Bruce's Picks (3 Live)
No one can say the Blazers have taken the easy way to winning six straight and seven of eight, as the recent victim list the past two weeks includes the Celtics, Spurs, and Rockets (twice in the case of Houston). Even minus a couple of key cogs (Jerami Grant a recent absentee; Jrue Holiday out since mid-November), Portland has pulled itself into playoff contention thanks to Dani Avidja, who continues to make a case for All-Star inclusion and poured in 41 points vs. Houston last Wednesday, and Toumani Camara, who scored a team-high 25 in the Friday win vs.. the Rockets. As for the Knicks, since winning the NBA Cup in mid-December, they've been pointspread poison, covering just 2 of 13 tries. Play Blazers
As the Spurs evolve into a legit NBA contender, they will be constantly asked to pass tests along the way. Most of those this season have been met by Wemby & Co, including successes vs. the champion Thunder...but not all of them. To wit: San Antonio has only won three of seven since the high of the Christmas win over OKC, and now must deal with the ever-dangerous Celtics, in a rare home dog role tonight. Even minus Jayson Tatum, Boston has remained a top contender in the East as Jaylen Brown (29.6 ppg) has elevated his game to near-MVP levels, and Payton Pritchard (off of 28 points in a win vs. Toronto) continues as one of the NBA's best sixth men. Play Celtics
Doug Christie is desperately seeking some offense for his Sacto side that's scoring a tick below 100 pg across its current six-game skid. Domantas Sabonis (knee; still out) can't return soon enough for the Kings, who to their credit made a good fist of it vs. the Mavs on Tuesday in a 2-point loss. Yet even Zach LaVine's recent return to active duty hasn't sparked the attack, which failed to crack 98 points in the two games since LaVine resurfaced. Meanwhile, unless Steph Curry is lights-out, the Warriors can sometimes struggle for points, as beyond Jimmy Butler there isn't a reliable third option until Steve Kerr figures out a better way to use Jonathan Kuminga, who continues to ride the bench. Play Kings-Warriors Under
There's time for Dallas to make a move into the West play-in field, and the Mavs might have steadied with consecutive wins after a four-game skid. Yet still some questions in Big D, with the future of Anthony Davis and a possible trade before the deadline looming on the horizon, and even in some recent wins (like Tuesday at Sacramento) , the product was sloppy (16 TOs) and not especially effective (41% FGs). The Jazz aren't doing much better lately, but they have dealt with a tough schedule stretch, and in Christmas week did knock off both the Pistons and Spurs. Utah outscored Dallas in their last matchup, too, winning in OT at Delta Center on December 15 when Keyonte George scored 37. Play Jazz.
True, the Rockets have won five of six, but they're still had some poor efforts in the past month, most recently a 110-104 loss to a substandard Dallas on the weekend. Early this season, we weren't seeing as many ups and down from Houston, especially in November when they beat the Blazers by 24. Now Ime Udoka has to proceed for a while minus unique 6-11 Alperen Sengun (21.8 ppg; ankle). Meanwhile, Portland suddenly looks interesting with wins in three straight and five of six as the Blazers try to solidify themselves in the West play-in field. Reminding of his All-Star credentials, F Deni Avdija continues to produce, and has started 2026 with a bang, scoring at a 32 pg clip in January. Play Blazers
There's iffy status for Wemby tonight but that's not going to steer us clear of San Antonio's side. Remember, Wemby missed the last meeting four weeks ago at Crypto.com, when the Spurs ran the Lakers ragged in an NBA Cup quarterfinal, scoring 70 points in the first half and hitting 50% of their shots for the night. Fundamentals just look all wrong for LA in this matchup, their acknowledged slowness on the perimeter exploited by SA's electric guards like Stephon Castle, who scored 30 in that last meeting. Besides, we're not letting the Lakers' mini three-game win streak vs. subpar Memphis and New Orleans move the needle too much in our assessment of the Lake Show, whose defensive issues remain a concern. Play Spurs
With late word that James Harden should be good to go tonight for the Clips after missing the Monday win over the Warriors with shoulder problems, much less reluctant to go against the Knicks tonight. New York is giving us a pretty big target to go against lately, dropping 10 of 11 spread decisions since winning the NBA Cup last month in Las Vegas. Pperhaps the Knicks hit bottom in Monday's 31-point loss at Detroit, but Spike Lee and other Knicks fans were thinking the same after some other previous setbacks, like vs. the Hawks at MSG last Friday, which was followed up by a double-digit home loss to the Sixers. Meanwhile, the Clips hit the Big Apple having won seven of eight. Play Clippers
They're not quite the NBA version of the late-season New York Jets...but they're not far away. We talk of the Kings, in the midst of an alarming five-game downturn in which Sacto hasn't been closer than 14 points and a loss margin of nearly 25 pg. The Kings' last win actually came against the Mavs at Golden 1 Center on December 27, which should provide Dallas some added ammunition in an atonement role. The Mavs regained their balance on Saturday in a 114-110 win over the high-flying Rockets when Anthony Davis (still in a healthy state) scored 26 and grabbed 12 boards after missing the loss at Sacto the previous week. Play Mavs
Housekeeping first for the T-wolves, as Anthony Edwards (foot) made tonight's injury list with a maintenance designation. Minny has won 2 of the last 3 games Edwards has missed, but his absence would still be significant after scoring 33 pg across the past three outings. Even if Edwards goes, however, we like the quick payback dynamic for the Heat, whose only loss in six games since Christmas was last Saturday's 125-115 setback vs. Minny, when a cold snap at the start of the 4th Q (19-4 T-wolves run) decided the game. In the other five wins in the last six, Miami has scored nearly 132 ppg, with Norman Powell reminding why he was a great offseason add, scoring at a 29 pg clip. Play Heat
What might we read into the Clippers' heavy 146-115 loss to the Celtics on Saturday, other than hot Boston shooting? First, did the return of Ivica Zubac to active duty disrupt recent chemistry of the six-game win streak while he was sidelined? Second, is the knee injury suffered by Derick Jones, after the Clips won the first four games after his recent return to active duty, going to prove a negative? Also, what of James Harden appearing on the Monday injury report, iffy with shoulder soreness? The Warriors, however, are not to be feared these days, though note Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green (all available now) missed their only loss in the past week on Friday vs. the Thunder. Play Clippers
It's worth wondering where the Denver offense will come from tonight with the Nuggets' top four scorers unavailable in Philadelphia. We know of the Joker's absence (knee) but also tonight Jamal Murray (ankle) will be given a rest as will Tim Hardaway, Jr and recently-activated Aaron Gordon, forcing David Adelman into makeshift lineups and rotations. Slowing the pace might be Adelman's only alternative at Wachovia Center. Meanwhile, the Sixers have won three straight, but they haven't won a game by more than 15 points for over a month, hence a bit of reluctance to lay this heavy price. They're also returning home from a road trip, a role in which they have lost in three of their last four opportunities. Play Nuggets-Sixers Under
The Griz took Friday's game at Crypto.com into the final few minutes before falling just short, and now there is word that Ja Morant is iffy tonight as he deals with a calf contusion. Yet as we saw when Ja was out for almost a month, Memphis can function perfectly well without him, and worth noting the Griz have lost in 10 of the last 13 games in which Morant has been involved. Lakers form lately has been suspect, too, and needed a late spurt to win by 7 on Friday. Defensive issues continue to haunt, as LA has allowed 120 pg across the last five games, and JJ Redick shuffling pieces offensively to compensate for the absence of Austin Reaves (26.6 ppg). Play Griz