Saturday, February 8, 2020

San Antonio Spurs vs. Sacramento Kings [Saturday, February 08, 2020]

The San Antonio Spurs will be trying to snap their three-game losing streak when they visit the Sacramento Kings on Saturday night.


Spurs Going For Third Win In Six Games
The Spurs followed up their two-game winning streak by losing their last three games and will be trying to snap their losing streak with a win over the Kings, which will give them their third win in their last six games.

San Antonio has played well offensively, averaging 113.3 points per game. The team is shooting 47 percent from the field and 36 percent from three-point range. They finished with 117 points in their last game and will need another solid offensive performance to get past the Kings.

Trey Lyles led the way for the Spurs with 23 points and 10 rebounds. DeMar DeRozan finished with 21 points, seven rebounds, and six assists, while LaMarcus Aldridge added 20 points, eight rebounds, and four assists for the Spurs.

San Antonio has struggled defensively, giving up 114.3 points per game. They gave up 125 points in their last game and will need a better performance if they want to beat the Kings.

New Look Kings Hoping To Make Playoff push
The Kings were active at the trade deadline, trading Dewayne Dedmon and two draft picks to the Atlanta Hawks for Jabari Parker and Alex Len. They will be hoping the new pickups provide them with enough depth to make a run for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Sacramento has struggled offensively, averaging 107.6 points per game, which is 24th in the league. The team is shooting 45 percent from the field and 35 percent from three-point range. They finished with 113 points in their last game and will need a much better offensive performance to get past the Spurs.

Buddy Hield leads the Kings with 20.3 points and five rebounds per game. De’Aaron Fox is averaging 20.2 points and seven assists, while Bogdan Bogdanovic is averaging 14.6 points and 3.3 assists per game for the Kings.

Sacramento has been average defensively, holding opponents to 110.6 points per game, which is 15th in the league. They gave up 113points in their last game and will need a better defensive effort to get past the Spurs.

Denver Nuggets vs. Phoenix Suns [Saturday, February 08, 2020]

The Denver Nuggets are traveling to the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona to face off against the Phoenix Suns. The Denver Nuggets are 36-16 on the year and 16-10 away, following a 3 point win against the Utah Jazz. The Phoenix Suns are coming into this game off of an 8 point loss to the Detroit Pistons, dropping them to 20-31 on the year and 9-17 at home.


The Denver Nuggets enter this matchup averaging 109.9 points per game and also allow 106.1 points per game. The Nuggets are led by 24 year old, Nikola Jokic. Jokic is leading Denver in scoring, rebounding, assist. Jokic is averaging 20.6 points per game, 10.3 rebounds per game, and 6.8 assist per game. Jokic has been dominate this year averaging a double-double.

The Phoenix Suns are averaging 112.5 points per game and also allow 113.9 points per game. The Suns are led by 23 year old, Devin Booker. Booker is leading Phoenix in scoring, averaging 26.7 points per game. Booker is one of the most under rated players in the league.

Recent Betting Trends

The Denver Nuggets are 25-24-3 ATS this year.

The Nuggets are 4-1 ATS their last 5 games.

The Phoenix Suns are 24-26-1 ATS this year.

The Suns are 1-5 ATS their last 6 games.

In this matchup I like the Denver Nuggets are 4-1 ATS their last 5 games and the Suns are 1-5 ATS their last 6 games. The Nuggets have a great player in Nikola Jokic and he will lead them to a cover. Final score prediction, the Denver Nuggets will win and cover the spread 114-102.

Los Angeles Lakers vs. Golden State Warriors [Saturday, February 08, 2020]

This Saturday, there is a matchup between two Western Conference teams in the NBA as the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors will face off at about 8:30 PM. This will be the second meeting between these teams this season and it will take place at the Chase Center.


Warriors Look For A Rare Home Win
So far this season, the Golden State Warriors have looked like one of the worst teams in the Western Conference. The Warriors have lost 40 of its first 52 games and they are in possession of last place in the conference standings. To make matters worse, the Warriors have lost six of their last eight games so they have been playing some terrible basketball lately. Now, Golden State will be looking to get back on track with another home game up next. However, Golden State has lost 17 of its first 24 home games this season so it has struggled in front of its home fans all season long.

Leading the Warriors offensively is forward Eric Paschall who has been solid so far this season as he is averaging a team-high 16.1 points per game along with 4.7 rebounds per game. In addition, he is shooting 48.4% from the floor so he has been pretty efficient up to this point.

Golden State’s most underrated player is shooting guard Damion Lee who has been pretty good this season as he is averaging 11.8 points per game along with 5.0 rebounds per game. However, he is also shooting just 40.9% from the floor so he has been pretty inefficient offensively up to this point.

LA Clippers vs. Minnesota Timberwolves [Saturday, February 08, 2020]

The arrival of D’Angelo Russell has reenergized the Minnesota Timberwolves ahead of their Western Conference clash with the Los Angeles Clippers. Minnesota has lost their last 13 straight games, including a recent 127-120 defeat at the hands of the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night.

They’ll be looking to avenge an ugly road loss to the Clippers from a week ago. It’ll be a monumental task considering Los Angeles has rolled to three consecutive victories over the Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs and Timberwolves.


Marcus Morris joins the Clippers
Goodbye, Moe Harkless, and hello, Marcus Morris.

The Clippers completed a three-team trade ahead of the deadline that delivered the former New York Knick to Los Angeles. Morris, 30, is averaging 19.6 points per game this season, putting him in a position to help the Clippers compete right away. While he hasn’t officially been ruled out for Saturday’s game against the Timberwolves, there is a chance the team will hold off on playing him.

There’s no need in rushing him to the floor against the hapless Timberwolves.

It’s going to take more than the addition of Russell to help turn around a defense allowing 115.6 points per game. The star guard isn’t necessarily known for his defensive abilities, and Minnesota will be taking on a Clippers team that has the league’s seventh-ranked offense.

With Paul George finally healthy and reinserted back into the lineup, the Clippers have looked equally as dominant on both ends of the floor. They recently held the Heat to a 43.0 field goal shooting percentage and 111 points. That’s bad news for a struggling Timberwolves offense tasked with stopping both George and Kawhi Leonard.

Clippers guard Patrick Beverley has been ruled out of the game with a groin injury.

Let Towns tell you about his best friend
Karl-Anthony Towns finally turned his frown upside down with the Timberwolves announcing the completed trade for former Golden State Warriors guard D’Angelo Russell. Not only does Russell offer the Timberwolves another elite scoring option, but there’s also the comfort factor of his close personal relationship with Towns.
“It’s surreal to really think that instead of us just talking on the phone or playing video games with each other and talking about how our teams are doing and everything, but now we’re getting to do this every day with each other,” said Towns, via ESPN.com.

Towns and Russell will have the opportunity to put down the video game controllers and go to work as early as Saturday against the Clippers.

The Timberwolves are averaging 43.6 percent shooting from the floor with the fifth-ranked defensive team in the league coming into town for a visit. Russell could miss the game due to a quad ailment, while Jake Layman remains questionable with a toe injury. So it could be another night of bad Timberwolves before we finally get to see Towns with his new teammate.

On the defensive end of the floor, opposing teams are getting buckets on the Timberwolves and barely breaking a sweat. You can rest assured Leonard and George are licking their chops for a chance to feast on offense.

The Timberwolves dropped their 13th consecutive loss to the Hawks on Wednesday.

Brooklyn Nets vs. Toronto Raptors [Saturday, February 08, 2020]

Saturday night’s Atlantic Division showdown at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto will see the Brooklyn Nets take on the Toronto Raptors for the third time this season. The Raptors have a chance to clinch the series after beating the Nets 110-102 as 7-point home favorites and 121-102 as 2-point road underdogs. Toronto has dominated the Nets over the last few years, winning 17 of their previous 18 encounters overall.


After some terrible displays in January, the Nets have improved recently, winning four of their previous five games overall. On the other side, the Raptors will play back-to-back after visiting the Indiana Pacers on Friday night. They entered the clash in Indianapolis on a 12-game winning streak.

The Nets have humiliated the Warriors last time out
Brooklyn is coming off a 129-88 home victory over the Golden State Warriors this past Wednesday. The Nets routed the Dubs, winning each quarter by at least six points. They had a 21-point lead at halftime which tells you a lot about the Warriors’ performance. The Nets outrebounded their rivals (65-34) while shooting 51.0% from the field and 41.2% from beyond the arc. Caris LeVert led the way for Brooklyn with 23 points and eight assists, while Joe Harris added 17 points and nine rebounds.
“Obviously we knew taking D’Lo (D’Angelo Russell), try to bring his percentages down, that was the game plan – first part of the game plan – and limiting Draymond’s (Green) effect on the game with his passing. And mission accomplished,” Brooklyn coach Kenny Atkinson said. “I like how our young guys finished it, you know, finished the game. They showed real progress. All around good defensive effort.”

The Nets are without Kyrie Irving (27.4 PPG, 6.4 APG) who’s dealing with a knee injury. Uncle Drew will miss Saturday’s game against the Raptors, so Spencer Dinwiddie (21.0 PPG, 6.4 APG) and Caris LeVert (14.4 PPG, 3.6 APG) will drive the Nets’ offense. Brooklyn scores only 107.4 points per 100 possessions (22nd in the league), allowing 108.0 points in a return (9th). The Nets are No. 7 seed in the East, seven games behind the sixth-seeded Philadelphia 76ers and two games ahead of the eighth-seeded Orlando Magic.

The Raptors narrowly defeated the Pacers for their 12th straight victory
Before they visited Indianapolis on Friday, the Raptors barely outlasted the Indiana Pacers 119-118 as 5.5-point home favorites this past Wednesday. Toronto overcame a 19-point deficit, while the Raptors trailed by 11 points with just 3:10 left on the clock in the fourth quarter. Kyle Lowry led the way for the Raptors with 32 points and 10 assists, while Serge Ibaka added 30 points and seven rebounds. Pascal Siakam had a great game, too, accounting for 25 points, nine rebounds, five assists, and three steals.
“We play 48 minutes,” Lowry said. “That’s how we play. We gave ourselves a chance, put the press on, made some shots, got aggressive and played better defense down the stretch.”

The Raptors are topping the Atlantic Division at the moment and are No. 2 seed in the East. They are seven games behind the Milwaukee Bucks and 1.5 games ahead of the third-seeded Boston Celtics. The Raptors score 111.5 points per 100 possessions (13th in the league), surrendering only 105.0 points in a return (2nd). They are without Marc Gasol (hamstring) and Norman Powell (finger), while all other guys are ready to go.

New Orleans Pelicans vs. Indiana Pacers [Saturday, February 08, 2020]

The New Orleans Pelicans head to Indianapolis on Saturday night to wrap up their regular-season series with the Indiana Pacers. Back in December, the Pelicans thrashed off the Pacers 120-98 as 1.5-point home favorites, recording their third win in the last five encounters with Indiana.

New Orleans has won four of its last six contests overall and continues to chase No. 8 seed in the Western Conference. On the other side, the Pacers are losing the pace with the top-four seeds in the East. They entered Friday’s clash against the Raptors on a three-game losing streak.


The Pelicans almost blew a 27-point lead in Chicago
New Orleans is coming off a 125-119 victory at the Chicago Bulls this past Thursday. The Pelicans had a 27-point lead with 4:36 to go in the third quarter, and they almost blew it down the stretch. New Orleans dominated Chicago offensively, shooting 56.3% from the field and 42.1% from beyond the arc. Zion Williamson had 21 points on 9-for-11 shooting from the field; Derrick Favors posted eight points and 15 rebounds, while J.J. Redick added 18 points and five assists off the bench.
“Obviously, he is a freak athlete, but he’s also very skillful,” Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball said of Zion Williamson. “You can give it to him on the break, post-ups, short rolls, so he can score in a lot of different ways. And that’s why it’s so hard to stop him.”

With healthy Zion Williamson, the Pelicans will try to sneak into the playoffs. New Orleans is 5.5 games behind the eighth-seeded Memphis Grizzlies, but the Pelicans have been playing very well lately, so they certainly stand a chance. Zion is averaging 19.8 points and 7.5 rebounds per game while making 57.4% of his field goals. Brandon Ingram (24.9 PPG, 6.4 RPG) tweaked his ankle on Thursday and is questionable to play against the Pacers. The Pelicans score 110.1 points per 100 possessions (16th in the league), allowing 112.1 points in a return (22nd).

The Pacers blew a 19-point lead in Toronto
Before they welcomed the Raptors on Friday night, the Pacers suffered a 119-118 defeat in Toronto this past Wednesday. Indiana led by as many as 19 points and had an 11-point lead with just 3:10 left on the clock in the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t enough for the Pacers to upset the odds against the reigning champions. They turned the ball over a few times down the stretch and finished the game with nine turnovers more than the Raptors (19-10). Malcolm Brogdon led the way for Indiana with 24 points, six boards, and six dimes, while Domantas Sabonis posted a triple-double of 15 points, 11 boards, and 10 assists.
“It’s a tough loss, obviously, but there’s a lot of basketball left,” Pacers guard Victor Oladipo said. “We’ve just got to continue to keep getting better, keep getting stronger, and getting healthy as well. Everything else will take care of itself.”

After a narrow loss in Canada, the Pacers were sitting at the fifth spot of the Eastern Conference standings, half a game ahead of the sixth-seeded Philadelphia and three and a half games behind the third-seeded Miami. Indiana is scoring 110.9 points per 100 possessions (15th in the league) on 47.6% shooting from the field (3rd) and 37.1% from beyond the arc (5th). The Pacers are surrendering 108.4 points in a return (12th) on 44.9% shooting from the field (10th).

New York Knicks vs. Detroit Pistons [Saturday, February 08, 2020]

It has been a tough season for the New York Knicks to navigate through as they have fallen well below the .500 mark. The Knicks are coming off a narrow win over the Orlando Magic.

Meanwhile, things haven’t been any easier for the Detroit Pistons as they have continued to head south as the season has worn along. The Pistons are heading into the contest after a road win over the Phoenix Suns.


Knicks hoping to stay on the right path
It has been more of the same for the Knicks as they have continued to stumble as the season has worn along. They haven’t been able to showcase any positive steps forward as their busy offseason hasn’t equated to them finding any sustainable progress on the court. Instead, it has seen them in the same route that they have been in for well over the last decade. That alone has been quite concerning as there is no true sense of direction for the franchise. It’s one of the most beloved organizations in the league, but the team just hasn’t been able to piece it together in any way that would create a great of optimism ahead.

It hasn’t been completely bad as the Knicks have had some bright spots with their roster that has seen big man Julius Randle pick it up in spots offensively as he has shown to be a more than capable scorer. That could see him grab a more prominent offensive role with Marcus Morris being moved at the trade deadline. Randle has picked it up as of late as he’s averaging 19.0 points and 9.5 rebounds per contest while shooting 45.3 percent from the floor. He has tallied more than 20 points three times in the last five games played, including a pair of double-doubles. Randle’s play could be the guiding light that pushes them past the shorthanded Pistons.

Pistons stumbling south in a hurry
In the months ahead of the 2019-20 season, the Pistons had much hope that they could bounce back from what was a disappointing campaign. However, it’s been one that has continued to head south as they have struggled to find any sustained success. They have had major issues with injuries along the way to some core pieces of the puzzle. That has already seen All-Star big man Blake Griffin be declared out for the season due to a knee injury, which leaves a gaping hole offensively that’s going to quite difficult for them to push their way through this season. It just went from a disastrous to a worse situation in Detroit.

It also doesn’t help their effort that they traded star big man Andre Drummond to the Cleveland Cavaliers for an underwhelming haul in return. His departure leaves them without any stability in the frontcourt as he was the lone consistent factor for the franchise. The team’s direction is clear that they are moving to a full rebuild that is going to take some time for them to get back on track. The team is also dealing with their primary scorer Derrick Rose being out of the mix, which could bleed over into Saturday’s game. Even if he’s able to play, it’s hard to envision his production being enough to give them the edge at home.

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)