Bruce's Picks (1 Live)
No Ja Morant might even be a plus for the Grizzlies, who won again minus Ja on Wednesday at Minnesota. That's now 8-2 for Memphis in its last ten minus Morant, who has already been ruled out due to a bad ankle for tonight's game vs. the Wizards. The Griz has been extending margins lately, too, with recent wins by 23 over the Blazers and 18 over the Clippers. As for a go-to scorer, Jaren Jackson is now filling the role nicely after his 28-point effort vs. the T-wolves. Meanwhile, the Wiz look a bit more competent lately, but that usually doesn't last, following up a win at Indiana with a 25-point loss at San Antonio on Thursday, dropping to 4-21 this season. Play Grizzlies
First things first, as need to keep an eye on status of Donovan Mitchell, which is apparently up in the air as he deals with illness, though he did feel good enough to score 32 points in last night's loss to the Bulls. There's also a good chance he'll play, but the quick zig-zag/payback dynamics are nonetheless in place, and Cleveland has been getting improved efforts lately from G Jaylen Tyson (scored 21 last night), while Darius Garland also capable of pitching in with extra points. It's the psychology that appeals here, however, against Chicago in this zag-zag, as the Bulls haven't won back-to-back since October, and might be hard-pressed to replicate last night's 56% FG shooting. Play Cavs
A bit maddening lately for the Rockets, who have lost three straight away, but playing for just the second time in a week, the batteries should be charged for tonight at Smoothie King. Nothing wrong with the effort on Monday at Denver, however, when Houston was unfortunate not to have won regulation time. Getting Alperen Sengun back on the floor after missing a recent loss at Dallas has been a plus, and the Rockets' big lineup has been able to extend many margin this season vs. lesser opposition. That category fits the Pels, despite two wins on the spin, even with and Zion Williamson (knock on wood) back in action. Note NO has ten losses by DD margins already this campaign. Play Rockets
Who's in...who's out? Questions here regarding both Ja Morant and Anthony Edwards as each listed as gametime decisions due to injuries tonight. In Ja's case, he returned two games ago for the Griz and didn't help in a loss to Utah, but Memphis weathered his distractive presence and whipped the Clips on Monday despite Ja twisting his ankle in 4th Q. As for Edwards (foot), the T-wolves have won their last two minus him. Which way to turn? The Grizzlies have definitely turned a corner in recent weeks, winning 8 of 11, and in case Ja doesn't feature that might even be a plus. If Edwards doesn't go for Minnesota, and with Mike Conley out, the Wolves could be thin in the backcourt. Play Grizzlies
We've thought the Knicks could win the NBA Cup from the outset so not terribly surprised they've made it to the finals at T-Mobile. A veteran team that has knocked on the door in the playoffs, this is a chance to win something for NY and lay the groundwork for bigger things next spring. The Knicks are mostly healthy and the big guns are firing, with Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns combining for 69 points in the semis win over the Magic on Saturday. Meanwhile we wonder if the Spurs are going to exhale after pitching a near perfect-game when knocking off favored OKC on Saturday, and Wemby, though activated, is likely still on a minutes restriction for SA. Play Knicks (at Las Vegas)
Friday turned into a double whammy for the Grizzlies. First, Zach Edey, whose return to active duty in November coincided with a Memphis revival, was out with an ankle injury. More impactful, negatively, was the return of Ja Morant from his calf strain. Maybe not coincidentally, the Griz has surged to seven wins in nine minus Ja's distracting presence, but upon his return on Friday, he continued his subpar 35% FG shooting (just 7 for 20) in a loss to the Jazz. Simply, Morant is an overwhelmingly negative presence that needs to be traded; in the meantime, we'll even back the Clips, who have had their own issues but did push Minnesota and Houston at the end of their recent road trip. Play Clippers.
Non-sensical, it seems, for Denver to have lost four straight games at home, considering it has won eleven straight on the road! No new injury news on top of Aaron Gordon's absence, and Nikola Jokic was full steam ahead on the just-completed road swing, scoring at a brisk 32 ppg clip across the four wins as the Nuggets reached at least 134 points three of those occasions. Meanwhile it looks like the Rockets have flattened out a bit, struggling in some recent outings and losing their last two on the road at Utah and Dallas. Note Denver handed Houston its only loss in a nine-game stretch in November when the Joker scored 34 in a 112-109 win at Toyota Center on November 21. Play Nuggets
Can the Warriors finally beat the Blazers? A pair of earlier meetings this season resulted in defeats, but Portland wasn't wobbling as much in October when romping 139-119 (Golden State flat after a wild OT win over the Nuggets the previous night). The Blazers had shown signs of sagging before the November 21 win at Chase Center, but at the moment it looks close to a full retreat, dropping six of seven and thumped in the last two at Memphis and New Orleans. For the Dubs, only Al Horford is out, and Steve Kerr's bunch won its last two at Cleveland and Chicago on the recent road trip. Steph Curry also scored 36.5 ppg vs. the Blazers in the two earlier meetings. Play Warriors
Here is a unique intersection of bounce-back and revenge for the Lake Show tonight in Phoenix. Much ado about Lakers defensive shortcomings after LA was shot full of holes by the Spurs in Wednesday's NBA Cup loss at Crypto.com. Moreover, Austin Reaves will be missing this game tonight in the desert. Still, the combo of Wednesday's humbling and a 125-108 home loss to the Suns two weeks ago in LA makes this an interesting psychological spot for the Lake Show. Still to be determined for Phoenix are statuses of Dillon Brooks (who scored 33 in that 17-point win) and Devin Booker, out since that same December 1 game. No matter, revenge and bounce-back both line up on LA's side tonight. Play Lakers
Much is being made about the Lakers' defensive shortcomings, which were exposed again when the Spurs knocked the Lake Show out of the NBA Cup on Wednesday at Crypto.com. Slowness on the perimeter made it tough to keep pace with the rapid-fire Spurs shooters, who kept finding open looks, especially beyond the arc, where they canned 17 triples. Of course the Suns fared even worse on Wednesday at OKC, but didn't have Devin Booker, who might be available tonight. If not, remember Booker only played 10 minutes in the 125-108 Phoenix win at LA on December 1, when Dillon Brooks (likely available) scored 33 and Collin Gillespie added 28 in a game that looked remarkably similar to the Spurs' win at LA. Play Lakers-Suns Over
Not since before Halloween have the Bucks won back-to-back games, which makes us think that Friday's win over the Celtics might prove a tough act to follow. Boston helped by missing 35 triples at Fiserv Forum, and Milwaukee is going to continue for the next couple of weeks, it seems, minus Giannis, now dealing with a bothersome calf strain. The Bucks hit 58% from the floor on Friday, another act that's likely hard to repeat. Meanwhile the Nets aren't playing too badly, with wins in three of five and pushing the hot Mavs into the final minute on Friday, and Michael Porter Jr on a real heater, scoring 33 or more in four of the last five Brooklyn games. Play Nets
Confronting the injury myth here, expecting the improved Sixers to offer some value even if minus some of their big guns. Tyrese Maxey has already been ruled out and there's a good chance Joel Embiid (knee; gametime decision) might not feature, either, but Philly looks rejuvenated for Nick Nurse, winning four of its last five, and here is a chance to shine for sorts like Gs Quentin Grimes & VJ Edgecombe, who have been producing effectively, not to mention Paul George, off of 23 points on Friday vs. the Pacers. Meanwhile, Atlanta is hardly at full strength, still down Trae Young, and Kristaps Porzingis also sidelined. The Hawks have also dropped four of five, allowing a whopping 131 ppg the last three. Play Sixers
The Pacers ran into a hot Joel Embiid (season-high 39 points) and the Sixers on Friday, but most of the recent trendlines are good for Indiana, which had won four of six before the 115-105 loss at Philly. Rick Carlisle is still working on short rations with the injury situation (no Haliburton, no Toppin, no Nembhard, among others), but there are still some valuable pieces available like Pascal Siakam (24.3 ppg) and Bennedict Mathurin (20.3 ppg), and the team having had time to adjust to the absences. We can always go against the Wizards, too, who were flattened 119-96 by the Pacers not long ago (November 28), and are on another losing streak (four) that includes defeats by 19, 45, and 15 points. Play Pacers
Injury news first, as Wemby (calf strain) is slated to return to SA's lineup for the first time in four weeks tonight vs. the Thunder at T-Mobile. Though his presence should be a positive, we're not sure it will be tonight as the Spurs had adjusted nicely to his absence in recent weeks. No matter, this is a much different matchup for San Antonio than Wednesday's NBA Cup quarterfinal win over the Lakers, whose defensive slowness on the perimeter was made for the quick-fire Spurs offense to exploit. OKC, especially with Lu Dort back in the lineup, is going to present a much more difficult challenge. The Thunder is also 24-1 SU this season (just thought we'd mention that note!). Play Thunder (at las Vegas)