Nurkic's been excellent (17.6-10.3-4.0) and Collins (6.3 & 7.1), steady. The real surprise in Orlando has been Gary Trent Jr, who owns a career average of 7.6 PPG, but has averaged 16.9 PPG  in Orlando.

Memphis went just 2-6 in the bubble, often struggling. The loss of Jaren Jackson Jr. (the team's second-leading scorer) really hurt but the team's 3½-game cushion heading into the restart helped keep them in the playoff race. Facing elimination with a loss on Thursday, the Grizzlies played their best game in Orlando. Ja Morant (12-13-10) and Jonas Valanciunas (26-19-12)  became the first Grizzlies teammates to record triple-doubles in the same game, while shooting guard Brooks scored a team-high 31 points in the win over the Bucks. Morant has averaged 19.0-5.6-9.9 in the bubble, Brooks 20.1 PPG and Valanciunas 15.3 & 11.5.

Conventional wisdom says Portland will advance (needs just ONE win, while Memphis must win TWICE) and Lillard has surely been Orlando's brightest star. However, Memphis beat Portland 111-104 in the teams' only regular season meeting and when these two teams tipped off against each other in the Orlando 'bubble,' Portland eked out a 140-135 win in OT. I'm taking the points and would not even be a little shocked if Memphis forced a game on Sunday!

Good luck...Larry

My 10* Seeding Decider is on the Mem Grizzlies at 4:05 ET.

All the postseason matchups in both conferences are set with the exception of which team will face the West's top-seeded Lakers in the first round, after the completion of Wednesday's games. The 34-39 Portland Trail Blazers currently own the No. 8 seed but the 33-39 Memphis Grizzlies, the 33-39 Phoenix Suns (perfect 7-0 in 'the bubble') and  the 32-28 San Antonio Spurs (looking to reach the postseason for the 23rd consecutive season) all still have a chance to compete in the play-in series to determine the eighth spot in the West entering Thursday's pivotal slate of games. The Grizzlies, a woeful 1-6 in the bubble, are the FIRST of the above four teams to take the court on Thursday (4:05 ET), as they face the Milwaukee Bucks. Memphis holds the ninth-seed in the West, a half-game behind Portland and technically tied with Phoenix but the Grizzlies own a tie-breaker advantage over the Suns. As for San Antonio, the Grizzlies are percentage points ahead of the Spurs, .458 to .457. If Memphis wins, the Grizzlies will earn at least the  No. 9 seed and if Portland loses, would earn back the No. 8 seed. The Grizzlies can also earn an invitation to the play-in series in the ninth position even with a loss, if both the Suns AND Spurs also lose on Thursday. If nothing else, the Grizzlies do control their own fate. 

The 56-16 Milwaukee Bucks own the NBA's best record and have had little motivation here in the bubble. The Grizzlies will not see likely MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo in this must-win game, as he will serve a one-game suspension after he head-butted Washington's Moe Wagner following an offensive foul and verbal exchange in Tuesday's 126-113 win. Truth is, Milwaukee would have likely rested him in this meaningless game and head coach Mike Budenholzer just may play his other starters very little, as well. Jaren Jackson Jr, the Grizzlies' 2nd-leading scorer, tore the meniscus in his left knee earlier in the bubble and is out for the season. Still, Ja Morant, Dillon Brooks, Jonas Valanciunis and Grandon Clarke are all double-digit scorers.

ONE win and Memphis gets to play on. That's the bet. Good luck...Larry

My 10* Las Vegas Insider is on the Den Nuggets at 9:05 ET.

The Los Angeles Clippers can clinch the West's No. 2 with a win tonight over the Denver Nuggets (Denver is currently the No. 3 seed). However, Kwahi Leonard has said it matters little if LA is the No. 2 or No. 3 seed heading into the NBA playoffs. "There's really no homecourt advantage, no fans out there, no travel," said Leonard, according to the Los Angeles Times. "I definitely think the healthiest teams usually win it all. Guys that have the full roster, have a good bench. Hopefully we can get everybody back and if we can get a rhythm going with the guys that are here that usually play, then we'll see what happens." It's hard to argue with his logic. The 47-23 Clippers hold a 1 1/2-game lead over the Nuggets with two games remaining, while Denver is 1 1/2 games ahead of the 44-26 Houston Rockets, who own the No. 4 seed.

The Clippers are just 3-3 in the Orlando 'bubble,' after losing 129-120 to the Nets on Sunday (LA allowed the rag-tag Nets to shoot 55.3% from the floor). George sat out that game, while Kawhi had 39 points. Under these circumstances, one never knows when Kwahi or George will play. Maybe George will play and Kwahi will sit. We KNOW that PGs Shamet and Beverley remain out and that while PF Montrezl Harrell (18.6 & 7.1 has returned to the bubble, he won't play against the Nuggets because he is being quarantined, Harrell could return for Friday's regular-season finale against the Oklahoma City Thunder, coach Doc Rivers said.

The Nuggets last played Monday night, losing 124-121 to the Lakers, when Kyle Kuzma made a three-pointer with 0.4 seconds left in the game. "I couldn't be more proud of our group," Denver coach Michael Malone told the media after the game. "I thought we played extremely hard. That's the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. The fourth time we've played them. Every game has been a battle, it's gone down to the wire. For us to sit our starters that whole fourth quarter and to have the guys on the bench out there giving them all they could handle and lose a heartbreaker is always tough but (I'm) just so proud." EIGHT Denver players scored in double figures, led by reserve guard PJ Dozier with 18 points and forward Michael Porter Jr, who finished with 15 points on 6-of-6 shooting.

Porter has "come into his own" here in Orlando, averaging 23.8 & 11.2. SF Barton (15.1 & 6.3) and SG Harris (10.4) remain out but PG Murray has returned the last two games to average 18.5-8.0-5.5. Then there is center Jokic (20.7-6.7-8.5). Denver knows it will almost assuredly have to beat both LA teams to reach The Finals and after that hard-luck loss to the Lakers on Monday, I like the Nuggets' chances here. Especially getting almost a 'TD.'

Good luck...Larry

My 10* PERFECT STORM is on the Tor Raptors at 6:30 ET.

The Bucks (55-15) have clinched the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference for the second season in a row, despite uneven play in the 'bubble' (Milwaukee is just 2-3 SU and ATS). The Raptors lost Friday for the first time since the season restart (122-100 to the Boston Celtics) but they rebounded Sunday afternoon with a 108-99 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies to clinch the No. 2 seed in the conference at 50-19 (4-1 SU & ATS in the 'bubble.'). Milwaukee has been the East's best regular season for the last two seasons but the Raptors ARE the defending champs and have given every indication that they are ready to make a run at back-to-back titles.

How much can this game really mean to Milwaukee? The Bucks have won the two previous meetings between the teams this season, 115-105 at home on Nov 2 and 108-97 at Toronto on Feb 25. There is no denying the Bucks have struggled at times since the restart, as if not for a 'miracle' comeback vs Miami last Thursday, the Bucks would be just 1-4 ATS. Meanwhile, the Raptors sport a terrific seven-man rotation with guards Lowry, VanVleet and Powell plus frontcourt players Siakam, Anunoby, Gasol and Ibaka. In particular, VanVleet (19.4-4.2-6.8) has been outstanding.

Giannis Antetokounmpo should win his second straight MVP award (he's spectacular) but he's listed as probable due to a toothache (DON'T downplay that!). Either way, I'm "all over" Toronto with the points in this one!

Good luck...Larry

My 10* Weekend Wipeout is on the Por Blazers at 6:35 ET.

The Philadelphia 76ers are 42-27, which currently leaves them as the East's No. 6 seed. However, they are just a halg0game back of Miami and Indiana, which are tied for the No. 4 seed. The bad news for Philly is that Ben Simmons suffered a dislocated left kneecap during Wednesday's victory over the Washington Wizards. Philadelphia announced that he will undergo a procedure to remove a loose body from the knee. There wasn't an immediate timetable announced but it's likely that the 76ers won't see Simmons on the floor again until the 2020-21 campaign. Portland suffered a costly 122-117 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday, even though Kawhi was rested by LA. The loss drops them 1 1/2 games behind the Memphis Grizzlies (currently eighth-place team in the West). Just as much of a concern is that the Blazers are just a half-game ahead of the San Antonio Spurs and Phoenix Suns plus one game in front of the New Orleans Pelicans for the play-in berth (9th-seed).

Yes, Portland is playing the second of back-to-back games but ALL the motivation lies with them. This is almost a "must-win." A victory for Portland would be HUGE, as Memphis is playing Toronto (Grizzlies are 7-point underdogs) plus the Spurs and Pelicans are playing each other (one team HAS to lose). Portland has seen the return from injury of two key performers. Center Jusuf Nurkic is finally back on the court and he's averaged 19.6-11.4-4-5.2 in five games. Also, PF Zach Collins is back, averaging 7.0 & 7.4 in about 27 minutes per game. Portland relies heavily on one of the NBA's best backcourts in Lillard and McCollum but don't dismiss the contributions of Carmelo Anthony. He's been a HUGE surprise all season. Then there is second-year pro Gary Trent Jr, who has a career average of 7.5 PPG, but is averaging 20.6 PPG "in the bubble."

Damian Lillard scored 22 points but was taking blame for Saturday's loss. He missed two free throws with the Blazers down by one with 18.6 seconds left and was off the mark with a three-pointer that could have tied the score with 9.5 seconds to play. Lillard tied his franchise record with 11 three-pointers and scored 45 points in Portland's 125-115 win over the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night. Expect a HUGE game from him here and lay the 'short' price with Portland.

Good luck...Larry

 My 10* Game of the Week is on the Dal Mavs at 8:35 ET.

The Dallas Mavericks have lost THREE of their first four games in the Orlando 'bubble.' The team played three straight highly competitive contests (a 153-149 OT loss to Houston, a 117-115 loss to Phoenix and then a 114-110 OT win against SA), before getting blown out 126-111 by the Clippers on Thursday. The 41-30 Mavs are almost 'locked into' the West's No. 7 and their likely first-round opponent will be the Clippers (not exactly something to look forward to). The Milwaukee Bucks are an NBA-best 55-14, although they've played back-to-back 'curious' games. The Bucks lost 119-116 to the injury-riddled Nets on Tuesday, as 19-point favorites (the contest ranks as the NBA's largest point spread upset in 27 years and according to ESPN, teams favored by 19 or more had gone 49-2 SU over the past 30 years). They then fell behind by as many as 23 points to the Miami Heat on Thursday (Heat were without Butler and Dragic), only to come back to earn the 130-116 win (AND cover!). Milwaukee is just 2-2 since the season resumed.

A closer look into that loss to the Nets reveals that Giannis only played the first half as head coach Mike Budenholzer decided to rest some of his starters (no Milwaukee starter played more than 20 minutes against Brooklyn). Not sure I want to guess what Budenholzer's strategy will be these last four games, as the Bucks have wrapped up the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. As for the Mavs, they could sure use a confidence builder. Completing a two-game season sweep of the Bucks may be "just what the doctor ordered." Dallas ended Milwaukee's 18-game winning streak 120-116 back on Dec 16 on the Bucks' home floor. Revenge for Milwaukee? As noted above, do they really have any motivation for that? There hasn't been a better 'one-two punch' in Orlando than Doncic (32.8-11.0-9.8) and Porzingis (30.3 & 10.0) and I'm expecting another OUTRIGHT win. I had OKC plus-6 in that 105-86 of the Lakers on Weds and Boston plus-3 in its 122-100 win over Toronto, last night. Good things always come in threes!

Good luck...Larry

My 10* Eastern Conference Game of the Month is on the Bos Celtics at 9:05 ET.

The Toronto Raptors had won four straight when the NBA season was shut down due to COVID-19 and have added THREE straight wins in the Orlando 'bubble.' The Raptors' seven-game winning streak is an NBA-best and Toronto (49-18) takes on the 45-23 Boston Celtics Friday night, knowing a win will clinch the East's No. 2 seed. The Celtics are 2-2 in Orlando but have won two of the three meetings with the Raptors this season.

The Celtics last played on Wednesday, routing the under-manned Nets,149-115. Boston shot 56.8 percent from the floor, including making 20 of 39 three-point attempts. SEVEN players scored in double digits, a group which didn't include PG Kemba Walker. Walker sat out to rest his sore left knee but is expected to play against Toronto. With Walker playing, Boston features five double-digit scorers, led by Jayson Tatum (23.3 & 7.0)

Toronto has SIX players averaging in double digits, led by Pascal Siakam (23.3 & 7.5). Toronto is currenting receiving excellent production from guard Fred VanVleet, who scored a career-best 36 points in Monday's 107-103 win over the Miami Heat and followed that up with 21 points and 10 assists in Wednesday's victory over Orlando. A concern could be PG Lowry, who was 2-for-9 shooting effort against Orlando and leaving him 4 of 17 from the floor over the past two games (just 22 points), after scoring 33 points (along with grabbing 14 rebounds) in Toronto's 107-92 rout of the Lakers. 

I'm really starting to 'warm' to the idea that Toronto has a legitimate chance at repeating as NBA champs this year (minus Kawhi) but I don't like them here. I noted that Toronto can clinch the East's No. 2 seed with a win but practically, the Raptors have already clinched the No. 2 seed. The only way for Toronto to NOT earn the No. 2 seed would be to lose each one of its final FIVE games, while the Celtics win each of their remaining FOUR. Not happening! For me, the motivation edge here is with Boston, who could take the series (3-1) from Toronto with a win and give them some extra confidence in a possible matchup with the Raptors in the Eastern semis.. Any points are just a bonus!

Good luck...Larry

My 10* Western Conference Game of the Month is on the Por Blazers at 8:05 ET.

The Denver Nuggets are 2-1 since the restart after earning a 132-126 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday. The victory gives them a 45-23 record, just a half-game back of the Clippers for the West's No. 2 seed. The Nuggets are right back on the court tonight, taking on the Portland Trail Blazers, who are also 2-1 in the NBA's Orlando 'bubble.' Portland is off an impressive 110-102 win over the Rockets on Tuesday and with Memphis losing all FOUR of its games since the restart, find themselves just ONE game back of the West's No. 8 seed.

Denver returned to play missing THREE key starters and I'm not sure when any of them will return. PG Murray (18.8 & 4.8 APG) has a hamstring problem, SF Barton (15.1-6.3-2.7) has a knee issue and SG Harris (10.4) is bothered by his hip. Jokic (20-4-10.1-7.0 on the season) is 'the center of attention' (pardon the pun) but the team's 'hero' has been Michael Porter Jr. The PF had just 11 points in the team's 125-105 opening loss vs the Heat but he's scored 67 points and grabbed 27 rebounds in Denver's last two games (both wins).

While Denver has lost key players to injury, Portland has seen the return from injury of two key performers. Center Jusuf Nurkic is finally back on the court and he's averaged 22.0-12.3-4.3 in three games. Also, PF Zach Collins is back, averaging 7.0 & 7.0. Portland relies heavily one one of the NBA's best backcourts, Lillard (28.8-4.4-8.0) and McCollum (22.5-4.2-4.4) but don't dismiss the contributions of Carmelo Anthony. He's been a HUGE surprise all season, averaging 15.3 & 6.3. Then there is second-year pro Gary Trent Jr, who has a career average of 7.0 PPG, but is averaging 18.0 PPG "in the bubble."

Both teams have plenty to play for here but Portland is rested and the Blazers are still trying to secure a playoff berth (NOT the case with Denver). The Nuggets are 3-0 against the Blazers  this season and have won NINE of the last 10 meetings but the Blazers are way more healthy and again, are playing for their postseason 'lives!' Lay the small spot.

Good luck...Larry

My 10* Weekly Wipeout is on the OKC Thunder at 6:30 ET.

The Lakers clinched the top seed in the Western Conference with Monday's win over Utah and have little to play for these next five games (note: LA Lakers is in the playoffs for the first time since 2013). Meanwhile, the 41-25 OKC Thunder enter this game holding down the West's No. 6 seed, two games better than the Dallas Mavs (No. 7 seed). More importantly, the Thunder know that the fourth-seed is still in realistic reach, as the Rockets and Jazz are both 42-25, a half-game up on OKC. as well.

Anthony Davis has averaged 38 points, 10 rebounds and four assists in wins over the Los Angeles Clippers and Jazz but he had just 14 points (on just seven FG attempts) in LA's 107-92 loss to Toronto. LeBron James (24.4-8.0-10.4 on the season) teams with A.D. but only reserve forward Kyle Kuzma (12.5) has averaged more than 10 points on the season. Dion Waiters, a recent signee, has averaged 10.0 PPG in LA's three games of the restart but he's shooting just 40.7%, including 21.4% on threes.

OKC has no one in the class of A.D. and LBJ but while backup PG Dennis Schroder is missed (he left the NBA bubble for the birth of his second child Monday morning), the Thunder have been more than competitive with an NBA-best 41-25 ATS mark. Gilgeous-Alexander (19.4 & 6.0), Gallinari (19.2 & 5.4) and Paul (17.8-4.9-6.8) are all capable of "big nights" plus the center duo of Adams (11.0 & 9.4) and Noel (7.6 & 5.0) is at least the equal of LA's duo of McGee and Howard. The points are a bonus in this one, as I'm calling for an outright OKC win, just like what the Raptors did (see above).

Good luck...Larry

My 10* Situational Stunner is on the Bos Celtics at 6:30 ET.

The Boston Celtics and Miami Heat are both 1-1 in the NBA's restart, leaving the 44-22 Celtics 2 1/2 games up on the 42-25 Heat with only SIX games left on the schedule as the teams battle for the East's No. 3 seed. Boston last played Sunday, holding off Portland 128-124, in a game they once led by 24 points! Miami played yesterday afternoon and lost a tough one, 107-103 to Toronto. Miami lost the game from the three-point line, shooting just 14 of 45 (31.1%), while allowing Toronto to connect on 16 of 32 (50.0%).

Boston's best player, Jayson Tatum, was a brutal 2-of-18 from the floor in Boston's seven-point loss to Milwaukee last Friday but he rebounded to score 34 points plus add a career-high eight assists in the Sunday win over Portland. The third overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft has increased his scoring average in each of his three seasons; from 13.9 to 15.7 to 23.4. PG Kemba Walker is on a minutes-restriction as he fights his way back from a knee injury but had 16 points (19 minutes) in the loss to Milwaukee, then added 14 points in 22 minutes against Portland. Jaylen Brown added 30 points against the Blazers (had 22 vs the Bucks) and Gordon Hayward added 22. The Celtics' bench is led by guard Marcus Smart, who is one of the best defenders in the league and also averages 13.5 PPG. Backup Center Enes Kanter averages 8.1 points and 7.6 rebounds.

The Heat are led by the all-around talent of Jimmy Butler (20.2-6.6-6.1) but also have SEVEN more players scoring in double digits. That group is led by Bam Adebayo (16.2-10.4-5.1), an All-Star for the Heat this year, plus veteran PG Goran Dragic (16.2 PPG & 5.1 APG). Adebayo had a quiet game, producing 10 points and eight rebounds vs Toronto, while Dragic had 25 points, five rebounds and five assists.

It should be noted that Miami was 24-9 through the end of December but since the calendar moved  to 2020, has gone a pedestrian 18-16. I will also bring up the fact that the Heat are 5-6 this season without rest but 37-19 with at least one day between games. The Celtics are 2-0 against the Heat this season, winning 112-93 on Dec 4 and 109-101 on Jan 28. Boston takes a FIVE-game regular-season winning streak against Miami into this contest and extends it to SIX straight, giving them a 3 1/2 game lead for that No. 3 seed with just FIVE games remaining.

Good luck...Larry

My 8* Weekend Wipeout is on the Mem Grizzlies at 4:05 ET.

The 28-36 San Antonio Spurs beat the Sacramento Kings 129-120 on Friday but at just 28-36, realize that catching or at least staying within shouting distance of the West's No. 8 seed will be a tough 'road to hoe.' Of course, having Pop as one's coach, surely helps. DeMar DeRozan scored 25 of his 27 points in the second half to pace San Antonio to a win in its first official game back in action, as he scored 17 points in the fourth quarter, including 13 in the final 5 1/2 minutes. Memphis is the West's current No. 8 seed and lost its first game since the COVID-19 shutdown, 140-135 in OT. It was a ragged game that had 62 called fouls and five technicals, while Memphis allowed Portland to shoot 53.8%.

This is NOT "your father's Spurs" and Coach Pop is staring right at his first-ever losing season as a head coach. Aldridge (18.9 & 7.4) is out for the rest of the year, plus center Trey Lyles (6.4 & 5.7), who started 53 of 63 games, is lost for the rest of the way, as well (appendectomy). DeRozan (22.2-5.6-5.6) will be relied on heavily but I'm not sure we can expect Derrick White (10.6) to score 26 points again (it marked a season-high) vs Memphis. Veteran Rudy Gay (10.6) is a valuable player off the bench but his 19 points was almost double his season average. Then there is Lonnie Waller IV, who scored 16 points. Walker is in his second season and Friday played in just his 71st game (averages 5.1 PPG), making only his fifth start.

Rookie PG Ja Morant will likely win ROY honors and he scored 22 points and added 11 assists on Friday, Jarren Jackson Jr led the way with 33 points plus 6-8 rookie Clarke added 21 points off the bench. Veteran center Jonas Valanciunas scored 16 points and SG and Dillon Brooks added 15 points. This Memphis team has a scoring 'punch' that past editions rarely had, as evidenced by the fact that the Grizzlies tied the single-season franchise record of five games with 130 or more points that was set back in 2006-07.

Memphis is 32-34, giving them a 2 1/2 game lead over the Blazers and a three-game lead over the Spurs. Beat the Spurs here and get some help from the Celtics, who play the Blazers today, and Memphis could be 'smiling' by Sunday night. Memphis can't control what Portland does but I see then winning here "with room to spare!"

Good luck...Larry

My 10* NBA Game of the Week is on the Bos Celtics at 3:35 ET.

The Portland Trail Blazers edged the Memphis Grizzlies Friday night 140-135 in OT. The win ups Portland's record to 30-37 and leaves them 2 1/2 games behind the 32-34 Grizzlies for the last available playoff spot in the Western Conference. Portland's chase of Memphis resumes on Sunday, when the Blazers face the 43-22 Boston Celtics. The Celtics own the third-best record in the East but after losing Friday 119-112 to Milwaukee, aren't chasing anyone. With just seven games remaining, Boston trails Milwaukee by 10 1/2 games and Toronto by 6 1/2 games in the East. The Celtics' concern now is staying ahead of the 42-24 Miami Heat, who they lead by just 1 1/2 games for the third-seed.

Portland expects its guard duo of Lillard and McCollum to lead the way each game and McColum scored 33 points with Lillard adding 29 and nine assists in the OT win over The Grizz. The really good news was the return to play of 7-foot center Jusuf Nurkic, who played his first official game since March 25, 2019. He recorded 18 points, nine rebounds, a career-high-tying six blocks and five assists in 33 minutes as a starter. Starting PF Zach Collins also returned after being out since late October due to an injured left shoulder, adding nine rebounds, seven points and three assists in 37 minutes.

As for the Celtics, they fell behind 17-2 to the Bucks on Friday in a 119-122 loss. However, Boston closed the gap to just six at the half and entered the 4th quarter tied. The game was still tied with under 1 1/2 minutes left (107-all), but Milwaukee outscored Boston 12-5 to get the win and cover. All this, with Boston's best player, Jayson Tatum (23.3 & 7.1),  shooting just 2-of-18 from the floor (five points). All Star PG Kemba Walker had been out due to an injury to his left knee but scored 16 points in 19 minutes. Head coach Brad Stevens said Walker will still be on a minutes restriction against Portland but Boston will take another 16 points from Walker, here. Brown (22 & 4) and Hayward (17-9-6) both had solid games plus Boston guards Smart (23) and Wannamaker (14) each had strong games off the bench.

All games in the Orlando 'bubble' are neutral-site contests but it should be helpful to look at teams' road record before the stoppage of play. Portland was just 11023, while Boston was solid 20-12. Boston's a significantly better team and don't expect Tatum to go 2-of-18 again, or for Portland to shoot 53.8% as a team (Blazers are shooting 64.2% on the season). Lay the points with Boston.

Good luck...Larry

My 10* Las Vegas Insider is on the Tor Raptors at 8:30.

LBJ noted that finding a rhythm on offense might take time for the Los Angeles Lakers. One could say that was the case for the Lakers on Thursday, as they escaped with a 103-101 win over the Clippers. The Lakers shot only 39.0% from the floor, including 11-36 (30.6%) on threes. A.D. led the way with 34 points (eight rebounds), while LBJ (16-11-7) and Kuzma (16) were the only other Lakers in double digits. The win gives the Lakers a 50-14 record, while increasing their edge in the Western Conference standings to 6 1/2 games over the Clippers with only SEVEN seven contests remaining in the abbreviated regular season. Toronto is the defending champions and owned the league's third best record at 46-18, when play was halted in March. However, the Raptors are a distant second in the Eastern Conference behind the 54-12 Milwaukee Bucks. This contest marks Toronto's first game of the restart.

James scored the winning basket inside with 12.8 seconds left, converting after getting the rebound of his own missed shot. He also forced Paul George to miss a game-winning three-point attempt at the final horn. "I love having the ball in my hands late in the game, tie game, being down, being up," said James. However, he struggled on offense, shooting only 6-for-19 and committing five turnovers. LA is without starting PG Bradley, who opted out of the restart. His perimeter defense will be missed. The Lakers have gotten decent production from their two-headed center duo, as starter McGee averaged 6.8 & 5.8 and Howard adds 7.4 & 7.3.

The Raptors completed the last of three scrimmages last Tuesday, taking a 117-106 loss against the Phoenix Suns. Pascal Siakam led the Raptors with 17 points while Norman Powell added 14. Fred VanVleet finished with 13, and Kyle Lowry had 11 points and seven assists. Of course, the defending champs no longer have Kawhi (also, Danny Green signed with the Lakers as a FA) but the roster is loaded with quality players. More importantly, all are healthy and available for the restart. Up front it's PF Siakam (23.6 & 7.5), SF Anunoby (11.4) plus a center combo of Ibaka (16.0 & 8.3) and Gasol (7.6 & 6.3). Toronto's guard trio of Lowry (19.7-4.8-7.7), VanVleet (17.6-3.8-6.6) and Powell (16.4) match up favorably against ANY backcourt in the league.

The Lakers are off an emotional win over the Clippers and I see no reason for them to be laying points here vs the Raptors, who have beaten the Lakers 10 straight times! The Lakers last defeated Toronto back on Nov 30, 2014. Take the points!

Good luck...Larry

My 10* NBA Restart Opener is on the Sac Kings at 8:00 ET.

The Sacramento Kings and the San Antonio Spurs are two of the 22 teams playing in the Orlando 'bubble.' Just nine teams compete in the Eastern Conference, while tonight's participants are among 13 Western Conference teams still competing. The Kings are 3 1/2 games behind the Memphis Grizzlies for the final Western Conference spot while the Spurs are four out with just eight games to play. Catching the Grizzlies (currently the 8th-seed) is a stretch but both teams still have a chance to stay with four games of the 8th-seed, which could get them into a two-game "play-in" situation. San Antonio's task was harder with the news of power forward LaMarcus Aldridge being lost to season-ending shoulder surgery. The Spurs have made the playoffs in 22 consecutive seasons but will need a strong finishing kick to keep that streak alive. Meanwhile, the Kings are looking to avoid missing the playoffs for the 14th straight season and are currently in a virtual tie with the Portland Trail Blazers for the 9th-seed, a half-game up on the Pelicans and Spurs.

Sacramento PF Marvin Bagley III (foot) will miss the rest of the season but realistically, it's NOT a big deal. He averages 14.2 & 7.5 but has played in only 13 of the Kings' 64 games. More notably. PG De'Aaron Fox (20.4 & 6.8 APG) is ready to play after tweaking his left ankle earlier this month plus SF Harrison Barnes (14.7 & 4.8 ) recently rejoined the club after testing positive for COVID-19. Luke Walton has a VERY deep team and recently said that the Kings have fared better this season when Bogdan Bogdanovic (14.5) starts at SG, while Buddy Hield (19.8-4.8-3.1) comes off the bench. He's indicated that will again be the pecking order against San Antonio. SG Bazemore was a late-January pickup and in 21 games has averaged 10.3 PPG. Frontcourt depth comes in center Holmes (12.8 & 8.3) and PF Bjelica (11.9 & 6.4).

Popovich has indicated that with Aldridge out, veteran guard DeMar DeRozan (22.2-5.6-5.6) could see time at power forward. He would join center Jakob Poeltl (5.3 & 5.3) and the lineup arrangement would include PGs Dejounte Murray (10.7) and Derrick White (10.4) as starters along with SG Bryn Forbes (11.2). SF Gay (10. & 5.4) will be a valuable contributor but losing center Trey Lyles (6.4 & 5.7), who started 53 of 63 games, to an appendectomy is the kind of under the radar injury that will be a bigger than expected loss.

This is NOT "your father's Spurs" and Coach Pop is staring right at his first-ever losing season as a head coach. The Kings have won FOUR of their last five meetings with the Spurs and the reason is, they are the BETTER TEAM. Lay the 'short' price!

Good luck...Larry

My 10* West Coast Crusher is on the Por Blazers at 10:05 ET.

The 26-38 Phoenix Suns will visit the 28-37 Portland Trailblazers tonight. The Suns record is not much of a surprise but the Blazers, who last season reached the Western Conference Finals, have been a HUGE disappointment. Portland lost 123-11 last Saturday at home to the Sacramento Kings, its EIGHTH in the last 11 games. The Blazers are currently 4 1/2 game back of the West's No. 8 seed (Memphis), with New Orleans and Sacramento a half-game ahead of them. The Suns last made the playoffs in 2010 and have averaged 21.8 wins the previous four seasons.

The Suns beat the Blazers 127-117  in Phoenix last Friday and then toppled the Giannis-less Bucks 140-131 on Sunday. Aron Baynes (11.6 & 5.7) started both games in place of center Deandre Ayton (19.0 & 12.0), who is out with an ankle injury. He had 37 points and 16 rebounds in Friday's game with Portland and followed  with 24 & 7 vs the Bucks. Both SG Booker (26.1-4.1-6.5) and PG Rubio (12.9-4.6-8.9) are healthy and each had great games vs the Bucks. Booker registered 36 points and eight assists, while Rubio had 25 points, 13 rebounds and 13 assists for his seventh career triple double. However, SF Oubre, who's having a breakout season at 18.7 & 6.4, is out until April with a knee injury.

The Blazers own the outstanding backcourt duo of Lillard (29.0-4.3-7.8) and McCollum (22.5-4.1-4.3) plus center Whiteside (16.3 & 14.3) has done all that could have been expected of him. I'm NO big fan of 'Melo but the even he's been better than expected, chipping in 15.1 & 6.3. Recently acquired Ariza is a terrific defender and is averaging 10.5 & 4.7 in his 20 games with Portland. Why the Blazers continue to struggle is a mystery to me.

As noted above, the Suns just beat the Blazers last Friday and have now won two straight games against Portland but that's after losing the previous 11! With the Blazers off a home loss to the Kings and the Suns off an impressive win over the Bucks, I'm going "all in" on Portland in this one! After all, prior to beating the Blazers and Bucks, the Suns had gone just 3-12 ATS their previous 15 games.

Good luck...Larry

My 10* Game of the Week is on the Mem Grizzlies at 8:05 ET.

The Orlando Magic lost EIGHT of nine from Jan 22 through Feb 8 but Sunday's 126-106 win at Houston gave the Magic their SEVENTH win in their last 11 games. The Magic wrap up their four-game road trip tonight at Memphis with a 29-35 record, closing within just a half-game of the Nets for the East's No. 7 seed. maybe more importantly, the Magic are now 5 1/2 games clear of the East's playoff 'cut line.' Like the Magic in the East, the 32-32 Memphis Grizzlies are currently the No. 8 seed in the West. The Grizzlies took an 8-2 run into the All Star break but retuned from the break and promptly lost FIVE in a row. However, the Grizzlies welcome the Magic to the FedExForum having won FOUR of their last five.

The Magic are averaging a modest 106.2 PPG (28th) on the season but they have averaged 120.8 points during their last 11 games, reaching at least 120 on five occasions in that run. Center Nikola Vucevic (19.5 & 11.0) and PF Aaron Gordon (14.4 & 7.6) both produced double-doubles against Houston's "small-ball" lineup. It was Gordon's SIXTH double-double in his last eight games. SGs Fournier (19.8) and Ross (14.6) have produced all season (note: Ross has played in 62 of 64 games without a single start), while the PG position has been ably manned by Fultz (12.0 & 5.2 APG) and Augustine (10.3 & 4.6 APG).

Grizzlies center Jonas Valanciunas (14.7 & 11.1) scored 27 points and pulled down 17 rebounds for his sixth double-double in the last seven games on Saturday, as the Grizzlies beat the Hawks, 118-101. He's one of SIX Memphis players averaging in double digits on the season but TWO of those players are currently sidelined. 6-11 PF Jarren Jackson (16.9 & 4.7) and 6-8 SF Brandon Clarke (12.0 & 5.8) are both out and are not expected to return to late-March. Rookie PG Ja Morant (17.6-3.5-7.0), SG Brooks (15.6), Valanciunas and SG Josh Jackson (10.2 & 3.4) are the "healthy four" averaging double digits. Josh Jackson was the 4th overall pick of the 2017 Draft (Phoenix) but was traded to Memphis over the summer. He's spent most of the season in the G-League and has played in just 17 games since joining the team. However, he's averaged 17 points over the last four games, while the 6-10 Dieng (acquired from Minnesota) is averaging 7.5 & 6.7 in 20 minutes in his 11 games with Memphis.

The Magic are off a HUGE upset win over Houston and now play their FOURTH road game in the last seven days/ Memphis was just 33-49 last season but a victory tonight will match its win total from all of last season. "The Price is Right" for Memphis to get that 33rd win and COVER "with room to spare!"

Good luck...Larry

My 10* PERFECT STORM is on the Ut Jazz at 9:05 ET.

The Toronto Raptors made a magical run to the NBA title last spring but when the team's main 'magician' (Kawhi) left for LA, the Raptors were expected to struggle. However, that has NOT been the case, despite the fact that the Raptors have seen all of their best players miss double digit games to injury. Toronto won 15 straight (Jan 15-Feb 10) before losing its final game before the break at Brooklyn. The Raptors returned from the break to win two straight but the dropped back-to-back home games to the Milwaukee Bucks and Charlotte Hornets, before embarking on a FIVE-game road trip. Toronto lost at Denver to open the trip but have won THREE in a row as it visits Salt Lake City on the final stop of that trip.

The Utah Jazz won 19 of 21 games (16-4-1 ATS) from Dec 11 through Jan 25 but then lost FIVE in a row. Utah rebounded to go 4-0 right before the All Star break but returned from the break to lose FOUR in a row. A Feb 28th home win over the Wizards snapped that four-game slide and the Jazz then went out and won all FOUR games of a road trip, at Cleveland, New York, Boston and Detroit. The 41-22 Jazz currently hold down the West's No. 4 seed but they are just TWO games back of the 2nd-seeded Clippers. Getting back to Toronto, the 45-18 Raptors are still 7 1/2 games back of the Bucks for the East's top-seed but have opened a three-game lead on the 3rd-seeded Celtics and are 4 1/2 games ahead of the 4th-seeded Heat.

The Raptors received all but SEVEN of their points from the team's starting-five on Sunday, as they won 118-113 at Sacramento. Norman Powell (16.8) scored 31 points, Kyle Lowry (19.7-4.8-7.7) added 30 and Pascal Siakam (23.6 & 7.5) finished with 23 in the win over the Kings to lead the solid play of the first unit, while FIVE reserves continued a downward trend with a combined 2-of-14 shooting. The team has became a bit deeper with the return of center Marc Gasol (7.6 & 6.3), who missed the previous 15 games with a hamstring injury, plus guard Fred VanVleet (17.6-3.8-6.6) is expected back from a shoulder issue this week. Powell has strted in place of VanVleet, Ibaka (15.8 7 8.2) for Gasol and the team's fifth starter is SF Anunoby (10.8 & 5.4)

Bojan Bogdanovic followed up a rough game Friday at Boston by scoring 32 points on 12-of-18 shooting at Detroit, where Utah lost all of an early 22-point lead before surviving the stretch run. Donovan Mitchell added 25 points and is averaging 25.1 since the All-Star. Mitchell (24.4-4.4-4.2), Bogdanocvic (20.5 & 4.2) and center Rudy Gobert, a double-double 'machine' at 15.2 & 13.9, are the 'heart' of the jazz. PG Conley (13.9 & 4.3 APG) has NOT been as good as advertised but unsung players like swingman Ingles (9.6-4.0-5.2) SF O'Neale (6.1 & 5.2) have both played in all 63 games. Then there is Jordan Clarkson, who is averaging 15.8 PPG in 33 games since being 'rescued' from Cleveland.

The Raptors won 130-110 in Toronto back on Dec 1 but Raptors arrive in Salt Lake City off a game in Sacramento last night and will be playing their FIFTH road contest in a nine-day span. The Raptors led the jazz 77-37 in that Dec 1 game in Toronto and I have a 'feeling' the Jazz will remember. I'm "all over' the home team.

Good luck...Larry

My 10* Division Game of the Year (Pacific) is on the LA Lakers at 3:35 ET.

The LA Lakers are 48-13, 5 1/2 games better than the 43-19 LA Clippers. However, the Clippers are 2-0 against their Staples Center co-tenants, posted a 112-102 victory in the season opener on Oct 22 and a 111-106 win on Christmas Day. The Clippers have recorded an average margin of victory of 17.0 points in winning SIX in a row (longest active streak in the NBA) but the Lakers have won 10 of their last 11, after beating the NBA-best Milwaukee Bucks Friday night at Staples, 113-103.

The Lakers go as Davis and James go. A.D. (26.6 & 9.5) and LBJ (25.6-7.8-10.7) combined for 67 points in the win over the Bucks and on the season, only Kuzma (12.5 & 4.4) averages in double digits. The Clippers have their own "Dynamic Duo: in Kawhi (26.9-7.5-5.1) and Paul George (20.9-5.9-3.9). However, they also have two of the NBA's best bench players in guard Williams (18.8 & 5.8 APG) and PF Harrell (18.7 & 7.1). What's more, the Clippers recently added forward Marcus Morris at the trade deadline and PG Reggie Jackson on the buyout market. Morris has averaged 10.4 points in 10 games and Jackson 8.7 points and 3.6 assists in seven game.

The Clippers have the better all-around team but SO did Milwaukee on Friday. LBY and  A.D. have carried the Lakers to the second-best record in the NBA and as noted, lead the Clippers by 5 1/2 games for the West's best record. Like on Friday, the Lakers find a way!

Good luck...Larry

My 10* Total of the Week is on Ut/Det Over at 7:05 ET.

The Utah Jazz won 19 of 21 games (16-4-1 ATS) from Dec 11 through Jan 25 but then lost FIVE in a row. Utah rebounded to go 4-0 right before the All Star break but returned from the break to lose FOUR in a row. A Feb 28th home win over the Wizards snapped that four-game slide and the Jazz are in Detroit on Saturday, looking to extend their winning streak to FIVE row and to cap the team's a four-game road trip at 4-0. The Jazz are 40-22, which currently gives them the West's No. 4 seed, However, the West's No. 2 through No. 7 seeds are separated by just 5 1/2 games. There are NO playoff considerations for Detroit, which has lost NINE of 10 and checks in a 20-43.

Detroit's lineup has been decimated by injuries and the trade of center Drummond, who was sent packing along with his 17.8 PPG and 15.8 RPG. PG Derrick Rose was recently diagnosed with a Grade 2 ankle sprain and likely won't play again this season. Griffin (15.5 PPG) managed just 18 appearances before being lost for the season and Kennard (15.8) hasn't played since before Christmas. Those four make up Detroit's top scorers this season. Head coach Dwane Casey said he's encouraged by the effort he is receiving from the players. "That's one thing I love about this group, they compete and they are playing hard," Casey told reporters after Wednesday's 114-107 loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder. "We have a lot of growing up to do, and we have a lot of men in a lot of situations they have not been in before." Detroit erased a double-digit deficit in the second half, but Oklahoma City scored the last eight points. The Thunder shot 69 percent in the first half. "Our defense was probably the worst it's been since I've been here," Pistons coach Dwane Casey said. "The first three quarters were terrible. The fourth quarter, we made a muscle, came out and put our will into the game and played much better." Let me note here that Detroit has allowed an average of 113.6 PPG over its last seven games.

Switching to Utah, the Jazz have 20-point scorers in SG Mitchell (24.4-4.4-4.3) and SF Bogdanovic (20.3) plus a double-double 'machine' in center Gobert (15.3 & 13.9). They also have 'tons' of depth. In particular, Clarkson has averaged 15.8 PPG in 32 games since coming from Cleveland and will enter this game having reached double digits in 14 of the past 16 games. Mitchell and Bogdanovic shot a combined 5-for-24 from the floor in last night's 99-94 win at Boston, so EXPECT a bounce-back here.

Speaking of Boston, the Jazz have played the Celtics twice over their last six games. The other four games have been against the 19-44 Knicks, 17-45 Cavs, 23-39 Wizards and 25-38 Suns. That quartet closely resembles the 20-43 and let me note that those four finals averaged 236.3 PPG, more than 'THREE TDs' higher than the opening over/under number on tonight's contest! It's Goin' Over!

Good luck...Larry

My 9* "Best vs the Best Showdown Play is on the LA Lakers at 10:35 ET.

Reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo (29.6-13.8-5.8) has led the Bucks to the NBA's best record (53-9) and he'll lead his team into tonight's game at Staples Center against the LBJ (25.4-7.8-10.7) and A.D. (26.6 & 9.5)-led LA Lakers. The Lakers own the West's best record at 47-13 and enter having won NINE of their last 10 games. The Bucks enter having won SEVEN of eight and won the first meeting between the two teams 111-104 back on Dec. 19 in Milwaukee.

Antetokounmpo recorded 34 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists in Milwaukee's 111-104 home victory over the Lakers on Dec 19 and the Bucks are expecting the Lakers to be in "revenge mode!" Milwaukee PG Eric Bledsoe told reporters, "We beat 'em pretty bad. They're gonna try to come out strong, so we just gotta match their intensity." Bledsoe (15.3-4.7-5.4) and SF Middleton (20.9-6.3-4.1) make up Milwaukee's "Core 3" but the Bucks have many more regular contributors than the Lakers.

Outside of LBJ and A.D, the only other Laker in double digits is reserve forward Kuzma (12.6). LBJ had 21 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists in the first contest against Milwaukee, while Davis posted 36 points and 10 rebounds. However, LA's center duo of McGee (6.9 & 5.1) and Howard (7.8 & 7.6) combined for only six points and seven  rebounds!

I will NOT argue against the fact that the Bucks are the NBA's most complete team but as noted above, the Lakers have won NINE of 10 and have ben been able to put the tragedy of Kobe's shocking death, behind them. This could be a preview of the NBA Finals and LA could surely use a confidence-building win. That's my bet!

Good luck...Larry

My 10* Game of the Week is on the NO Pelicans at 8:05 ET.

Zion Williamson has only played 17 games but he's already one of the league's marquee attractions, averaging 24.0 & 6.8 (is shooting 58.2% from the floor, including 41.7% on threes). However, the Pelicans are just 8-9 in Zion's 17 games, and welcome Miami to New Orleans on a three-game slide. The 26-26 Pelicans have fallen FIVE games back of the Wst's No. 8 seed (Memphis is 31-31), plus THREE teams are between the Pelicans and Grizzlies. The Miami Heat lost to Minnesota to open a five-game homestand but the Heat rebounded to win the next four games. The Heat are now 40-22 and own the No. 4 seed in the East, 2 1/2 games up on Philly and three up on Indiana last in the tightly bunched Eastern Conference playoff race (Miami is 2 1/2 games back of third-seeded Boston).

Miami's big offseason acquisition was swingman Jimmy Butler and he's delivered, posting a line of 20.3-6.8-6.7. However, the Heat would not be where they are without the emergence of the 6-9 Adebayo (16.1-10.5-5.0), as well as the surprising contributions of undrafted rookie guard Nunn (15.7) and 6-7 second-year player Robinson (13.0). Also, the late addition of SF Crowder (13.2 & 6.0 in 11 games) has proven to be an excellent move.

The Pelicans got a quality 'haul' from the Lakers in the A.D. trade in Ingram (24.6-6.2-4.3), Ball (12.7-6.2-7.0) and Hart (10.2 & 6.4). Williamson joins that trio plus Jrue Holiday (19.7-4.8-6.9) and a solid group of role players. However, the Pelicans have struggled defensively during their three-game slide, allowing 129.3 PPG (does include an OT loss to Dallas).

The Heat own one of the NBA's best home record (27-4) but it's NOT good news that they needed to drain a franchise-record 22 three-pointers to edge 27-35 Orlando just 116-113 on Wednesday. Miami opens a quick two-game road trip tonight in New Orleans, having lost SIX of its last seven road games (1-6 ATS, as well). The LONE win and cover in that span came at NBA-worst Golden St (14-49). Pelicans badly need to win here and Miami should play the perfect foil.

Good luck...Larry

My 10* Weekly Wipeout is on the Sac Kings at 10:05 ET.

The Philadelphia 76ers own the best home record in the NBA at 28-2 but fell to 9-23 on the road with losses in the first two of their four-game trip, losing at Staples Center to the Clippers 136-130 on Sunday and to the Lakers 120-107 on Tuesday. Philly now takes a NINE-game road losing into Sacramento on Thursday to face a Kings team which has returned from the break to go 6-1 SU &ATS. The 76ers are losing touch with the top teams in the East but at 37-25, own the East's No. 6 seed, ( 1/2 games clear of the 7th-seeded Nets. As for the 27-34 Kings, they are in a virtual tie with the 28-35 Blazers, 3 1/2 games back of the West's No. 8 seed (Memphis). Lurking closely behind Sacramento are San Antonio and New Orleans.

Philadelphia is playing shorthanded on the trip with All-Stars Joel Embiid (23.3 & 11.8) and Ben Simmons (16.7-7.8-8.2) out with shoulder and back issues, respectively. What's more, SG Josh Richardson (13.9) sat out Tuesday with a concussion and is listed day-to-day. Sacramento is short two important big men in Holmes (13.1 & 8.5) and Bagley (14.2 & 7.5) but Sacramento in Tuesday's 133-126 win over Washington on Tuesday, SEVEN players scored in double figures, while the Kings shot 56.2 percent from the floor. PG De'Aaron Fox (20.4-4.0-6.7) and SG Buddy Hield (19.9-4.9-3.1) comprise a dominant backcourt, while SF Barnes (14.7 & 4.8), swingman Bogdanovich (14.4) and PF Bjelica (11.9 & 6.5) remain solid contributors. Let me also note that PF Harry Giles III (7.1 & 4.2) is averaging 14.5 points on 60 percent shooting over the last six games.

Philly is a current 'mess' away from home and comes into this game seriously, shorthanded (76ers are just 1-8 ATS during their nine-game road slide). The Kings squandered a 28-point lead before turning Washington away in a 133-126 final on Tuesday. Expect Sacramento to pull away for an easy win and cover in this one.

Good luck...Larry

My 10* Situational Stunner is on the Atl Hawks at 7:35 ET.

The Memphis Grizzlies won 15 of 19 before the All Star Game but returned from the break to go 0-4 SU & ATS in a four-game West Coast swing. The Grizzlies then lost at home to the Kings this past Friday, before snapped out of their post All-Star break 0-5 SU & ATS malaise in a big way on Saturday. Memphis had allowed 122.8 points in those five consecutive losses but held the best-in-the West Lakers to 40.9 percent shooting, in a 105-88 victory on Saturday. Memphis is back on the road tonight, as the 29-31 Grizzlies take of the 19043 Atlanta Hawks. The Hawks beat the Nets 141-118 on Friday and then the Blazers 129-117 on Saturday. It marked the first time in 12 tries this season that Atlanta won both ends of a back-to-back.

Memphis rookie Ja Morant (17.7-3.4-7.0) leads the team in scoring, followed by SF Jackson (16.9 & 4.7). SG Brooks adds 15.8 PPG, veteran center Valanciunas adds 14.6 & 10.9 and rookie SF Clarke adds 12.0 & 5.8. However, both Jackson and Clarke are currently sidelined until mid-March. Memphis has drafted well in the last three (Morant and Clarke in 2019, Jackson in 2018 and Brooks in 2017) but so has Atlanta. Young was the Hawks' top pick in 2018 and he's averaging 29.8-4.3-9.4. The 6-9 Collins was the team's first-round pick in 2017 and after missing all of November and most of December, he's now healthy and averaging 21.4 & 10.3. Hunter (12.6 & 4.3) and Reddish (10.0 & 3.7) were first-round picks in 2019. Hunter and Reddish are starting to live up to their potential. Reddish had a season-high 26 points on Friday against Brooklyn and Hunter scored 22 on Saturday against Portland.

Memphis is trying to hang onto the West's final playoff spot and enters Monday THREE games up over New Orleans, Sacramento and San Antonio, while Portland trails by four games. There are NO playoff aspirations in Atlanta but the Hawks enter this contest 8-2 SU in its last 10 games at State Farm Arena. The Hawks own home wins over playoff-bound teams the Clippers, 76ers, Heat and Mavs in this current run and I'm 'all over' them in this one.

Good luck...Larry

The Toronto Raptors made a magical run to the NBA title last spring but when the team's main 'magician' (Kawhi) left for LA, the Raptors were expected to struggle. However, that has NOT been the case, despite the fact that the Raptors have seen all of their best players miss from 11 to 20 games due to injury (more later). Tronto won 15 straight from Jan 15 through Feb 10, before losing at Brooklyn right before the All Star break. The Raptors returned from the break to win two straight but head to Denver after dropping back-to-back home games to the Milwaukee Bucks and Charlotte Hornets. The 40-19 Nuggets have been near the top of the Western Conference all season but have lost three of their last five games, including Friday's 132-103 loss at the Los Angeles Clippers. Denver never led, and the game wasn't competitive in the second half, prompting head coach Michael Malone to call his team's play 'soft!'

Toronto is 17-3 over its last 20 but at 42-17, still trail the 51-8 Bucks by NINE games in the East. There will be no catching Milwaukee, as the Raptors embark on a five-game road trip through the Western Conference. However, staying at No. 2 in the East is a "big deal" (Toronto is just one game up on Boston). The Raptors are on their first losing streak in over two months and look to avoid their first three-game slide since early December. Toronto features SIX double digit scorers and all but Anunoby (10.3 & 5.4) has double digut games (he's missed just one). Siakam (23.7-7.5-3.4) has missed 11 games, Lowry (19.2-4.8-7.7) has missed 12, VanVleet (17.6-3.8-6.6) has missed 11, Ibaka (15.9 & 8.) has missed 12 and Powell (15.5) has missed 20. Toronto got one player back but lost two more on Friday. Norman Powell reentered the lineup for the first time since suffering a broken finger on Jan 31 but guard Fred VanVleet sat out to rest a sore shoulder and forward Serge Ibaka missed the game with knee soreness (both players are listed as day-to-day). Center Marc Gasol (7.8 & 6.5) hasn't played since Jan 30 because of his left hamstring injury.

Denver has had its fair share of nagging injuries but currently, all hands are on deck. However, one couldn't tell by its Friday effort. Center Jokic is again leading the etam in scoring (20.8), rebounding (10.0) and assists (6.7). PG Murray (18.7-3.9-4.8), SF Barton (14.8-6.4-3.8), PF Millsap (11.8 & 5.8) and SG Harris (10.1) round out the starting lineup. Grant (11.7 & 3.6), Porter (7.8 & 4.3) and Plumlee (7.3 & 5.5) are the frontcourt reserves, while PG Morris (8.5 & 3.6 APG) helps out Murray and Harris in the backcourt. Jokic (25.5 & 10.0) and Murray (23.6) have both been outstanding in February and when healthy (that's the current status), the Nuggets' depth matches ANY team in the league.

Friday's effort was abysmal (I had the Clippers as my Game of the Month) but off that 'ugly' performance, I see them bouncing back in a big way. Denver proved it could handle the defending champs last season, winning both meetings vs the Kawhi version of the Raptors, as the Nuggets finished with the NBA's best home record (34-7). Denver has a 23-7 SU mark at the Pepsi Center this season and has covered SEVEN of its last 10 at home. Lay the points.

Good luck...Larry
 

My 10* LEGEND Play is on the Bos Celtics at 8:35 ET.

The Boston Celtics lost SIX of eight from Jan 6-18 but a 139-107 home rout of the Lakers on MLK Day jump-started a 14-3 run, a surge which has the 41-17 Celtics within a half-game of the Raptors for the East's No. 2 seed. The Celtics welcome the 38-20 Houston Rockets to the TD Garden Saturday night (ABC is on hand), looking to avenge one of three loses in their current 14-3 run. The Rockets beat the Celtics 116-105 at home on Feb 11, a victory that jump-started Houston's current five-game winning streak. The Rockets currently own the West's No. 4 seed but are within just 1 1/2 games of the Nuggets and Clippers, who are tied for the No. 2 seed (all three teams want that No. 2, thereby avoiding the Lakers until the conference finals.

When center Clint Capela got hurt (he's since been traded), head coach Mike D’Antoni went to a "small ball" lineup and it has worked well. James Harden (35.3-6.4-7.3) had 42 points, while Russell Westbrook (27.3-7.9-7.2) had 36 in that Feb 11 home win over Boston. These two former MVPs just a combined for 63 points on 24-of-40 shooting, 16 rebounds, 11 assists and five steals in a 140-112 drubbing of the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday. The switch to full-time small ball has had the most impact on Westbrook, who is averaging 33.2 points on 53.6 percent shooting since Jan 9 and is up to 47 percent shooting on the season, the best mark of his career. Eric Gordon (15.2) has only played in two of the team's last eight games (knee) and did not play on Wednesday (questionable, at best, for this one).

Boston features a trio of 20-point scorers in Tatum (23.3 & 7.0), Walker (21.8-4.1-5.0) and Brown (20.4 & 6.4). Hayward (17.1-6.6-4.1) seems fully healthy plus guard Smart (12.6-3.7-4.9) has developed into a team-leader plus is a terrific perimeter defender. The odd center combo of Theis (9.0 & 6.5 in 23 minutes) and Kanter (8.6 & 8.0 in 19 minutes) is working! Boston returned from the break with a four-game road trip and went 3-1 (4-0 ATS) without All-Star PG Kemba Walker, who is questionable for Saturday with a knee injury. Marcus Smart averaged 13.3 points and 6.3 assists while starting in Walker's place and has recorded multiple steals in each of the last three contests. Then there is Jayson Tatum, who is developing into a superstar. He averaged 34.5 points on 56.6 percent shooting on the team's four-game western swing.

The Celtics are on a 14-3 run and take the court having won SEVEN straight at home. That Feb 11 loss is fairly recent and while Harden and Westbrook combined for 78 points in that one, Walker and Tatum combined to make just 10 of 32 shots, including a miserable 1-of-13 night from beyond the arc. Walker is out but as noted above, Boston has "missed a beat." At this price, I'm "all in" on the Celtics in this one!

Good luck...Larry

My 10* Game of the Month is on the LA Clippers at 10:35 ET.

The 45-12 Lakers continue to hold onto the West's No. 1 seed. Tonight in Staples Center, the Lakers' two-closest competitors, the 40-18 Denver Nuggets (5 1/2 back) will take on the LA Clippers (6 1/2 back). Injuries have hampered both teams throughout the season but that hasn't prevented them from being among the leaders in the Western Conference standings. The Nuggets and Clippers both expect to be at full strength for their Friday night showdown in Los Angeles. The Nuggets have played without Paul Millsap, Gary Harris, Jamal Murray, Will Barton and Michael Porter Jr. for time this season but all are expected to play on Friday. The Clippers have been without Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Patrick Beverley for stretches this season as well, but that trio is "set to go," as are recently acquired Marcus Morris (from the NYK) and backup PG Reggie Jackson (from the Pistons).

Just like last season, center Nikola Jokic leads the team in scoring (20.8), rebounding (6.8) and assists (6.8). Joining him in a now-heathy starting lineup are PF Milsap (12.1 & 5.9) and SF Barton (14.8-6.4-3.8)  up front, plus PG Murray (18.9-3.9-4.8) and SG Harris (10.2) in the backcourt. Depth is a team strength with frontcourt players Grant (11.5 & 3.6), Porter (7.9 & 4.4) and Plumlee (7.3 & 5.5) plus guard Morris (8.5 & 3.6 APG). Guard Patrick Beverley (8.5-5.7-3.9) is back from injury (he’s also back up to his full minutes allotment) plus fellow guard Shamet (10.4) has proven himself to be a solid NBA player. PF Morris has averaged 11.7 PPG in his six games with LA and  scored 18 points, his most in six games since being acquired by the Clippers, in LA's last game. PG Reggie Jackson scored 12 points in 16 minutes in his third game with Los Angeles, as the team showed off its new depth.

These teams met back in Denver on Jan 12, with the Nuggets prevailing 114-104. However, George missed that game plus LA had yet to acquire Morris and Jackson. Gaining the No. 2 seed is huge, as that means avoiding the Lakers until the conference finals. Leonard and George 'drive the engine' but the Clippers now have the surrounding pieces to "state their case." Expect a 'BIG' statement, here!

Good luck...Larry

My 9* Situational Stunner is on the Mem Grizzlies at 8:05 ET.

The Memphis Grizzlies embarked on a four-game Western swing right after the All Star break and 'limp' home after going 0-4 SU and ATS. The now 28-30 Grizzlies have fallen 7 1/2 games back of Dallas (No. 7) but still lead the race for the No. 8 seed (final playoff spot), THREE games clear of Portland and New Orleans. Memphis hosts the Kings tonight and the Lakers on Saturday but then are back out on the road for SIX of its next eight games. The Kings opened Memphis four-game road trip by beating The Grizz 119-115 back on Feb 20 in Sacramento but saw a three-game winning streak end last night in a 112-108 loss at OKC. The Kings are 24-34, leaving them FOUR games back of the Grizzlies for the West's final playoff spot.

PG De'Aaron Fox (19.9-4.1-6.9) missed Thursday's game due to lower abdominal tightness, although he indicated postgame that he hopes to be in the lineup against the Grizzlies. Veteran Cory Joseph (6.4) started in Fox's place and handed out 11 assists, his second-best total this season. A healthy Fox and Hield (20.1-4.9-3.2) give Sacramento an impressive young backcourt duo, while Bogdanvich (14.4) can be counted on to provise consistent scoring on the perimeter. With Marvin Bagley III (14.2 & 7.5) and Richard Holmes (13.1 & 8.5) out of action, Harrison Barnes has helped take up the scoring slack for the Kings. He's proven to be a consistent scorer since leaving Golden St, first for Dallas and now for Sacramento (15.0 & 4.7). He had 32 points, including seven 3-pointers, in the win over the Grizzlies last week, then contributed 21 points to the win over Golden State on Tuesday and had another 21-point effort in Thursday's loss to Oklahoma City. Big men Alex Len (4.7 & 7.7), Harry Giles III (6.4 & 4.0) and Nemanja Bjelica (12.1 & 6.4) combined for 48 points and 28 rebounds while shooting a collective 18-of-27 from the floor in last night's loss.

Rookie PG Ja Morant (team's No. 1 pick in 2019 draft) is averaging 17.5 & 6.8 APG. Memphis chose the 6-11 Jarren Jackson in the 1st round of the 2018 draft and he averages 16.9 & 4.7. SG Dillon Brooks (15.3 PPG), while SF Clarke (also a 1st round pick from 2019, 21st overall) is averaging 12.0 & & 5.8. Veteran center Valanciunas (14.5 & 10.5) has really turned out to be a valuable addition. However, here's the rub. Jackson Jr. (knee) missed his second straight game and is still about 10 days away from being re-evaluated. Valuable reserve Brandon Clarke was lost to a strained right quad on the recent road trip and he is out indefinitely.

Both teams are 'hurting' to some extent (we are not sure Fox will play tonight) but this feels like a "must-win" for the Grizzlies, who will host the "Best in the West" Lakers, Saturday night (then play six of their next eight on the road). Memphis has been nearly unbeatable at the FedExForum since mid-December, going 13-2 SU and 12-3 ATS (80%). I'm backing the home team.

Good luck...Larry

My 10* PERFECT STORM is on the Ut Jazz at 10:35 ET.

The 40-17 Boston Celtics will likely never catch the Bucks in the East but the Celtics would 'LOVE' to earn the East's No. 2 seed and they enter this contest just 1 1/2 games back of the defending champion Raptors for that No. 2 spot. The Celtics conclude their post-All Star break four-game road trip with a visit to Salt Lake City tonight to face the 36-21 Utah Jazz. The Jazz have returned from the break to lose THREE straight games (all at home), coting themselves a spot in the West's top-four. The Jazz are currently the No. 5 seed and are just a half-game up on OKC (No. 6 seed) and 1 1/2 games up on Dallas (No. 7 seed).

The Celtics feature three-20-point scorers in Tatum (23.1 & 6.9), Walker (21.8-4.1-5.0) and Brown (20.4 & 6.4), with Haywood (the former Jazz player) close behind at 17.3-6.7-4.2. Marcus Smart (12.5-3.7-4.8) has become an important cog for this team, while Boston has made the center duo of the 6-8 Theis (8.8 & 6.5) and the 6-10 Kanter (8.6 & 8.0) work. Tatum takes the court averaging 36.0 PPG over his last five games, as he's matched his career high of 41 points and also had a 39-point outing during the stretch). However, All-Star PG Kemba Walker (knee) has missed the last three contests. Boston would love to get Walker back in the lineup for the first time on the trip in Utah, but head coach Brad Stevens noted Monday that his title-contending club would rather err on the side of caution with the veteran's sore knee.

The Jazz won 19 of 21 games (16-4-1 ATS) from Dec 11 through Jan 25 but then lost FIVE in a row. Monday's 131-111 loss to the struggling Phoenix Suns drew the following comment from SF Joe Ingles. "When you play the way we've been playing, there's a lot more bad than good right now," he said after the loss. "It's draining. ... It's just embarrassing." Hard to argue. All-Star SG Donovan Mitchell (24.3-4.3-4.3) scored 38 points against Phoenix but was lacking for answers after the latest subpar performance by his team. The 131 points allowed was the second-worst of the season by the Jazz, who compounded their issues by committing 20 turnovers. Utah, which began the season by holding its first five opponents under 100 points, has now allowed 12 of its last 13 foes to score in triple figures, including the last seven in a row.

Ok, so why the Jazz, here? We've seen this team go 19-2, 0-5, 4-0 and now 0-3 since Dec 11. Utah just has too much talent with Bogdanovich (20.6 & 4.2) and Gobert (15.5 & 14.3), not to mention Clarkson (16.3 PPG in 27 games with the Jazz), Conley (13.4 & 4.1 APG), Ingles (9.9-3.9-4.2) and O'Neale (6.0 & 5.2). Boston is playing its FOURTH game in six days and this one is "at altitude," off a game last night in Portland. Lay the points.

Good luck...Larry

My 10* Weekly Wipeout is on the Brk Nets at 7:35 ET.

The 24-32 Orlando Magic own the 8th and final playoff seed in the East, 3 1/2 games clear of the Washington Wizards. The Magic travel to Brooklyn Monday night to take on the 26-29 Nets, who own the East's 7th-seed, 2 1/2 games ahead of Orlando. The Magic easily handled the Nets 101-89 back on Jan 6 in Orlando but this contest marks the first of THREE meetings down the stretch between these two teams (note: Nets trail the 6th-seeded Pacers by 6 1/2 games).

The Magic turned their season around last year by going 20-9 down the stretch to earn an Eastern Conference playoff spot for the first time in seven years. Do NOT expect a similar finish from the Magic this season but as just noted, the Magic are currently inside the playoff 'cut line' with 26 games remaining. However, Orlando is trending in the wrong direction. The Magic were 20-21 in mid-January but entered the break having lost 10 of 14 and in the team's lone game since returning from the break, lost 122-106 at home to Dallas. Center Nikola Vucevic leads the team in scoring (19.1) and rebounding (10.8). Along with forwards Gordon (14.1 & 7.4) and Isaac (12.0 & 6.9), the Magic featured a strong frontcourt. However, Isaac has been ruled out for the remainder of the season (has not played since Jan 1). Fournier (18.8) has been the leading scorer on the perimeter and SG Ross has added 13.5 PPG, despite not starting any of the 54 contests he has played. A pair of solid PGs are former overall No. 1 pick Fultz (11.9 & 5.0 APG) and Augustin (10.4 & 4.6).

While the Magic are struggling (4-11 their last 15), the Nets are playing well despite the fact that PG Kyrie Irving (27.4-5.2-6.4) has been ruled out for the remainder of the season to undergo shoulder surgery. Kyrie last played on Feb 1 but the Nets have gone 5-2, since. Dinwiddie (20.8-3.5-6.7), LeVert (15.6-3.7-3.6) and Temple (10.2) make up a strong backcourt trio, while SFs Harris (13.8 & 4.3) and Prince (12.4 & 6.21) are solid NBA players. Allen (10.9 & 9.6) and Jordan (8.3 & 9.9) form an underrated center combo, as both are nearly pulling down 10 RPG despite only playing around 26 minutes and 22 minutes, respectively. Then there is guard Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, who led EIGHT players in double figures with a season-high 21 points at Charlotte on Friday, as Brooklyn posted its third win of at least 22 points since Irving left the lineup for good earlier this month (Nets routed the Hornets, 115-86!).

The Magic are just 4-11 since getting within one game of .500 on Jan 15 and own one of the league's worst offenses (104.9 PPG ranks 29th on the season), while averaging 103.5 points in those last 15 games. This contest begins a stretch in which the Magic will play SEVEN of their next nine on the road (Orlando is just 9-18 SU on the road, so far), while the Nets have won EIGHT of 12 since losing five straight games from Jan 14-23 (note that five-game stretch came against elite teams like the Jazz, the 76ers twice, Bucks and Lakers!). Looking more closely at the team's recent 12-game stretch, we find that the Nets have six wins over sub-.500 teams in this span and SEVEN victories by double digits! Brooklyn wins this one "with room to spare!"

Good luck...Larry

My 10* Game of the Week is on the Por Blazers at 9:05 ET.

The Portland Trail Blazers advanced to the Western Conference Finals last season but the current season has, to say the least, NOT gone well. The Blazers came out of the All Star break 3 1/2 games back of the final playoff spot in the West and lost Friday night 128-115 at home to New Orleans. All-Star PG Damian Lillard (29.5-4.4-7.9) suffered a groin injury in a loss at Memphis in the final game before the All-Star break and expects to miss a few more after sitting out Friday night. Portland has dropped its last three games overall and remains 3 1/2 games behind eighth-place Memphis in the West, as the Blazers welcome the Pistons to Moda Center. Detroit is sliding toward the bottom of the standings in the East with losses in FIVE straight and 11 of its last 13 (19-39 Pistons are 19-39, just THREE game better than the East-worst Cavs) and begins a four-game West Coast trip with this visit to Portland.

Detroit is in the process of a full roster rebuild. Detroit traded away former franchise center Andre Drummond (17.8 & 15.8) prior to the All-Star break and reached a buyout agreements with veteran PG Reggie Jackson (14.9 & 5.1 APG) during the break plus reached a buyout agreement with SF Markieff Morris (11.0 & 3.9) on Friday. PG Griffin (15.5 & 4.&) is out for the season and SG Kennard (15.8 & 4.1 APG) hasn't played since before Christmas and remains "a ways away" from a return, although he has progressed to taking some contact in practice, according reports in The Detroit News. That leaves Derrick Rose, John Henson, Tony Snell and Langston Galloway as the only healthy veterans drawing regular minutes.

With Lillard sidelined on Friday, Portland got at least 13 points from all FIVE of its starters, led by CJ McCollum's 27 points and 10 assists. However,  the Blazers allowed the Pelicans to shoot 53.6 percent from the floor. Gary Trent Jr. (7.0) started in place of Lillard and contributed 15 points The other  starters are McCollum (21.4-3.9-3.9), Whiteside (15.8 & 14.0), Anthony (15.2 & 6.6) and  Ariza.  Portland traded for Ariza (Sacramento) and he's been a solid addition, averaging 10.3 & 4.8 in 12 games (he's also an excellent defender).

Portland's goal is to stay afloat while Lillard recovers from a groin injury and if the blazers can't handle the Piston's talent-challenged lineup at home, the team may as well just as well 'wave a white flag.' The "Price is Right" even without Lillard against this Detroit 'JV' team.

Good luck...Larry

My 9* Situational Stunner is on the LA Lakers at 3:35 ET.

The NBA's two most decorated franchises renew their historic rivalry Sunday at Staples Center when the Los Angeles Lakers host the Boston Celtics. Boston and Los Angeles have 33 NBA championships between them and have met in the Finals a record 12 times. Both are once again title contenders, with the 39-16 Celtics sitting third in the Eastern Conference and the 42-12 Lakers leading the Western Conference. The Celtics hosted the Lakers back on Jan 20 (MLK Day) and broke out of slump that had seen them lose SIX of eight with a dominating 139-107 victory. The victory jump-started Boston's current 12-2 stretch, in which the Celtics have gone 10-4 ATS. Los Angeles has bounced back just fine from that loss and got back into action following the All-Star break with a 117-105 win over Memphis at home Friday night.

Boston's 127-117 win at Minnesota on Friday came without All-Star PG Kemba Walker (21.8-4.1-5.0), who recently received an injection in his ailing knee and had it drained (he will miss this one, as well). Gordon Hayward picked up plenty of the slack with 29 points while Daniel Theis broke out for career highs of 25 points and 16 rebounds. Tatum (22.5 & 7.0) and Brown (20.3 & 6.4) join Walker as 20-point scorers, while Hayward (17.6-6.7-4.1) is close to playing at "peak-level." Smart (12.5-3.6-4.8) has developed into a team leader, while Kanter (9.0 & 8.2) and Theis (8.7 & 6.4) have developed into a solid center duo.

Anthony Davis (26.7 & 9.3) has a calf issue but led LA with 28 points and seven blocks on Friday night. LBJ (25.1-7.7-10.7) ain't bad either (he had 32 vs the Grizzlies) but only Kuzma (12.5 & 4.4) joins that Dynamic Duo in double digits. That said, SIX Lakers are averaging between 7.0 and 9.6 PPG, including the solid center duo of Howard (7.7 & 7.8) and McGee (7.0 & 5.8) plus defensive specialist Bradley (8.7), who has reached double digits in FIVE consecutive games.

Four Celtics, Brown, Tatum, Hayward and Theis, each scored at least 25 points in Friday's 127-117 win at Minnesota, marking the first time since 1960 that four Boston players hit that mark in the same game. However, Minnesota is the NBA's worst ATS team 21-36-1 and has lost 16 of its last 17 SU. The Lakers are NOT the T-wolves and will surely want some "payback" from that 139-107 'spanking' back in Boston on Jan 20. Tatum, Walker and Jaylen Brown all scored 20-plus points in that one but as noted above, Walker will not play in this one. The Celtics held the Lakers to 43.8 percent shooting from the floor, 26.9 percent from three-point range, and forced 15 turnovers. LBJ was limited to 15 points (more than 10 below his season average) and A.D. had just NINE points, almost 18 fewer than his season average. Think those two are looking forward to this one? Lay the points.

Good luck...Larry

My 10* PERFECT STORM is on the Ut Jazz at 9:05 ET.

The San Antonio Spurs' 23-31 record is their worst at the All-Star break since the 1996-97 season, which just happens to be the last time they failed to make the playoffs. Pop's Spurs have made 22 consecutive postseason appearances (it's the longest active streak in any major North American pro sports league), winning FIVE titles but this year's team is clearly NOT "your father's Spurs!" San Antonio resides in 10th place in the Western Conference, 4 1/2 games behind the eighth-place Memphis Grizzlies, with the 9th-place Blazers one game up on the Spurs. San Antonio visits Salt Lake City Friday night to take on the 36-18 Utah Jazz. The Jazz are currently the West's No. 4 seed but sit just 1 1/2 games back of Denver, the West's No. 2 seed. The Jazz won 19 of 21 games (16-4-1 ATS) from Dec 11 through Jan 25 but then lost FIVE in a row. However, they rebounded right before the break with FOUR straight wins.

San Antonio has been led all season by guard DeMar DeRozan (23.0-5.7-5.2) and PF LaMarcus Aldridge (19.1 & 7.6). The Spurs don't feature the great depth of past San Antonio teams but guards Mills (11.7), Forbes (11.1), Murray (10.4-5.8-4.0) and White (10.2) plus SF Gay (9.5 & 5.3) are all solid NBA players. DeRozan missed the final two games before the All-Star break due to back spasms but practiced on Wednesday and indicated he was fine afterward. DeRozan has scored 20 or more in 22 of his last 25 games. PG Murray is averaging 18.7 points, eight rebounds and seven assists over his last three games.

While the Spurs didn't feature an All Star in Sunday's game, Utah SG Donovan Mitchell (24.3-4.3-4.3) and center Rudy Gobert (15.6 & 14.6) were both worthy participants. Bogdanovic (21.0 & 4.1) is having an excellent season, while role players Ingles (10.0-4.0-5.2) and O'Neale (5.9 & 5.2) are undervalued league-wide but NOT by the Jazz. Free agent PG Conley (13.5 & 4.2 APG) has been a disappointment but when Conley went down with an injury, Utah traded for Jordan Clarkson. He's been a HUGE addition, averaging 16.2 PPG in 24 games (think he misses Cleveland?).

Both teams have been San Antonio off since Feb 11 but while the Jazz resume play at home, the Spurs continue their annual "Rodeo Road Trip" in Salt Lake city, before completing the stretch of EIGHT straight road games in Oklahoma City on Sunday. The Jazz had won SIX of their past eight matchups but the host Spurs prevailed 127-120 on Jan 29, when Utah was in that five-game slide. The Jazz have been OUTSTANDING on the offensive end of the court, scoring 119.3 points per 100 possessions and face a San Antonio team that Popovich has described as being "defensively challenged." Spurs are allowing 114.5 PPG (2nd), reminding all again, this is NOT "your father's Spurs." Lay the points.

Good luck...Larry

My 10* Total of the Week is on Ind/NYK Over at 7:35 ET.

The Indiana Pacers knew Oladipo was not going to get back on the court until right before the All Star break. Oladipo finally returned on Jan 29 and the Pacers beat the Bulls 115-106 in OT, giving them a 31-17 record. However, the Pacers then lost their 1st SIX games in Feb, before ending that skid with an 118-11 win over Milwaukee on Feb 12 (note: Giannis didn’t play!). Indian comes out of the break at 32-23, 15 games back of the NBA-best Bucks. The No. 6-seeded Pacers are hoping to carry the momentum of beating Milwaukee into their final 27 games of the regular season but realistically, Indiana's best hope is to inch past No. 5 seed Philly (35-21) and No. 4 seed Miami (35-20) to earn a first-round bye. The Pacers visit MSG on Friday to face the NY Knicks, a team which has LONG ago shelved any postseason aspirations. It's true that the 17-38 Knicks have gone 13-20 SU since Mike Miller took over on an interim basis for David Fizdale in December (Knicks were 4-18 under Fizdale), but the rest of the season is more about player development and finding out if R.J. Barrett is the piece the team wants to build around for the future.

Here's the latest update on the Indiana star. Oladipo will be playing in his eighth game since missing a little more than a year with a ruptured quadriceps injury. In his first seven games, he averaged 25 minutes and did not play more than 29 minutes in any game (11.1 PPG on just 32.9% shooting). However, head coach Nate McMillan recently told reporters that doctors cleared Oladipo to start playing 32 to 34 minutes, which is on par with his career average of 33.1 minutes per game. Oladipo averaged 31.9 minutes and 18.8 points before getting hurt last season and two years ago, in his first season with the Pacers, averaged 23.1 points while playing 34 minutes. Also arriving with Oladipo from OKC in the trade for Paul George was PF Sabonis, who has developed into an All Star (18.3-12.5-4.8). The Pacers have OUTSTANDING depth with SF Warren (18.5) and PG Brogdon (16.6-4.7-7.3) playing a high levels. Then there are SG Lamb (12.9 & 4.4), center Turner (119. & 6.1) and SF McDermott (10.40 also averaging in double digits.

The Knicks traded away one of their top-two performers this season in SF Morris (19.6 & 5.4) at the deadline, leaving PF Randle (19.3 & 9.60 as the team's lone marquee plyers (and that's a stretch). As noted above, Barrett was the third overall pick of the 2019 draft and management will be;\looking closely at his performance the rest of the way (he starts the second-half averaging 13.6 & 5.1. Reggie Bullock signed with the Knicks in July of 2019 and underwent successful surgery on the next day for a cervical disc herniation. He debuted with the Knicks on January 1, 2020 and is averaging 9.8 PPG. PG Payton (9.7-4.7-6.9) has been decent plus PF Portis (9.4 & 5.3) and center Robinson (9.2 & ) have had their moments.

Indiana's six-game slide began back on Feb 1 with an 'ugly' 92-85 home loss to the Knicks, who were 11-point 'dogs. That defeat snapped a SEVEN-game Indiana winning streak in the series. The Pacers will play SEVEN of their next nine on the road and the team can't afford NOT to win road games against highly beatable teams like the Knicks. I like Indiana in the game but 'LOVE' the total to go over. The Pacers have gone over in EIGHT of their last 10 contests, averaging 115.6 PPG in NINE of the 10. The exception was that 85-point effort on Feb 1 vs the sad-sack Knicks. What's more, the Pacers have allowed 116.7 PPG in NINE of the last 10 games, with the anomaly again being the 92 points allowed against the Knicks on Feb 1. This one is Goin' Over!

Good luck...Larry

My 10* Game of the Week is on the Ut Jazz at 9:05 ET.

6-7 swingman Jimmy Butler was Miami's major off-season acquisition and his return to the floor at Golden St on Monday sparked the Heat's 113-10 win over the Warriors. The victory ended Miami's season-worst three-game losing streak, as Butler returned from missed two games with a shoulder injury to record 21 points and 10 rebounds. The 35-18 Heat play their final game before teh All Star break tonight in Utah, as they conclude a five-game road trip. The Jazz  won 19 of 21 games (16-4-1 ATS) from Dec 11 through Jan 25 but then lost FIVE in a row. However, they have rebounded with THREE straight wins and check in with the same record as Miami at 35-18. Both teams own the No. 4 seed in their respective conferences but while the Heat are 11 games back of the East's No. 1 seed (Bucks) the Jazz are only 5 1/2 games back of the West's No. 1 seed (Lakers). What's more, the Jazz are just 2 1/2 games back of the West's No. 2 seed, while the Heat are 4 1/2 back of the East's No. 2 seed.

Butler (20.5-6.8-6.2) has delivered as promised but he's far from the only player making significant contributions. The 6-9 Adebayo (16.0-10.4-4.9) has played in all 53 games (Butler has missed EIGHT), thriving after Whiteside left for Portland. Undrafted rookie Nunn (15.4) and the team's  No. 1 pick Herro (13.1 & 4.0) have both been important additions, while veteran PG Dragic has played almost exclusively off the bench to average 16.1 & 5.0 APG (he's missed 11 games, though). Trade deadline additions are Iquodola and Crowder but Iquodola needs to get in shape after not playing all season for Memphis. He's averaged 2.0 & 5.5 in 20 minutes per game in two contests. However, Crowder has been terrific in his two games with Miami, averaging 19.5 & 9.5.

Utah's "Big 3" are All Star guard Mitchell (24.3-4.3-4.3), SF Bogdanovich (21.0 & 4.1) and center Gobert (15.6 & 14.5). The signing of free agent PG Conley (13.5 & 4.2 APG) has not quite gone as hoped, as he's shot poorly and missed 21 games to injury. However, SG Ingles (10.2-4.1-5.1) and SF O'Neale (5.9 & 5.2) have each played in all 53 games, while regularly providing support. When Conley went down with an injury, Utah traded for Clarkson and he's averaged 16.0 PPG in 22 games (he's had 30 and 25, the last two).

This is tough spot for the Heat, as they are playing their FIFTH game in EIGHT days, and check in a modest 13-15 on the road (4-8 post-Christmas), compared to 25-2 at home.As for Utah, the Jazz ended their five-game slide with a pair of razor-thin wins (over Portland and Houston) but looked "back in form" Monday at Dallas, building a 21-point halftime lead before settling for a 123-119 road victory. The Jazz almost beat the Heat in Miami back on Dec 23 (lost just 107-104 as 4 1/2-point road underdogs) and should win "with room to spare" here vs Miami, a mediocre road team that has to be road-weary (see above).

Good luck...Larry

My 10* TV Game of the Month is on the Hou Rockets at 9:35 ET.

The Boston Celtics lost SIX of eight from Jan 6-18 but since Jan 20 have won 10 of 11, including SEVEN in a row. Boston trails Milwaukee by 8 1/2 games and has watched Toronto win 15 straight. The Celtics are currently 2 1/2 games back of Toronto and also 2 1/2 games up on No. 4 Miami. The Rockets lost FIVE of six from Jan 9-20 but rebounded with SEVEN wins in nine games, before losing their last two. The 37-15 Celtics and the 33-20 Rockets meet tonight in Houston with each team coming out on opposite ends of one-point decisions on Sunday. The Celtics won 112-111 at Oklahoma City, while the Rockets lost 114-113 at home to the Jazz, when Bojan Bogdanovic hit a three-point shot as time expired.

The Celtics have struggled through nagging injuries and are looking forward to the All-Star break but still have this game and a home contest with the Clippers on Thursday, still to go. Boston has plenty of offensive depth with All-Stars Jayson Tatum (22.2 & 6.9) and Kemba Walker (22.0-4.0-5.0) surrounded by Jaylen Brown (20.2 & 6.5) and Gordon Hayward (17.1-6.5-4.0). Center Daniel Theis (8.2 & 6.2) is backed up by Enes Kanter (9.4 & 8.4) plus guard Marcus Smart (12.2-3.5-4.8) drew praise from Walker. "Where do I start? He's just the ultimate competitor," Walker told reporters of Smart. "He definitely gets overshadowed. I think his offense gets overshadowed as well. He continuously just makes huge plays for us. He just does. Shots, stops, rebounds, blocks. He's incredible, man."

With center Clint Capela (13.9 & 13.8) sidelined, Houston has recently gone to a "small lineup," starting no player over 6-6. Houston then sent Capela to Atlanta around the trade deadline, while acquiring the 6-7 Covington from Minnesota. The extra space in the middle without a big man in the lineup is proving to be a benefit to PG Russell Westbrook (27.0-8.0-7.3), who led the team with 39 points on 18-of-33 shooting on Sunday. Westbrook, who shot 42.6 percent from the floor through the first 31 games, has scored 30 or more points in SIX of the last seven contests and is operating efficiently while knocking down 52.8 percent of his shots over his last 13 contests. Harden (35.2-6.5-7.3) still leads the NBA in scoring but went 2-of-13 from three-point range on Sunday but recorded a triple-double with 28 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Gordon (15.3) sat out Sunday and is day-to-day but the quartet of House (10.5 & 4.8), McLemore (10.3), Rivers (8.6) and Tucker (7.4 & 7.0) are solid contributors. Covington has made a significant impact in his first three games with Houston, averaging 12.3 & 6.0

This is Houston's final game before the break (won't play again until Feb 20) and the LAST thing the Rockets need is to return on a THREE-game losing streak. The "Price is Right" for a Houston win and COVER!

Good luck...Larry

My 10* PERFECT STORM is on the Dal Mavs at 8:35 ET.

The 34-18 Utah Jazz travel from Houston off their buzzer-beating 114-113 win last night in Houston, to take on the 32-21 Dallas Mavericks. The Jazz currently own the West's No. 4 seed, withe the Mavs trailing them by 2 1/2 games and holding down the No. 7 seed. This marks the second meeting (of three) between Dallas and Utah this season, as Jazz beat the Mavericks 112-107 on Jan 25 in Salt Lake City. Monday's game carries some long-term playoff implications for both teams, as a Utah win would earn Jazz a crucial tie-breaker over the Mavs.

Bojan Bogdanovic (20.9 & 4.1) nailed a three-pointer at the buzzer in a wild 114-113 win at Houston on Sunday. The highly-contested shot was launched several feet beyond the arc but ironically, it capped his lowest-scoring effort (eight points) of the season and was just his SECOND made shot in seven tries. "I wasn't supposed to be on the court, the way I was playing," he told AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain postgame. "The coaching staff, they believed in me. They gave me an opportunity to shoot a game-winning shot and I stayed confident." Jordan Clarkson scored 30 points for Utah off the bench, for his third 30-point game of the season and second with the Jazz. Clarkson has turned into the sort of instant-offense-providing sixth man that Utah lacked earlier in the season, as he's averaging 15.6 points in 22 games with the Jazz so far, while shooting 47.3 percent from the floor. All-Star Donovan Mitchell (24.3-4.3-4.3) scored 24 points, PG Mike Conley (13.5 & 4.2 APG) added 20 points and center Rudy Gobert (15.5 & 4.5) delivered yet another double-double (12 & 15).

The Mavericks will once again go without All-Star guard Luka Doncic (28.8-8.1-9.5), who has been out with an ankle injury for each of the last six games. Head coach Rick Carlisle indicated he would like Doncic to get into a game prior to the All-Star break, which leaves Wednesday's matchup with Sacramento at home as the last opportunity. The Mavericks have gone 3-3 without Doncic but rode the hot hand of Seth Curry, who hit his first 10 shots en route to 26 points, in Saturday's 116-100 win at Charlotte. Curry (11.3)  finished 6-of-8 from three-point range and is 15-for-24 from beyond the arc in three games this month, a stretch in which he is averaging 20.3 points in 25.7 minutes. Kristaps Porzingis (18.0 & 9.1), who averaged 35 points in his first three games following Doncic's injury, sat out Saturday's win due to a sore knee but is expected back for this one. Losing center Powell (9.4 & 5.7) for the season was a big blow to Dallas but maybe getting center Willie Cauley-Stein from Sacramento will work out. He is 12-of-14 from the floor over his last three games!

The Jazz won 19 of 21 games (16-4-1 ATS) from Dec 11 through Jan 25  but then lost FIVE in a row. Yes, they have rebounded with back-to-back wins (home to Portland and at Houston) but BOTH came in dramatic fashion. This is a tough spot coming off last night's buzzer-beating win and while the Mavs have been better on the road (18-8) than at home (14-13), I'm 'jumping all over' the Mavs in this one. Utah looked 'lost' for five straight games and I'm not 'sold' that two fortunate wins mean that the Jazz have straightened things out!

Good luck...Larry

My 9* Situational Stunner is on the Orl Magic at 7:05 ET.

The 15-29 Atlanta Hawks will be in 'Disney World' tonight to take on the 22-31 Orlando Magic. The Hawks are only 2 ½ games better the NBA-worst Golden State Warriors but they are 5-5 after pulling out a 140-135 victory over the New York Knicks in double overtime Sunday night (note: 5-5 is considered a 'winning streak' in Atlanta). Trae Young returned to the lineup for Atlanta after missing the previous game with an ankle injury and responded with 48 points and 13 assists Sunday, as the Hawks rallied from eight points down in the final 90 seconds of the first overtime. Orlando is NINE games under-.500 but remains in a playoff position due to the weakness of bottom nine teams in the conference. However, after Saturday's 111-95 home loss against the NBA-best Milwaukee Bucks, the magic have lost EIGHT of their last nine.

Some doubted Young's ability at the NBA level but it would be awfully hard to support that case now. Young upped his season average to 29.7 PPG after last night, plus he's adding 4.5 RPG and 9.1 APG. 6-10 forward John Collins missed all of Nov and didn't get back on the court until Dec 23 but he had 32 points along with 16 rebounds in the victory over the Knicks for his SEVENTH consecutive double-double, during which he has averaged 26 points and 13.1 rebounds (he's averaging 20.5 & 10.5 in 28 games). Rookie forward De’Andre Hunter (from UVA) added 19 points in Sunday’s victory and is now averaging 12.3 PPG, while guard Kevin Huerter is scoring 19 per outing in February (had 16 against the Knicks) and matches  Hunter at 12.3 PPG.

Center Nikola Vucevic recorded his second double-double in three games with 21 points and 14 rebounds against Milwaukee and leads the team in scoring (18.8) and rebounds (10.9). SG Evan Fournier has led the team in scoring for most of the season but now barely trails Vucevic at 18.6 PPG. PF Aaron Gordon scored just seven points (on 2-of-12 shooting vs  Milwaukee) after averaging 19.8 points in the previous four games, but is a dependable player at 13.7 & 7.3. Terrence Ross came off the bench to score 20 points on Saturday (he's played in 51 games without a start), upping his season mark to 13.7 PPG. PF Markelle Fults was the NBA's first overall pick in the 2017 draft but after some struggles, just may be a solid NBA player (he's averaging 11.7 & 4.8 APG this season)

Will former-Rocket Clint Capela (13.9 & 13.8 in 39 games) make the Hawks a better team? He won't be available to play until after the All-Star Game because of a right heel issue, so we'll need to wait awhile to find out. Here's what we do know. Orlando was nine games under .500 at this point last season but won 20 of 29 down the stretch to earn an Eastern Conference playoff spot for the first time in seven years. With the weakness in the bottom-half of the East, the Magic won't need to play that well to return to the postseason this season. However, the Magic will HAVE to improve on their recent play. Why not start here vs the Hawks, who enter this game in the second of a back-to-back set. The Hawks are 0-5 SU & ATS in the second of B2B games when playing that second game on the road and while it seems a little hard to believe, the five losses have come by an average margin of just over 20 points ATS!! Want more? Orlando has already lost TWICE to Atlanta this season! Lay the points.

Good luck...Larry

My 10* Non-Conference Game of the Month (East/West) is on the Por Blazers at 9:05 ET.

The 45-7 Bucks have led the East (the entire NBA, as well) right from the opening 'bell,' with FIVE teams trading places in the No. 2 through No. 6 seeds. However, Toronto's 14-game winning streak has seen the Raptors move two game ahead of the 3rd-seeded Celtics and four game up on the 4th-seeded Heat (34-17 Miami has also moved FOUR games up on the 6th-seeded Pacers). Many feel like the Heat made one of the bigger moves of the trade deadline by bringing in veteran forward Andre Iguodala from the Memphis, Iguodala won three NBA Championships with the Golden State Warriors before being traded to Memphis in the offseason and had sat out the first four-plus months of the season waiting to be traded. Miami will visit Portland Sunday night to take on a Blazers team struggling, after reaching the Western Conference Finals last season. Portland is just 24-29, leaving them 2 1/2 games back of Memphis, which holds down the eighth and final playoff spot in the West. Portland also sits EIGHT games back of the 7th-seeded Mavs and with less than 30 games remaining in the regular season, Portland's ONLY realistic postseason hope seems to be capturing the eighth-seed.

Tonight's contest is the Heat's third game of a six-game road trip. Miami is 22-3 at home but after losing at the Lakers and Kings to open this trip, are 12-14 on the road, going 11-14-1 ATS. All-Star swingman Jimmy Butler (20.5-6.8-6.7) is expected to miss his second straight game with a shoulder issue. The first without him didn't go well, as the Heat were outplayed in a 105-97 loss at Sacramento on Friday. Miami allowed the Kings to make 19 three-pointers after letting the Clippers knock down 24 in a 128-11 setback to begin the trip. Iguodala will go through practice on Saturday and shootaround Sunday before the team makes a determination about his status.Remember, he has NOT played a single game this season.

Portland's Lillard (29.8-4.3-7.9) has scored 40-plus points in SIX of his last nine games, including 42 points against the Utah Jazz on Friday. However, he came away from the game in a rage after a non-call on a clear goaltending in the closing seconds of a 117-114 loss. McCollum (21.4-4.0-3.8) joins Lillard to form one of the NBA's best backcourts but Portland just hasn't jelled this season. Former Miami center Whiteside (15.8 & 14.1) is a double-double machine' plus Anthony (15.2 & 6.6) has surprisingly (to me) played well.

I'm confused as to why Portland has struggled this badly but this is NOT a good spot for Miami. Butler is out and undrafted rookie Nunn (15.8) missed d three games in January due to an Achilles injury and while he has logged consistent minutes since his return, his shot has fallen off a cliff, making just 36.2 percent of his field goals and 33.3 percent of his three-point shots during his four February games so far. No. 1 pick Herro (13.1 & 4.0) sat out the last two games and is questionable, as are Solomon Hill and Jae Crowder, who arrived from Memphis in the Iguodala deal. Miami's road woes continue, as Lillard lead the Blazers to a win and COVER!

Good luck...Larry

My 10* Game of the Week is on the Ind Pacers at 8:05 ET.

Kawhi Leonard led Toronto to its first-ever NBA championship last season but left during the offseason for LA. The Raptors also lost starting SG Danny Green to LA (the Lakers) but head coach Nick Nurse has done a truly impressive job in leading this year's team to a 37-14 record, second to only the NBA-best Milwaukee Bucks in the East. The Raptors just hosted the Pacers on Wednesday and was outscored 43-18 in the second quarter to trail by 15 points at the half. The Raptors still trailed by 10 with 2:27 remaining but rallied to earn a 119-118 triumph, extending their winning to a franchise-record 12 consecutive games. Indiana shot 52.4 percent from the floor and knocked down 19 three-pointers but committed 19 turnovers, including one in the final 30 seconds that set up the Raptors to take the lead. Still, the 31-20 Pacers (current No. 5 seed) have had  a solid season plus the team's best player the last couple of years , Victor Oladipo, has finally returned to the court.

Pascal Siakam leads Toronto in scoring at 23.7 PPG (adds 7.7 RPG) but it was All -Star PG Kyle Lowry (19.7-4.6-7.3) who led the way on Wednesday, scoring 32 points with 10 assists. Serge  Ibaka (15.8 & 8.0), who is starting in place of injured center Marc Gasol (hamstring), went for a season-high 30 points on 13-of-21 shooting and is now is averaging 23.4 points over the last five games (he's averaging 18.9 points on 57.4 percent shooting in 18 starts on the season!). VanVleet (17.6 & 7.0 APG) has made Toronto fans easily forget Green while SF Anunoby (10.1 & 5.4) has had a solid season, until recently. He was held scoreless while missing his lone shot attempt Wednesday and scored in single digits in NINE of the last 10 contests. Areas of concern are the loss of sixth-man Norman Powell (15.3) to a broken finger and how long Gasol (7.8 & 6.5) will be out with his hamstring problem.

Wednesday's loss stung but the good news was that Indiana moved Victor Oladipo to the starting lineup for the first time since his return from quad tendon surgery last week. His shot remains a work in progress (was 5 of 14 on Wednesday / 24.5% overall, including just 18.5% on threes) but he did reach double figures for the first time in four games with 13 points (averaging 9.5 points in his four games back). All-Star forward Domantas Sabonis (18.3-12.6-4.3) showed off his wide range of skills with 15 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in the loss plus Malcolm Brogdon (16.9-4.6-7.3) broke out of a slump with 24 points on 10-of-14 shooting. Indiana's depth is impressive with guard Lamb (12.7) and center Turner (11.9 & 6.0) having been regular starters plus the following players contributing almost nightly. SF McDermott (10.6) plus PG McConnell (6.8 & 5.4 APG) are joined by the Holidays, with Aaron adding 10.2 & 3.5 and Justin adding 8.4 & 3.4.

The Pacers KNOW they let one "get away" on Wednesday (see above) but that almost HAS to be a great motivator in this quick turnaround. The Pacers would love to get TJ Warren (18.1) back from being in concussion protocol but as noted above, the Pacers' depth can carry the day. Note that when the Pacers hosted the Raptors back on Dec 23, they closed as 5 1/2-point favorites (won 120-115 in OT). Here, a SU win means an ATS one and the Raptors are OVERDUE for an "L!"

Good luck...Larry

My 10* Total of the Week is on Orl/NYK Over at 7:35 ET.

Full, detailed analysis by 11:00 ET Thursday morning.

My 10* Weekly Wipeout is on the Ut Jazz at 9:05 ET.

The 35-16 Denver Nuggets look to beat the 32-17 Utah for the second time in seven days when they visit Salt Lake City on Wednesday. Denver has won 11 of its last 16 games and rolled to an easy 127-99 home win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday. Utah had won 19 of 21 games from Dec 11 through Jan 25 but has suddenly lost FOUR in a row. The slide began with a 126-117 home loss to the Rockets on Jan 27 , when Houston was without Harden AND Westbrook. The Jazz then went 0-3 on the road, including that 106-100 defeat last Thursday at Denver.

Jokic is again leading the Nuggets in scoring (20.4), rebounding (10.1) and assists (6.8). He stood out against Portland last night with 29 points, 13 rebounds, nine assists and three blocked shots as the Nuggets posted their second-largest margin of victory this season. PG Jamal Murray (17.6-4.1-4.6) returned from a 10-game absence because of an ankle injury to contribute 20 points and six assists in only 20 minutes. PF Paul Millsap (11.9 & 5.8) remains out, as is reserve PF/C Plumlee (7.7 & 4.0 in about 17 minutes). While Murray returned, the 6-8 Jerami Grant departed in the fourth quarter with an ankle and head coach Michael Malone said he was unsure if he will be available against the Jazz. Grant has been terrific of late, scoring double digits in 14 of his last 15 games, including 10 straight. The Nuggets could find themselves with a short bench, as Malik Beasley (7.9), Juancho Hernangomez and Jarred Vanderbilt were just traded to the Timberwolves.

Utah has dropped a season-worst four straight games and was blown out 124-107 in Portland on Saturday. "No need to panic but we've got to figure it out," Jazz All-Star shooting guard Donovan Mitchell told reporters. "It's a complete 180 to where we were about a week ago so we've got to lock in and fix it, otherwise it's going to be a (bad) All-Star break." Donovan Mitchell (24.6-4.2-4.3),  SF Bojan Bogdanovic (21.2 & 4.1) and center Rudy Gobert (15.6 & 10.8) have been terrific all season. PG Conley (12.9 & 4.1 APG) is back in the starting lineup plus Ingles (10.4-4.1-5.0) and O'Neale (6.1 & 5,20) have been solid riole players all season. Clarkson is averaging 14.9 PPG in his 19 games since coming over from Cleveland and has been an excellent addition.

Denver's in a tough scheduling spot traveling off last night's game, while the Jazz haven't played since Saturday. Not sure just how the Jazz have gone from going 19-2 SU and 17-4 ATS to an 0-4 SU & ATS skid but I'm laying the points with them here, as they had beaten the Nuggets THREE straight times prior to last week's setback (note: Clarkson scored a season-best 37 points in the recent meeting with the Nuggets).

Good luck...Larry

My 9* PERFECT STORM is on the Tor Raptors at 7:35 ET.

The 31-19 Indiana Pacers have finally gotten Victor Oladipo back but they are still trying to figure out how to run the offense. They had better figure it out quickly, as they visit 36-14 Toronto on Wednesday to face the Raptors, who own the NBA's longest active winning streak at 11 in a row. The Pacers have stayed competitive without Oladipo, as they currently own the No. 5 seed but they are starting to lose touch with Toronto, which is FIVE games ahead of them as the East's No. 2 seed (Pacers are 12 games back of the Bucks, plus 3 1/2 games back of the Celtics and Heat, who are tied for the No. 3 seed). Toronto has sure made do without Kawhi, plus has fought through injuries to Siakam, Lowry, Ibaka and VanVleet.

Oladipo is on a minutes restriction and is coming off the bench while trying to find his spots in an offense that had seven scorers averaging in double figures prior to his return. He's averaged8.3 PPG in three games, while shooting horribly (20.5%, including 14.3% on threes). Oladipo wasn't the only player struggling during Monday's 112-103 home loss to Dallas, as starting PG Malcolm Brogdon went 6-of-17 from the floor, after going 4-of-13 in a 92-85 loss to New York on Saturday.That said, Brogdon has played well on the season, averaging 16.7-4.5-7.4. Sabonis (18.3-12.7-4.6) has developed into an All Star but SF Warren (18.1) sat out Monday and is questionable while in the league's concussion protocol (not good news for the Pacers).

The spot for a high-scoring, strong-shooting sixth man is open with Norman Powell (15.3) going down with a broken finger last week and Terence Davis (7.7 & 3.4) took his turn as the scoring star with a career-high 31 points on Sunday, as Toronto rolled over the Chicago Bulls 129-102. Toronto matched the franchise's longest winning streak with that triumph (note: the Raptors have won 11 straight games twice previously in franchise history: Feb 26-Mar 16, 2018, and Jan 6-30, 2016). Guards Lowry (19.4-4.5-7.3) and VanVleet (17.8 & 7.0 APG) have been excellent, while Siakam (23.7 & 7.6), Ibaka (15.5 & 8.0) and Anunoby (10.3 & 5.4) have played so well in the frontcourt  that the loss of Kawhi has been FAR from devastating.

The Raptors are averaging 120.7 points and shooting 50.4 percent from the floor, including 39.7 percent from three-point range during their 11-game winning streak. I guess Toronto has to lose sometime but why should it be here vs the Pacers, a team the Raptors have won 11 straight regular-season home games against?

Good luck...Larry

My 10* Situational Stunner is on 7:05 ET.

The Golden State Warriors ended a five-game losing streak with Saturday's 131-112 victory at Cleveland. The performance brough back memories of the team which went to FIVE straight NBA Finals and won three championships in the last five seasons. SEVEN players scored in double figures in a balanced effort, as Golden State shot 53.3 percent from the floor and totaled 39 assists on 48 made field goals, while knocking down 18 three-pointers. However, the reality is that the win was just the 11-39 Warriors' SECOND in their last 16 games! The 17-31 Washington Wizards are not much better than Golden St but the Wizards have picked up wins in each of their last two games, improving to .500 at home (11-11) with a 113-107 in over the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday.

Forward Draymond Green (8.4-6.3-6.2) is the lone key player remaining from the team's recent championship core and he matched a career high with 16 assists on Saturday, while adding seven rebounds. However, while Green has been a major part of Golden State's success the last five season, he thrives with talent around him, which this team can't provide with its current make-up. D'Angelo Russell (23.8 & 6.3 APG) is the team's top-producer these days, while Burks (15.8 & 4.7) is the team's second-leading scorer, mostly off the bench. SF Glenn Robinson III (12.7) and guard Damion Lee (11.7 & 5.1) combined to go 17-of-24 from the floor on Saturday but expecting this team to put together a string of good outings has proven to be a 'bridge too far' this season.

Washington guard Bradley Beal (28.8-4.5-6.3) was miffed about not being included on the All-Star team when reserves were announced on Thursday and  he's responded with 34 points, nine rebounds and nine assists in a win over Charlotte the night before scoring 34 again in Saturday's triumph. Beal got plenty of help against the Nets, with the team's four-man bench crew of Thomas Bryant (17 points), Davis Bertans (11), Ish Smith (11) and Troy Brown (eight) combining for 47 points. That quartet is better than most think, as Bertans averages 14.9 & 4.6,  Bryant 12.9 & 7.4, Smith 11.0 & 4.6 APG and Brown 10.6 & 5.8. More good news comes Washington's way in that rookie  PF Rui Hachimura (13.9 & 5.8) sat out the last 23 games with a groin injury but is practicing with the team and could return Monday.

I have mostly stayed away from Golden St games this season but I'll "get involved" here. The ONLY time the Warriors have posted back-to-back wins this season was their four-game winning streak From Dec 20-27. It was right after that, when the Warriors began their recent 2-14 SU run. Note that ALL four of the Warriors' wins in that four-game win streak came at home and  Golden State had lost 10 in a row and 16 of 17 SU as a visitor prior to winning Saturday at Cleveland. Don’t  look  now but Washington is 6-1 SU & ATS in its last seven at Capital One Arena. What's more, Beal has backed some strong words about not being selected among the Eastern Conference reserves by scoring 34 or more points in SIX straight games, a run in which he's averaged 38.2 PPG, the second-best clip in the NBA behind Damian Lillard's historic 48.8. Never thought I'd say this but lay the points with the Wizards against the Warriors!

Good luck...Larry

My 10* PERFECT STORM is on the Hou Rockets at 2:05 ET.

The New Orleans Pelicans lost 13 straight games from Nov 23 through Dec 17 and sat at 6-22. However, the Pelicans head to Houston on "Super Sunday" having gone 14-7 (16-4-1 ATS) since snapping that 13-game slide and at 20-29, find themselves within 'shouting distance' of the West's No. 8 seed (4 1/2 games back). You may have heard the "Zion the Great' made his much-anticipated NBA debut on Jan 22 and in his first five games, has averaged 19.2 & 7.8. New Orleans lost his first two games but the Pels are 3-0 SU & ATS the last three times out, averaging a whopping 129.0 PPG.

The Houston Rockets were an NBA-best 65-17 in the 2017-18 season but won 12 fewer games last season, going 53-29. Houston enters this contest 30-18, which puts them on a pace to win 51 games this season.The Rockets lost four in a row from Jan 14-20 but have won four of six while dealing with Harden's shooting slump and some nagging injuries to center Clint Capela. Houston received a combined 67 points, 22 rebounds, 15 assists and seven steals from former MVPs Russell Westbrook and James Harden in Friday's 128-121 win over Dallas. That contest began a three-game homestand but while Harden continues to lead the NBA in scoring at 35.6 PPG, he's fallen shy of that mark in SEVEN straight outings.

Zion Williamson has the look of a player who could win multiple MVPs one day and New Orleans outscored Memphis by 25 points while Williamson was on the court Friday. However, the good news coming out of New Orleans in NOT just about Zion. The Pelicans have to be thrilled with the three Lakers they got for A.D. SF Ingram (24.9-6.3-4.3) has been the team's best player from Opening Day, while PG Ball (11.9-4.7-5.9) continues to improve his game and SG Hart (10.5 & 6.2) has been a steady player. Holiday (20.0-4.8-6.4) was already an established All Star plus FA addition Redick is doing what he does best. He's averaging 15.6 PPG, while shooting 46.7% on threes. Then there are PG Moore (9.9), center Favors (9.8 & 10.0 in 30 games) and rookie PF Hayes (8.4 & 4.5).

Is the Harden (35.6-6.4-7.20 and Westbrook (26.5-8.0-7.4) pairing going to allow Houston to "take the next step?" The early call would have to be, "not likely." Gordon is back healthy and averaging 16.0 PPG plus center Capela (13.9 & 13.8) has been VERY good. The Rockets have quality role players in House (10.3 & 4.1), McLemore (10.1), Rivers (8.6) and Tucker (7.5 & 7.1). Capela (heel) sat out Friday's game vs Dallas and head coach Mike D'Antoni started a small lineup that featured nobody taller than 6-6. Houston became the first NBA team to play a game without a player listed taller than 6-foot-6 since the Knicks in a Jan 31, 1963, loss to the Chicago Zephyrs. "You've got to hunker down and let's go and get in front of guys,"  D'Antoni told reporters of the mindset with a height disadvantage. "If we do that and we get conscientious about boxing out and getting back, we could make this lineup pretty good." Capela's expected to miss Sunday's game, so the Rockets could opt to go small at center with the 6-6 P.J. Tucker or go with 7-0 rookie Isaiah Hartenstein (5.1 & 3.4 in 20 games, averaging 12 1/2 minutes).

I'm really no fan of D'Antoni, Harden or Westbrook but that has NOTHING to do with "picking games!" I realize that New Orleans has covered the first three meetings this season with Houston , despite losing the first two SU, but "my gut" says the hype on New Orleans is 'growing' too fast. The Pelicans have played FOUR of Zion's first five games at home and the lone road game came at sad-sack Cleveland (win there means little). This is a BIG showcase and test, playing on ABC on "Super Sunday." The former MVPs should "come up big" here, vs "Zion the Great" and his talented cast. I'm laying the points.

Good luck...Larry

My 10* Game of the Week is on the Bos Celtics at 8:35 ET.

Boston had Philly’s number the past couple of years and won another three of four last season. The teams met way back on Oct 23 at Philly, with the Celtics taking a 7-2 SU & 8-1 ATS run the last nine meetings against the 76ers. However, what a difference a year can make. Philadelphia beat Boston 107-93 in that season-opener for both teams and has since beaten them twice more, 115-109 in Boston and 109-98 at Philly, despite playing without Embiid.Philly goes for the series sweep tonight in Boston, with the Sixers checking in at 31-18 (No. 6 seed) and the Celtics at 32-15 (No. 3 seed). All East teams are chasing Milwaukee but the FIVE teams from the No. 2 through the No. 6 seed in the East are separated by only 4 1/2 games.

Joel Embiid (23.3& 12.3) missed nine games with a finger injury (Philly went 6-3) but has shown no rust in two games since returning. He averaged 22.5 points on 63.0 percent shooting and 12.0 rebounds since coming back earlier in the week, as Philadelphia defeated Golden State at home but then fell 127-117 in Atlanta. PG Ben Simmons (16.6-7.7-8.3) joined Embiid as an All-Star selection Thursday, scored 31 points at Atlanta and finished January with an average of 22.2 points on 62.6 percent shooting. Embiid's return has been somewhat muted as SG Richardson (15.0 PPG) was diagnosed with a left hamstring strain and will be reevaluated in 2-to-3 weeks. However, Shake Milton (6.3 PPG in 16 games) had the best game of his career with personal bests of 27 points and six assists while making 5-of-9 three-pointers in the loss at Atlanta.. Power forward Al Horford (12.5-6.7-4.0) sat out vs the Hawks with a sore knee but he is expected to play tonight against his former team.

The Celtics dropped SIX of eight from Jan 6-18 but have won FIVE of their last six, after a 119-104 victory over the Warriors on Thursday. Gordon Hayward (17.2-6.3-3.9) scored 25 points and Jayson Tatum (21.5 & 6.9) marked his first career All-Star selection with 21 points as Boston improved to 19-5 at home. Tatum had missed the previous three games with a groin issue before going 7-of-14 in 24 minutes vs Golden State. PG Kemba Walker (22.0-4.0-5.) also made the All Star team but was added to the injury report Friday with left knee soreness and is questionable for tonight's game. Walker missed a game with the ailment earlier this month and  he was held to 13 points on 5-for-13 shooting in a 119-104 win over the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night. Reserve big man Enes Kanter (9.5 & 8.2) has a right hip contusion and could also miss. Theis (8.1 & 6.2) typically starts but Kanter is the more conventional center.

Figuring out injuries (how serious and who will or will not play) has become a daily challenge this year, along with the infamous "load management" issue. I've "passed on" games this season only to see a player listed as "doubtful" or even "out" play and play WELL! I'm done over-analyzing these things (it's been a GREAT season, so far!). After dominating Philly recently (see above), the Celtics are 0-3 against them this season. How CAN'T the play be on Boston here, which needs to prove it can beat the Sixers? After all, Philly is just 9-16 SU on the road this season, going 7-16-2 ATS. Walker or NO Walker, I'm on Boston.

Good luck...Larry

My free play is on the Hou Rockets at 8:05 ET.

The Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets are both 29-18, leaving them tied for 5th in the Western Conference, SEVEN games back of the top-seeded Lakers and three games back of the Clippers and Nuggets (tied for the second seed). The Mavs enter this game on a 2-3 run and will take on the Rockets without Luka Doncic, who did not accompany the team on the flight to Houston after spraining his right ankle in practice late Thursday. Houston followed a spirited, short-handed 126-117 win at Utah on Monday but then with both Harden and Westbrook back in the lineup on Wednesday, threw in a defensive clunker in losing 125-112 at Portland on Wednesday.

Dallas is looking to rebound from a shaky performance of its own, as it allowed a season-worst point total in Tuesday's 133-14 home loss to the Suns. Doncic (28.8-9.5-8.7) is having a Westbrook-like season and Porzingis (16.8 & 8.9) has thrived serving as a second fiddle to Donci. Hardway (14.1) been a consistent scorer plus Seth Curry is adding 10.6 PPG. However, the season-ending injury to center Powell (9.4 & 5.7) hurts. Willie Cauley-Stein made his team debut against the Suns on Tuesday but had four points and three rebounds in 12 minutes.

James Harden (35.7-6.2-7.2) is in a deep shooting slump. He returned from a two-game injury hiatus against Portland but went just 5 of 18 in the loss. He's now 69-of-210 (32.9 percent) from the floor over his last 10 appearances (Rockets are 4-6 in those games). Westbrook (26.3-8.1-7.4). Westbrook has scored 30-plus points in EIGHT of his last nine contests but the Rockets are just 3-9 in that nine-game span. Is the Harden/Westbrook combo really working? Shooting guard Eric Gordon (15.9) has been back healthy for awhile now but scored just eight points on 2-of-10 shooting in the loss at Portland, just two nights after erupting for a career-best 50 points in Utah.

Doncic missed four games in December with a sprain of the same ankle, with the Mavericks splitting the four contests. Porzingis averaged 22.5 points and 13.8 rebounds while blocking 2.8 shots during that stretch. However, Powell is lost for the season now and Hardway is listed as questionable with a bad back. I'm no fan of either Harden or Westbrook (not sold on the duo's meshing, either) but the Rockets will surely remember the Mavericks winning 137-123 at Houston back on Nov 24 (note: Doncic recorded 41 points and 10 assists in the victory). No Doncic or Powell plus maybe no Hardaway. I want no part of Dallas in this one, so I'll make a small play on the Rockets. Houston not only has Harden and Westbrook but Gordon and Rivers (he scored 17 points vs Portland for his fifth straight double-digit outing) in the backcourt plus center Capela (13.9 & 13.8) and PF Tucker (7.5 & 7.2) up front. Then there are House 10.2) and McLemore (10.0) on the wings.

Good luck...Larry

My 10* PERFECT STORM is on the Den Nuggets at 10:35 ET.

The Utah Jazz won 19 of 21 games from Dec 11 through Jan 25 but have suddenly lost back-to-back games, 126-117 at home vs the Rockets on Monday and 127-120 last night in San Antonio to the Spurs. Meanwhile, the Denver Nuggets have led the Northwest Division for most of the season but in January, have been dealing with injuries to key rotation players. That said, they had won EIGHT of 11 contests before suffering a 104-96 road loss against the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday. The two teams share the third-best record in the West (32-15), as they meet tonight in Denver for the first of FOUR times over the final 35 games of the season.

Utah's 19-2 run saw them go 17-4 ATS but all of a sudden, the team's defense has 'gone missing!' Despite playing without Harden and Westbrook, the Rockets scored 126 points in Salt Lake City, with Eric Gordon scoring a career-high 50 points. Utah then allowed 70 first-half points on Wednesday at San Antonio, as the Spurs shot 56.1 percent from the floor and DeMar DeRozan scored a season-best 38 points. Donovan Mitchell (25.0-4.2-4.2) scored 31 points last night, topping 20 for the eighth consecutive time and is averaging 29.1 points during that stretch. Backup guard Jordan Clarkson (13.8 PPG in 17 games since coming over from Cleveland) had 20 off the bench, while center Rudy Gobert (15.7 & 14.6) had 17 points and 19 rebounds for his 11th straight double-double. SF Bojan Bogdanovic (21.2 & 4.1) has been terrific all season and is 26-of-54 from three-point range (48.1%) over the last six games.

Denver came out 'flat' at Memphis, getting outscored 76-22 in the paint and head coach Michael Malone sensed troubles from the outset. "It's unfortunate," Malone told reporters "These are the dog days, we have eight games to go until the All-Star break. Everyone's tired, everyone's beat up, but we've got to be mentally tough." The Nuggets have been short-handed in recent weeks and PG Jamal Murray (17.6-4.1-4.6) will miss his eighth straight game with an ankle injury, while PF Paul Millsap (11.9 & 5.8) is expected to sit out for the 12th consecutive contest with a knee injury. Reserve PF/C Plumlee is also out and his 7.7 & 4.0 in about 17 minutes will be missed. However, starters Jokic (19.8-10.1-6.5), Barton (14.7-6.5-3.7) and Harris (10.7) won't "go it alone." PF Grant (11.1) has scored in double digits in 10 of his last 11 (he's averaging 18.7 over the past six games), plus PG Morris 7.8 & 3.6 APG), now healthy PF Porter (7.7 & 4.0) and SG Beasley (7.5) are all MORE than capable.

Utah should be motivated now that it has lost consecutive games for the first time since dropping three in a row from Dec 1-4 but I see them dropping a THIRD straight, here. Denver  is 'wounded' but note that Tuesday's loss at Memphis ended a stretch of 24 games of scoring 100 or more points. Denver's depth has kept them going. The Nuggets have to play tomorrow night in Milwaukee and the Bucks are an NBA-best 41-6, so the importance of winning here, is CLEAR & PRESENT. Take the Nuggets.

Good luck...Larry

My 10* Oddsmaker's Error is on the Mem Grizzlies at 8:05 ET.

The Denver Nuggets were a 'sexy' pick to contend for the Western Conference title entering the season led by center Nikola Jokic and supported by one of the NBA's deepest teams. The Nuggets posted a crucial 117-110 home triumph over the Houston Rockets on Sunday. All teams in the West are chasing the 36-10 Lakers but the 32-14 Nuggets are tied with the Jazz, just four games back (the Clippers are 33-14, a half-game ahead of Denver and Utah). The Nuggets visit Memphis Tuesday night, having won the first two meetings between the teams, including a 131-114 rout at the FedEx Forum on Nov 17. The more recent meeting came Dec 28 in Denver, which the Nuggets won by nine However, the Nuggets will face a different Grizzlies team a month later, as Memphis has won 10 of the 13 games played since then to climb into the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference at 22-24.

Jokic is again leading Denver in scoring (19.7), rebounding (10.1) and assists (6.5). He recorded 24 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists for his ninth triple-double of the season and 37th of his career in Sunday's win over Houston. Jokic has posted SIX consecutive double-doubles and EIGHT in the past nine games. Denver has played through the injuries of continues of PG Jamal Murray (17.6-4.1-4.6) and PF Paul Millsap 11.9 & 5.8). Murray is expected to miss his seventh straight game and Millsap is set to sit out his 11th consecutive contest. SF Barton (14.8-6.5-3.7) and Harris (10.7) are regular starters plus Denver's deep bench will get extra time. PF Grant (10.9 & 3.5) scored a season-best 25 against the Rockets and is averaging 18.2 points over the last five games. Guards Morris (7.8) and Beasley (7.6) and the now healthy PF Porter (7.7 & 4.0) are all capable of stepping up.

The Grizzlies committed a season-worst 26 turnovers on Sunday but prevailed 114-109 over the visiting Phoenix Suns. Rookie PG Ja Morant (team's No. 1 pick in 2019 draft) led the way by scoring 14 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter. Morant is averaging 17.6 & 7.1 APG. Memphis chose the 6-11 Jarren Jackson in the 1st round of teh 2018 draft and he leads the team in scoring at 18.0 PPG (4.8 RPG). He had 20 points and has hit the mark a team-best 20 times during the season, including the past two games in which he averaged 24.5 points on 17-of-26 shooting. SG Dillon Brooks (15.9 PPG) continues to be a lucky charm for Memphis, as he scored 20 points and the club is 15-1 when he reaches that output. SF Clarke (also a 1st round pick from 2019, 21st overall) is averaging 12.1 & & 5.8 and along with veteran center Valanciunas (14.8 & 10.0) and veteran SF Crowder (9.8 & 6.2) give Memphis a formidable frontcourt.

I noted at the top that Memphis has won 10 of 13 since last playing (and losing to) Denver and that includes a 7-1 mark here at  FedEx Forum. Memphis is playing VERY well right now and why did this contest open pick (I took plus-1), when Denver recently was getting plus-4 at 15-32 Minnesota and at 18-26 New Orleans? Memphis is the play.

Good luck...Larry

My 10* Situational Stunner is on the Mia Heat at 7:35 ET.

The Orlando Magic are second in the Southeast Division to the Miami Heat but sit 11 games back, as the Magic are just 21-26, while the Heat are 31-14. The Heat currently own the East's No. 3 seed, as they are mired in a five-team 'scrum' (No. 2 and No, 6 seeds are separated by only 2 1/2 games). Despite being FIVE games under .500, the Magic own the No. 7 seed and are 4 1/2 games clear of the East's 'cut line.' The two Florida-based teams meet Monday in Miami, both coming off losses to the LA Clippers. The Heat dropped a 122-117 decision Friday night, falling to 20-2 at home. As for the Magic, playing hours after the NBA world was rocked by the news of Kobe Bryant's sudden death, offered much less resistance to the Clippers in Sunday's 112-97 loss.

Orlando 'limps' into Miami off an 0-3 homestand and the Magic find themselves just 2-5 since veteran point guard D.J. Augustin (10.7 & 4.7 APG) went down with a knee injury. Carter-Williams is trying to fill some of the gaps and chipped in eight assists along with seven rebounds while committing zero turnovers in 23 minutes during Sunday's loss. Terrence Ross has ZERO starts in his 45 appearances this season but has added need scoring off the bench, averaging 13.4 PPG. However, he was held to eight against the Clippers while shooting 3-of-15 overall, including 0-of-6 from three-point range. SG Fournier (19.0) leads the team in scoring at 19.0 PPG, while Vucevic is close behind at 18.8 PPG, while leading in rebounding (11.0). Gordon (13.3 & 7.2)  and Isaac (12.0 & 6.9) join him up front but Isaac won't play due to a knee injury.

Butler leads the Heat in points (20.3), assists (6.5) and steals (1.8). He had 20 points in Friday's loss but is questionable for this one due to an ankle injury. The Heat have been missing Winslow for some time now but also saw key players Kendrick Nunn (foot) and Goran Dragic (calf) miss vs the Clippers. Nunn is an undrafted rookie averaging 16.2 PPG and Dragic a veteran PG who has come off the bench to average 15.8 & 5.0 APG. The 6-9 Bam Adebayo has thrived with more playing time (with the Whiteside trade), averaging 15.9-10.4-4.7 with a team-leading 24 double-doubles. 6-7 second-year player Robinson (11.9) has been a steady contributor all season plus while Leonard (6.0 & 4.9) typically starts at center, Olynyk adds 7.8 & 4.6 off the bench. With Nunn and Dragic both out on Friday, Dion Waiters scored 14 points in his season debut after serving three suspensions.

We won't know to game-time about Butler, Dragic and Nunn but Waiters can play, as he's averaged 13.2 PPG in his career (1st season was back in 2012-13). I also didn't mention rookie guard Herro (13.3), who has stepped up with extra "PT" the last two games to score 44 points. The Magic are just 8-15 on the road and 1-6 SU on the back end of back-to-back games on the season. Meanwhile, Miami has an advantage with the extra rest (off since Friday) and note the Heat are 9-1 (8-2 ATS) this season when they have at least two days off before a game. Let's also NOT forget Miami's 20-2 SU (15-6-1 ATS) here at AmericanAirlines Arena.

Good luck...Larry

My NBA 10* Game of the Week is on the Den Nuggets at 3:35 ET.

The Houston Rockets broke a four-game losing streak by beating the Nuggets 121-105 in Houston on Wednesday. The Rockets followed up that win with a 131-124 victory at Minnesota on Friday, as Russell Westbrook had 45 points, six rebounds and 10 assists. Westbrook had 28-16-8 in the win over Denver and his surge has helped cover a slump from fellow former MVP James Harden, who went 3-of-13 from the floor and finished with a season-low 12 points in the win over the Timberwolves. The Nuggets rebounded from their loss at Houston by holding off Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans in a 113-106 on Friday to finish off a three-game trip at 2-1. Denver is 31-14 (No. 4 seed in the West) and 4 1/2 games back of the top-seeded Lakers, while Houston is 28-16, SEVEN games back of the Lakers (currently own the No. 5 seed).

Westbrook (25.8-8.1-7.4) is averaging 34.2 points on 57 percent shooting over the last five game,while Harden (36.1-6.2-7.3) is trending in the opposite direction, shooting 33.3 percent over the last five games, including 6-of-44 from beyond the arc (13.6%). Of greater concern here, he's questionable for Sunday due to a thigh contusion. Houston SG Eric Gordon is averaging 26 points over the last two games and is rounding back into form. He's played in just 20 of Houston's 44 games this season but is now up to 14.5 PPG, just below his career average of 16.6 PPG. Center Capela (14.4 & 14.0) is a steady presence, as is PF Tucker (7.6 & 71.). SF House (10.0) has started 29 games and SG McLemore (9.9) has started 15.

The Nuggets were down three starters (Murray, Millsap and Harris) and two reserves (Michael Porter Jr. and Mason Plumlee) in Wednesday's loss at Houston but they got Gary Harris and Porter back Friday night when they beat the Pelicans in New Orleans. Porter (7.4 & 3.9) was excellent on Friday, with 15 points and 10 rebounds in 24 minutes. PG Murray (17.6-4.1-4.6), PF Millsap (11.9 & 5.8) and Plumlee (7.4 & 5.6) will all miss again, here. However, Denver's strength is its depth. Center Jokic leads the team in scoring (19.6), rebounding (10.0) and assits (6.4) plus SF Barton has stayed relatively injury free (has played an started 42 of 45 games), averaging 14.9-6.6-3.7. Harris (10.9) is a solid player plus PF Grant (10.6 & 3.5), PG Morris (7.6 7 3.5 APG) and SG Beasley (7.5) will all be happy to get more minutes. .Even point guard PJ Dozier has played well in spurts (7.3 PPG in about 14 minutes per game in six contests), after getting called up from the G-League

Denver was the NBA's best home team last season (34-7) but has not been quite that good so far this season (17-6). However, the home team has won the last SIX meetings in this series, including Denver's 105-95 triumph over visiting Houston back on Nov 20. Remember, Harden may not play, could be limited or could just continue his poor shooting. 'The price is sure right' in this one.

Good luck...Larry

My 10* Oddsmaker's Error is on the Utah Jazz at 5:05 ET.

The Utah Jazz have won 18 of their last 20 games to, at 31-13, pull into the No. 2 spot in the Western Conference, 4 1/2 game behind the Lakers. Four teams are within 'shouting distance' (three games) of the Jazz, including their opponent tonight, the 28-16 Dallas Mavericks. The Mavericks have won FOUR of five and more notably, own a 15-5 SU road record. Only the 20-4 Lakers and 19-4 Bucks own better away records.

The Mavericks survived a barrage of three-pointers from the Trail Blazers in a 133-125 victory at Portland on Thursday with their own, knocking down 22 from beyond the arc and shooting 51.6 percent from the floor. That contest marked  Dallas' first game playing  without center Dwight Powell, who suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in Tuesday's loss to the LA Clippers. Powell was averaging 9.4 & 5.7 but was an important part of the team. Porzingis (17.1 & 9.2) was in the middle most of the night and he responded with 20 points and five rebounds while Luka Doncic led SEVEN scorers in double figures with 27 points. Doncic has elevated his game beyond what he showed a season ago, when he captured NBA Rookie of the Year honors, posting a Westbrook-like season (29.1-9.6-9.0). Hardaway (14.3) and Seth Curry (10.6) are the only other Mavericks in double digits.

Depth is NOT an issue for the Jazz. SF Bogdanovic (21.1 & 4.1) and PG Conley (13.0 & 4.3 APG) were the team's major off-season acquisitions and although Conley has underwhelmed, the Jazz were able to 'steal' Clarkson away from the Cavs, when Gonley was sidelined. He's been OUTSTANDING, playing in 14 games while averaging 14.4 PPG, as the Jazz are 13-1 since he joined the team. Mitchell (24.7-4.2-4.2) remains Utah's best player but center Gobert (15.6 & 14.5) could be its most valuable. Ingles (10.9-4.2-5.0) gives Utah SIX double digit scorers plus four more players chip in between 5.9 & 7.8 PPG.

Much of Gobert's effectiveness starts with his willingness to do little things to get teammates going. He is one the best in the league in creating screen assists. His energy in locking down on the defensive end also gives them confidence that they can do their job. He is averaging 17.7 points, 15.2 rebounds and 2.1 blocks in January. The Jazz are 16-4 ATS during their current stretch of  winning 18 of 20 and the team's last three wins have come by an average margin of 28.3 points.The Mavs are said to be in the process of acquiring big man Willie Cauley-Stein from the Warriors but facing the Jazz (and Gobert) without a quality center, spells bad news. This is the first meeting of the year for these teams but the Jazz took three of the four meetings last season, including both games at home by margins of 15 and 16 points. Nothing much changes here, as this price is WAAAY to 'cheap.'

Good luck...Larry

My 10* PERFECT STORM is on the Mia Heat at 8:05 ET.

It's an East vs West matchup Friday night in South Beach, as the Clippers take on the Heat. The Clippers are 31-14, FIVE games back of the Lakers for the West;s best record but just a half-game back of the Jazz for the West's No. 2 seed (Nuggets are just a half-game back of the Clippers plus the Mavs are only 2 1/2 games back). The Heat check in at 31-13 and that leaves them second to only the NBA-best Bucks in the East. Of course, Milwaukee's 98-6 record gives them an EIGHT-game lead over Miami. Catching Milwaukee may be a 'bride too far' for any East team but there is a rel 'scrum' right behind the Bucks, as the while the Heat are currently the No. 2 seed, Miami's margin over the East's No. 6 seed is only THREE games.

The LA Clippers are 12-10 on the road, after dropping a 102-95 decision to the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday. Paul George (23.5-7.4-5.0) has missed SEVEN straight games due to a strained left hamstring and will not play here. However, Kawhi Leonard will return to the lineup after sitting out on the second end of a back-to-back in the loss to the Hawks. He's averaging 27.1-7.4-5.0 on the season and has been OUTSTANDING in averaging 36 points during a stretch of six straight 30-point outings, the franchise's best such streak since scoring machine Lloyd Free put together 11 straight during the 1979-80 season when the club was located in San Diego. Without Leonard and George, LA held a 19-point halftime lead against the Hawks, before being outscored 61-35 in the second half. Backup PF Montrezl Harrell (19.4 & 7.2) scored 30 points for his fifth 30-point effort of the season. He and Low Williams (19.9 & 6.1 APG) typically come off the bench but with George out and guard Beverley (8.3-6.0-4.0) out tonight with a groin injury, Doc Rivers may start Williams again (not his preferred role).

Miami let a 21-point lead get away at home on Wednesday vs the Wizards, before escaping with a 134-129 overtime victory. That gives the Heat an NBA-best 20-1 home record plus the Heat are a PERFECT 8-0 in OT games this season. Jimmy Butler (20.3-7.0-6.5) had 24 points and 10 assists against Washington, while undrafted rookie Nunn (16.2) added 14 points and PG Goran Dragic (15.8 & 5.0 APG) produced a big game off the bench with 22 points, 10 assists and six rebounds. However, all three are questionable for this game with nagging injuries. That said, with the Clippers in town and the Heat not playing again until Monday, I'm not buying all three will miss. By the way, rookie guard Herro (13.3 & 4.1) scored 25 points off the bench vs Washington and made seven 3-pointers to set a franchise record for most by a rookie. The 6-9 Adebayo has thrived with more playing time (with the Whiteside trade), averaging 15.8-10.5-4.6 with a team-leading 24 double-doubles. 6-7 second-year player Robinson (11.8) has been a steady contributor all season plus while Leonard (6.1 & 5.0) typically starts at center, Olynyk adds 7.5 & 4.5 off the bench. There has also been a James Johnson 'sighting' lately, as the former 2009 first round pick recently played In a season-high 29 minutes and scored  22 points when Butler sat out Monday against Sacramento.

My point is, I'd obviously prefer "all hands on deck," but a few 'missing pieces' will NOT get me off Miami here, as a home dog (20-1 SU at home, remember?). The George-less and Beverley-less Clippers are playing their FOURTH game in seven days. Take the points!

Good luck...Larry

My 10* West Conf Game of the Month is on the Hou Rockets at 8:05 ET.

The Rockets lost their showdown last Saturday at home vs the Lakers 124-115, despite LA playing without A.D. Houston then welcomed OKC to the Toyota Center on MLK Day and took an 87-71 into the fourth quarter, before collapsing as the Thunder outscored the Rockets 41-20! Houston (26-16) takes the court tonight against the Nuggets looking to snap a four-game losing streak, one in which Harden is shooting an abysmal 9-of-51 over that four-game span. Denver won 107-100 at Minnesota on Monday in the opener of a three-game road trip, its SIXTH win in eight games. The Nuggets have scored 100 or more points in each of their last 21 games and are 16-5 during the stretch. Denver is currently 30-13 (tied with Utah), just a half-game back of the Clippers, as that trio chases the Lakers for the top-seed in the West,

Denver is led by center Nikola Jokic, who is again (just like last season), leading the team in scoring (19.4), rebounding (10.0) and assists (6.3). However, the Nuggest also own arguably the deepest team in the league. However, here's the rub. Swingman Will Barton (15.2-6.7-3.7) had 18 points and center Nikola Jokic 17 & 13 vs the T-wolves but they were the only regulars in the starting lineup on Monday, as power forward Paul Millsap (knee), shooting guard Gary Harris (groin) and point guard Jamal Murray (ankle) all remain sidelined. Murray averages 17.6-4.1-4.6, Millsap 11.9 & 5.8 and Harris 11.0. Millsap and Murray are out indefinitely, while Harris is listed as doubtful.  Millsap's absence has opened up more playing time for promising forward Michael Porter Jr. and he recorded 20 points and established career highs of 14 rebounds and four 3-pointers for his second career double-double against Minnesota.. "He's an amazing talent," Jokic told reporters. "You see how his ball is going into the hoop. It's a swoosh every time."

Harden (36.9-6.3-7.4) has scored fewer than 20 points in two of the last six games and has shot below 50 percent in his last SEVEN contests, after making 50 percent or better in the previous seven games. PG Russell Westbrook (25.3-7.9-7.3)  is on a roll with five straight 30-point efforts and has two triple-doubles in the past three games but to no avail, as Houston has lost FOUR in a row and FIVE of six. The Rockets were a defensive sieve in allowing 41 fourth-quarter points in the loss to OKC. Center Capela (14.3 & 14.2) and PF Tucker (7.7 & 7.1) both known for their defense, HAVE to do a better job.

Can (will?) the Rockets continue their funk? The Nuggets are nowhere 100 percent and the Rockets have won 11 of the last 13 meeting betwen the two teams. What's more, the Nuggets have dropped their last SEVEN games in Houston with the Rockets crushing the Nuggets by an average of 23 points the last three times in Houston (the most recent being, 130-104 this past Dec 31).

Good luck...Larry

My 9* PERFECT STORM is on the Tor Raptors at 7:05 ET.

The 29-16 Philadelphia 76ers and the 29-14 Toronto Raptors square off Wednesday in Toronto, as both teams are part of the 'scrum' that sees FIVE teams separated by only 2 1/2-games (No. 2 thru No. 6 sees) in the East Conference, all chasing the NBA-best Milwaukee Bucks (30-13 Miami currently owns the No. 2 seed, EIGHT games back of Milwaukee). The 76ers are playing without All Star center Joel Embiid (23.4 & 12.3), who last played back on Jan 6. The Sixers won their first game without Embiid, lost their next two but enter this game on a FOUR-game winning streak. The Raptors have fought through injuries early on to Lowry and Ibalka and more recently to Siakam, VanVleet, Powell and Gasol. However, through it all, Toronto has "held its own" and is currently the East's No. 3 seed.

The 76ers won 117-111 at Brooklyn on Monday, as PG Ben Simmons (16.0-7.8-8.5) finished with a triple-double (34-12-12) while adding five steals. Forwards Harris (19.3 & 6.7) and Horford (12.6& 6.5) plus guard Richardson (15.4) join Simmons in the starting lineup but with Embiid sidelined, Horford has moved over to the center position, with the Sixers having started both PF Scott (5.6 & 3.4) and rookie guard Thybulle (4.7) in recent games.

When "all hands are on deck," Toronto has a deep team. PF Siakam (23.7 & 7.4) has played at an All Star level, while PG Lowry (20.1-4.5-7.6) has been an All Star regular. VanVleet (18.4 & 6.7 APG) has carried his strong play in LY's NBA Finals into this season, while SG Powell (15.8), PF Ibaka (14.9 & 8.4) and SF Anunoby (11.0 & 5.7) are all in double digits. Center Gasol checks in at 7.5 & 6.4

Siakam returned Jan 12 and after the Raptors lost his first game back, they have won FOUR in a row, averaging 128.5 PPG. Powell returned at the same time and has topped 20 points in each game, averaging 23.6 points. Van Vleet has been back for just the last two, but he's scored 49 points! How can one trust Philly away from home (especially without Embiid), as the Sixers had lost SIX straight road games before back-to-back wins at the Knicks (12-32) and Nets (18-24). The Raptors have beaten the 76ers 11 of the last 12 times at home. Lay the reasonable number.

Good luck...Larry

My 9* Late-Breaker is on the Ut Jazz at 8:05 ET.

The Utah Jazz saw their 10-game winning streak come to an end at New Orleans on Thursday in a 138-132 loss at New Orleans. However, they had no problems getting right back into the win column by shooting 50.6 percent from the floor and riding a 28-point effort by Rudy Gobert in a 123-101 rout on the Sacramento Kings on Friday night. The now 29-13 Jazz are tied with the Nuggets for the West's third-best record, just a half-game back of the LA Clippers. Utah completes a quick two-game homestand by hosting the streaking Indiana Pacers on Monday. The Pacers began a five-game road trip Sunday night with their FIFTH straight win, rallying to beat Denver 115-107. Doug McDermott hit 6-of-7 from three-point range en route to a season-high 24 points in just 21 minutes, while Domantas Sabonis recorded his first career triple-double (22-15-10) as Indiana improved to28-15. The Pacers are currently the East's No. 5 seed but as FIVE teams chase the 38-6 Bucks (closest team is EIGHT games back), the East's No. 2 thru No. 6 seeds are separated by just TWO games.

 Indiana is scheduled to get Victor Oladipo back on Jan 29 but this team has sure done an excellent job without him. McDermott (10.0) is just one FOUR role players making significant contributions. The Holidays, Aaron (10.2 & 5.2 APG) and Justin (8.0 & 3.4) plus PG McConnell (6.7 & 5.2 APG) round out the 'foursome.' TJ Warren was a scorer for the Suns and he currently leads Indiana by averaging 18.2 PPG. Sabonis (18.0 & 13.0) has developed into an All Star, while PG Brogdon (17.8-4.5-7.5) has become a team-leader with Oladipo sidelined. SG Lamb (12.9 & 4.8) and center Turner (12.3 & 5.9) round out the team's typical starting-five (when all are healthy).

Gobert (13.1 & 14.5) centers the defense, while Mitchell (24.7-4.4-4.3) continues to prove that he was the 'steal' of the 2017 draft. Bogdanovich (21.3 & 4.1) is a reliable point-producer and SF Ingles (11.0-4.3-4.9) is an "under the radar' good player. Green, Mudiay and O'Neale have all contributed and when PG Conley went down, Clarkson was picked up from Cleveland. He's played 12 games and averaged 15.4 PPG, as the Jazz have gone 11-1 (lone loss in OT at New Orleans) in those contests. Utah's already deep lineup was bolstered Saturday by the return of Mike Conley (13.1 & 4.6 APG, who missed 19 of the previous 20 games with a left hamstring strain. "Mike is a key piece of what we want to do. I know we didn't want to rush him but it's great to have him back," Gobert told reporters.

Yes the Pacers have won FIVE in a row but the Jazz have gone 16-2 SU & 14-4 ATS over their last 18 games and on the season, are 16-3 SU at home. Indiana is in a tough scheduling spot, coming off a win last night in Denver. Playing "at altitude" and with no rest against the red-hot Jazz, who should remember losing121-102 back on Nov 27 at Bakers Life Fieldhouse. Lay the points. Good luck...Larry

My 10* Rivalry 'MONSTER' is on the Bos Celtics at 7:35 ET.

The Boston Celtics are clearly in a rut, as Saturday's 123-119 loss to the Phoenix Suns was their SIXTH loss in eight games. Boston is now 27-14 on the season and finds itself as the East's No. 4 seed, just 1 1/2 games back of the No. 2 seed (Miami) but also just a half-game up on the No. 6 seed (Philadelphia). Meanwhile, the Lakers have managed to survive a big absence on their end by going 4-1 in the five games that Anthony Davis (27.1 & 9.4) has missed with a back issue. LeBron James scored 31 points and three others hit the 20-point mark in Saturday's 124-115 triumph at Houston, LA's 10th win in 11 games overall. LA visits Boston at 34-8, giving them a 4 1/2-game lead in the West.

LBJ was 13-of-25 from the floor and handed out 12 assists Saturday night to help Los Angeles bounce back from a one-point home loss to Orlando three days earlier. James (25.5-7.7-10.9) leads the entire NBA in assists. Kyle Kuzma (13.2) added 23 points while starting again in place of Davis, who is expected to return soon. The Lakers start McGee (7.1 & 5.9) at center, while Howard (7.6 & 7.5) comes off the bench.LA has a bevy of backcourt players, none of whom average in double digits, but who seemingly "take turns" at making game by game impacts. Recent case in point is Caldwell-Pope (9.7), who has averaged 18.5 points over the past two games.

Boston's Saturday loss came Kemba Walker (knee) and Jaylen Brown (thumb) sidelined. Walker is averaging 22.1-4.0-4.9 and Brown 20.0 & 6.9. Both could play here (fingers crossed). Tatum (21.3 & 7.0), Hayward (16.3-6.0-4.1) and Smart (12.5 & 4.7 APG) are sure to be ready, with Smart coming off a game in which he set the franchise-record for three-pointers (has 11 vs the Suns).
Tatum is averaging 26.3 over his last four games. Theis (7.7 & 6.0) has started 36 of 37 games this season up front, while Kanter (9.1 & 8.1) comes off the bench to give Boston a more traditional center.

Obviously, Walker and Brown joining the fray would be helpful but I'm backing the Celtics here regardless, expecting the Lakers to bring out the best in whomever takes the court tonight at TD Garden for Boston. As the chant goes..."Beat LA!"

Good luck...Larry

My 9* Oddsmaker's Error is on the Mia Heat at 5:00 ET.

The Miami Heat entered the 4th quarter of their Sunday game in San Antonio down just two points but were only able to score 18 points in a 107-102 loss. It marked the team's THIRD loss in five games but Miami has to be happy by its results so far. The Heat missed the playoffs last season by two games (39-43) but are currently 29-13, a record better than ALL teams in the East save the one which plays in Milwaukee. The Heat return to Miami on Monday to open a five-game homestand, as they welcome the struggling Sacramento Kings to AmericanAirlines Arena. The 15-27 Kings are near the bottom of the Western Conference standings and have dropped FOUR straight contests, allowing 122.8 PPG during their skid.

Sacramento does NOT lack for talent, as SEVEN players are averaging in double digits, led by an outstanding guard duo. SG Buddy Hield leads the team in scoring at 20.1 PPG (adds 5.0 RPG & 3.1 APG), while PG Fox averages 19.3-4.4-7.3. Fox has been outstanding in January, averaging 23.8 points on 51.8 percent shooting from the floor with 8.4 assists in eight game. PF Marvin Bagley III (14.2 & 6.8) is averaging 15.7 points and 6.7 rebounds in three games since returning from nearly three weeks off, but left Saturday’s game with a sore foot and is questionable.Fellow PF Bejelko (12.1 & 6.5) is also questionable with an ankle issue. SF Barnes (15.2 & 4.9), Bogdanovich (14.4) and PG Holmes (13.1 & 8.5) round out the team's double digit scorers. However, the rugged 6-10 Holmes is out for at least two weeks due to a shoulder injury. The injury 'bug' continues to plague this team.

The 6-9 Adebayo has double-doubles in two of the last three games, averaging 18.7 points along with 12.3 boards in that stretch. With the trade of Whiteside, he's thrived with more playing time, averaging 16.0-10.5-4.6 with a team-leading 24 double-doubles. The 6-7 Butler was the team's major off-season acquisition and he's delivered, averaging 20.2-7-0-6.4 but major surprises have been undrafted rookie guard Nunn (16.0) and 6-7 second-year player Robinson (11.8). Veteran PG Dragic comes off the bench and is averaging 15.5 & 4.9 APG. Leornard (6.1 & 5.0) typically starts at center, although Olynyk adds 7.4 & 4.4 off the bench. This year's first round pick was Kentucky guard Herro (13.1 & 4.3) and he's been solid, He returned Sunday after missing two games (knee), but did not score in nine minutes.

Miami's loss at San Antonio dropped then to 11-12 on the road but the Heat own the NBA's best home record at 18-1, going an impressive 14-4-1 ATS. This number seems awfully 'cheap' when one considers Sacramento was just a 9 1/2-point dog at Utah (Jan 18) plus got 12 points at Houston, nine at Philly and 10 1/2 points at the Lakers (to name just a few higher numbers). Expect Miami to roll here and the win comes "with room to spare!"

Good luck...Larry

My 8* Las Vegas Insider is on the Hou Rockets at 5:05 ET.

Oklahoma City and Houston made a blockbuster trade last off-season, one which was supposed to help the Thunder rebuild and propel the Rockets to greater things. However, that hasn't been the case. The Rockets hardly looked like a Western Conference favorite last Saturday night, losing 124-115 against the Lakers, who were playing without Anthony Davis. Houston has dropped four of its last five (three in a row) and at 26-15 is 7 1/2 games back of the top-seed Lakers. Meanwhile, OKC' s 119-106 win over Portland on Saturday improved the Thunder to 16-7 over their last 23 games and at 24-19, are the West's No. 7 seed, just THREE games back of Houston.

Former Rocket Chris Paul (16.7-5.0-6.5) traded for one-time Oklahoma City superstar Russell Westbrook last July, led the way with 30 points against the Blazers. Gilgeous-Alexander (20.0-5.8-3.1) chipped in 22 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in the win over the Blazers, as he and Paul helped Oklahoma City shot 51.8 percent despite playing without No. 2 scorer Danilo Galinari (19.0 & 5.6), who was rested (a common practice these days).Depth is an issue for OKC, as Backup PG Schroder (18.2-3.8-3.8) and center Adams (11.6 & 9.9) round out the Thunder's regular contributors.

The arrival of Westbrook was meant to get Houston over the hump in the West but the team reached the halfway point of the season Saturday, staring up at FIVE other teams in the conference standings.In Saturday's loss to the Lakers, Harden (37.1-6.2-7.5) had 34 points and Westbrook (25.1-7.8-7.2) ahd 35 but Houston's other three starters combined to score just 23 points on 9 of 24 shooting (37.5%). Westbrook has FOUR straight games of 30 points or more, the first Rocket other than Harden to do that since 2006-07, but the Rockets have lost THREE of those four..

Here's the rub. The Rockets ARE struggling, as the four losses in their current 1-4 swoon have come by an average 12.8 points. Harden is shooting 33.7 percent from the floor in the four defeats. It is no coincidence that Harden's struggles parallel the Rockets' woes. He had reeled off seven consecutive games of 50 percent or better shooting from the floor, averaging 36.6 points and eight assists while the Rockets won SIX of those seven contests. Since that sizzling stretch, the Rockets are 2-4 with three consecutive losses, while Harden has averaged 29.9 points and 6.8 assists on 33.6 percent shooting, including 27 percent from behind the arc. However, a visit from OKC should give Houston plenty of motivation. Harden scored 40 points in a 116-112 win over Oklahoma City at home back on Oct 28 plus expect center Capela, having a "career season" in averaging 14.4 & 14.4, to outplay Adams, who has been bothered by a knee issue. Lay the points.

Good luck...Larry

My 10* PERFECT STORM is on the SA Spurs at 3:05 ET.

The Miami Heat missed the playoffs last season by two games (39-43). However, the Heat are currently 29-12, a record better than ALL teams in the East save the one which plays in Milwaukee. Miami owns the best home record in the NBA at 18-1 but the team's 115-108 win at OKC on Friday improved them to just .500 (11-11) on the road Friday. The Heat are in San Antonio on Sunday to take on the Spurs and will then return to Miami for a five-game homestand. The 17-23 Spurs welcome Miami to San Antonio is danger of finishing with a losing record for the first time since the 1996-97 season.

Miami leaned on its offensive balance in Friday's road win, as SEVEN players scored in double figures. Rookie guard Kendrick Nunn scored a team-high 22 points on 9-of-17 shooting to reach 20 or more for the third consecutive game. This undrafted player has been a HUGE surprise, as he's averaging PPG. 6-7 swingman Butler (20.3-7.0-6.4) was the team's big off-season acquisition and he's delivered. However, MAJOR contributions have come from Nunn, the team's No. 1 pick of the 2019 draft Herro (13.4 & 4.4) and second-year player Robinson (11.8). Veteran PG Dragic has missed some games and has started just ONE of the 31 he's played, but he's averaging a healthy 15.4 PPG & 5.0 APG. SF Winslow (11.3-6.6-4.0) has played just 11 games. He's missed but Miami has continued to play well. Not to be overlooked is the 6-9 Bam Adebayo, whose opportunity to play a bigger role emerged once Whiteside was traded. After averaging 8.0 & 6.5 in his first two seasons, he's averaging 15.9-10.4-4.6 this year, with a team-leading 23 double-doubles.

The Spurs played well Wednesday in Miami but fell, 106-100. San Antonio then squandered a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter in losing a 121-120 decision to the Eastern Conference-worst Atlanta Hawks. "We were not solid down the stretch, and I think that's what's bitten us in the (rear) the whole year, where all of a sudden the game plan goes to hell," Spurs hea coach Gregg Popovich told reporters. "People should have left and asked for their money back after the first half." No wonder Pop felt that way. Atlanta had dropped 21 straight games at San Antonio before edging the Spurs on Friday. DeMar DeRozan (22.7-5.4-5.2) and Aldridge (19.1 & 7.5) have led the Spurs all season. However, FIVE more players are averaging between 9.5 and 11.8 PPG. Forbes (11.3), Murray (10.2-6.0-4.1) and Lyles (4.7 & 5.9) typically fill out the team's starting-five. PGs Mills (11.8) and White (9.5 & 3.0 APG) plus SF Gay (10.7 & 5.8) are the regular contributors off the bench.

Miami had dropped FOUR of its previous five games away from home before winning Friday at OKC and the Heat haven't swept a road trip longer than ONE game this season. San Antonio's DeRozan had 25 points against Atlanta on 9-of-18 shooting, his 13th consecutive game shooting 50 percent or better from the floor. He also had NINE assists and has now scored 20-plus points with three-plus assists in 13 straight games, as well. It's the second-longest such streak to Wilt 's 19. Spurs come up big and grab a much-needed win.

Good luck...Larry

My 10* Total of the Week is on Orl/Gold St Over at 8:35 ET.

The Orlando Magic came to LA and split their back-to-back games against the Lakers and Clippers. The Magic knocked off the Lakers 119-118 on Wednesday but ran out of gas against the Clippers the next night, falling 122-95. However, the Magic are playing well enough as of late to not be satisfied with going 1-1 against two of the best teams in the league on the road.at 20-22, Orlando can get to .500 on the season with a win tonight at Golden St and Monday at Charlotte, as the team caps its six-game road trip. Meanwhile, the Warriors are putting up good fights against some of the best teams in the league but can't seem to find their way into the win column. suffered their 10 straight loss with a 134-131 overtime setback against Denver on Thursday. The 9-34 Warriors own the NBA's worst record, although the 10-33 Hawks are not far behind.

Orlando PG Markelle Fultz recorded a triple-double with 21 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists against the Lakers but struggled along with the rest of his teammates against the Clippers, totaling 11 points on 5-of-17 shooting, five assists and four rebounds in 30 minutes. Fultz (11.7-3.4-46) is getting more time these days, with DJ Augustin (10.7 & 4.2 APG) sidelined for at east the next 3-to-4 weeks. Swingman Fournier (19.1) leads the team in scoring, followed by center Vucevic (18.9 & 11.1) and PG Gordon (13.6 & 7.3). Ross has come off the bench all season and is averaging 13.3 PPG.

Golden State showed some of the form that made it such a dangerous team over the last several years by handing out 36 assists on 42 Fgs and placing seven scorers in double figures on Thursday, but is still missing the talent that allowed it to throttle teams on both ends of the floor. The Warriors are missing go-to scorers with Stephen Curry (hand) and Klay Thompson (knee) injured and lack the defensive punch that Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston provided. D'Angelo Russell (23.1 & 6.2 APG) had 19 points despite his second straight woeful shooting performance. He followed up a 5-for-17 effort in Tuesday's 124-97 setback to Dallas with a 6-of-18 performance against the Nuggets. Alec Burks (15.9-3.9-4.7) led the team with 25 points in 32 minutes off the bench Thursday while Damion Lee, who signed a multi-year deal with the team on Wednesday, scored 21 points. He's averaging 12.7 & 5.3. Glenn Robinson III (12.3 & 4.8).

Here's the bottom line. Orlando leads the NBA by allowing just 104.3 PPG but just allowed 118 and 125 points in LA. Sure, the Warriors are NOT the Lakers or Clippers but I expect the Magic to have an easy time scoring against Golden St , which allows 113.7 PPG (20th). When these teams met back in Orlando on Dec 1, the final was100-96. the Magic won that one and should win this one but look for a MUCH higher scoring game.

Good luck...Larry

My 10* Weekend Wipeout is on the Bos Celtics at 7:05 ET.

The Boston Celtics opened the season 10-1 and were behind only Milwaukee in the East with a 25-8 mark through Jan 4. However, the Celtics have lost FIVE of seven since that time and find themselves right in the middle of FIVE teams fighting for the No. 2 thru No. 6 seeds in the Eastern Conference. The Bucks own the NBA's best record (37-6) and are SEVEN games ahead of No. 2 seed Miami but the Heat are just THREE game clear of Philly, the No. 6 seed (Boston is 27-13, 1.5 games back of Miami at No. 3). The 17-24 Phoenix Suns are far from a threat in the West and the team's "Jeykll and Hyde" personality showed this week. The Suns got off to a rough start on their three-game road trip with a 123-110 loss at Atlanta on Tuesday (Hawks are currently 10-32) but showed just how dangerous they can be in a 121-98 rout of the New York Knicks on Thursday.

Phoenix made a key change to the starting lineup on Thursday, as center Deandre Ayton (16.8 & 12.0 in 11 games this season) was elevated to the first unit and responded with a season-high 26 points and a career-best 21 rebounds. The former No. 1 overall pick had been coming off the bench behind Aron Baynes, who managed five points on 2-of-6 shooting in 15 minutes as a reserve on Thursday. PG Ricky Rubio missed Tuesday's contest due to the birth of his child but returned against New York and settled the team with 25 points and 13 assists > He's having a good season playing alongside Booker (26.2 & 6.3 APG), chipping in 13.6-4.8-9.4). The bad news from Thursday was that the Suns were also forced to start small forward Mikal Bridges in place of Kelly Oubre Jr. (18.3-5.1-6.3), who is in the concussion protocol and considered day-to-day.

The Celtics will try to take some of the fight they showed in the second half at Milwaukee on Thursday and translate it into a win on Saturday, as the Celtics open a three-game homestand. Boston trailed by as many as 27 points at Milwaukee but battled all the way back before falling 128-123 and felt good about the resiliency the team showed. "That was more Celtics basketball than we've seen in a while in the second half," coach Brad Stevens told reporters. "That was good. I was encouraged. But obviously, you can't give up 76 in the first. ... So again, I'm really encouraged by the second half, especially coming off the stretch we've come off of, to dig deep and give ourselves a chance. That was back to what we want to be." Kemba Walker scored 40 points on 14-of-23 shooting and has made all Celtic fans forget Kyrie, averaging 22.1-4.0-4.9. Jason Tatum has played very game, averaging 21.2 & 6.9., while Brown (20.0 & 6.9) and Hayward (16.0-5.9-4.0) give Boston two excellent wing players. Smart (11.3 & 4.6 APG) is the team's best defensive player and also a team-leader. The 6-8 Theis has started 31 of 35 games up front (7.6 & 6.1) and the 6-10 Kanter, a more traditional center, comes off the bench (just three starts) to add 9.2 & 8.2.

Boston has won EIGHT of its last 10 against the Suns, including a 99-85 win at Phoenix back on Nov 18. This "W" should come just as easily.

Good luck...Larry

My 10* Inter-Conference Game of the Month (East/West) is on the OKC Thunder at 8:05 ET.

The Miami Heat missed the playoffs last season by two games (39-43). However, the Heat are currently 28-12, the best record of any team in the East save the one playing in Milwaukee (Bucks are an NBA-best 37-6). Miami improved to an NBA-best 18-1 at home with a 106-100 win over the Spurs on Wednesday but the Heat will play the next two games on the road, where they've gone 10-11. First up from Miami is a visit to Oklahoma City, to take on the 23-18 Thunder. OKC had won 12 of its previous 16 games but "forgot to bring its defense" Wednesday night at home vs the Raptors. The Thunder fell into a 30-point hole in the first half and would lose, 130-121, allowing Toronto to shoot 61.2 percent from the floor. OKC currently owns the West's No. 7 seed but is FIVE clear of the conference's playoff 'cut line.'

6-7 swingman Butler (20.5-6.9-6.4) was Miami's big off-season acquisition and he's delivered. However, MAJOR contributions have come from undrafted rookie Nunn (15.9), the team's No. 1 pick of the 2019 draft Herro (13.4 & 4.4) and second-year player Robinson (11.8). Veteran PG Dragic has missed some games and has started just ONE of the 30 he's played, but he's averaging a healthy 15.6 PPG & 5.0 APG. SF Winslow (11.3-6.6-4.0) has played just 11 games. He's missed but Miami has continued to play well. Not to be overlooked is the 6-9 Bam Adebayo, whose opportunity to play a bigger role emerged once Whiteside was traded. After averaging 8.0 & 6.5 in his first two seasons, he's averaging 15.8-10.4-4.6 this year, with a  team-leading 23 double-doubles.

Oklahoma City guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander followed up his 20-point, 20-rebound, 10-assist triple-double with 21 points, six rebounds and six assists in Wednesday's loss. Gilgeous-Alexander (20.0-5.7-3.0) has scored 20 or more points in FIVE straight and seven of his last eight games and is shooting 53.8 percent from the floor in that span.He teams with perennial All Star GG Chris Paul (16.5-5.0-6.5) and backup PG Schroder (18.3-3.8-3.7) to forma 'deadly' perimeter trio.SF Gallanari (18.8 & 5.50 is a proven scorer plus Steven Adams (11.8 & 10.) remains a quality center. Adams (knee bruise) left Wednesday's game but is listed as probable.

OKC's depth (or lack thereof) is a concern but I'm going with the fact that Adams is listed as probable (injury updates have kept me off TOO many games, lately). Miami handed Philly its FIRST home loss of the current season back on  Dec 18 but have since gone just 1-4 SU on the road. On the season, the Heat are scoring 7.5 PPG fewer away from AmericanAirlines Arena. OKC is the play!

Good luck...Larry