The Miami Heat will look to add to their lead in the Eastern Conference when they take on the struggling Golden State Warriors, who have lost three games in a row and are still without superstar Stephen Curry.
Meanwhile, the Phoenix Suns will look to improve further upon their NBA-best record as they face the much-improved Minnesota Timberwolves, who could be their first-round playoff opponents.
Read on below as SBOTOP previews all 11 games in a jam-packed NBA schedule.
New York Knicks @ Charlotte Hornets
The Knicks stumbled to their second straight defeat last night to the Hawks, 117-111. Leading scorer Julius Randle (20 PPG, 10 RPG) missed the game due to a sore thigh, and it remains to be seen whether he will be ready for the second game of their back-to-back against the Hornets.
Charlotte are back up to ninth in the East thanks to a five-game winning streak. Guards Terry Rozier (21.6 PPG) and LaMelo Ball (18.8 PPG, 8.6 APG) have both been key in sparking the Hornets’ recent run, while veteran Isaiah Thomas has been a useful addition to the squad.
Betting Tip: Knicks Asian Handicap +6.50 @ 1.96
Atlanta Hawks @ Detroit Pistons
Trae Young torched the Knicks for 45 points on his return to Madison Square Garden as the Hawks stopped their two-game slide. Young has now topped 40 points three times this month, and he will look to add to add to that tally against the Pistons.
Detroit slumped back down to the bottom of the East after a two-game losing skid. Saddiq Bey has been on fire of late, averaging 32 PPG over the last three games. That includes a 51-point performance in their win over the Orlando Magic.
Betting Tip: Pistons Asian Handicap +4.50 @ 2.03
Sacramento Kings @ Indiana Pacers
Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis will be unable to face his old team, the Pacers, for the first time since getting traded in the deadline as he picked up a knee injury. The Kings, who have lost seven of their last eight games, will sorely miss Sabonis, who had been averaging 23 points and 11 rebounds over his last four games.
On the other side, Tyrese Haliburton and Buddy Hield are both eagerly anticipating their matchup with their old team. The two have been struggling of late, but the Pacers have still gone on a two-game winning streak.
Betting Tip: Kings Asian Handicap +5.50 @ 1.91
Utah Jazz @ Boston Celtics
The red-hot Celtics continue to roll. They went a perfect 4-0 on their recent West road trip, with big wins over the Warriors, Kings, Nuggets, and Thunder. Jayson Tatum has topped 30 points in three straight games, while Marcus Smart looks set to return to the lineup after a recent absence due to illness.
The Celtics will be back home to host the Jazz, who saw their three-game win streak ended by the Kevin Durant-led Nets. Donovan Mitchell has another 30-point game – his third in a row – but shot just 9-of-23 from the field.
Betting Tip: Celtics Asian Handicap -4.50 @ 1.84
Golden State Warriors @ Miami Heat
The Warriors suffered an embarrassing loss to the lowly Magic last night, their third defeat on the bounce. Two of those defeats have been without injured superstar Stephen Curry, and fellow Splash Brother Klay Thompson looks set to sit out the second night of a back-to-back in Miami.
The Heat will look to bounce back after their lead in the East was cut following a shock loss to the shorthanded Sixers. All-Star Jimmy Butler, who has struggled to stay on the court of late, had 27 points against his old team but is once again questionable to play due to an ankle issue.
Betting Tip: Warriors Asian Handicap +7.50 @ 1.82
Brooklyn Nets @ Memphis Grizzlies
The Nets are now looking like the team that the NBA 2022 odds had as one of the favourites to win the title. With Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving – 37.8 points over his last five games – playing at an incredibly high level, the Nets have won six of their last seven games.
With Irving available to play once again, they will like their chances of keeping their fine run going in Memphis against the Grizzlies. Memphis will once again be without star point guard Ja Morant due to a knee injury. But despite Morant’s absence, they still blew out the Rockets, 122-98, as Desmond Bane led the way with 24 points.
Betting Tip: Nets Asian Handicap -2.00 @ 1.88
Phoenix Suns @ Minnesota Timberwolves
The Suns almost suffered a shock loss at Sacramento, but they rallied in the fourth quarter and overtime to beat the Kings for their fifth straight win. And there’s more good NBA 2022 news for Phoenix, with Chris Paul closing in on his return from a thumb injury.
The Timberwolves will be hoping CP3 doesn’t make his return against them. Minnesota saw their five-game win streak snapped in a narrow 110-108 defeat to the Dallas Mavericks. Meanwhile, All-Star big man Karl-Anthony Towns is questionable to play due to a forearm injury.
Betting Tip: Suns Asian Handicap -1.50 @ 1.94
Orlando Magic @ Oklahoma City Thunder
After meeting just a few days ago, the Magic and Thunder are set to square off once again. Orlando won their first meeting, 90-85, with Wendell Carter Jr. exploding for 30 points and 16 rebounds.
Carter will look to lead the Magic to another win over the Thunder, whose losing skid is now up to a season-long 10 games.
Betting Tip: Thunder Asian Handicap +1.50 @ 1.92
Houston Rockets @ Dallas Mavericks
After back-to-back defeats, Dallas got back to winning ways with a close 110-108 win over the Timberwolves. The Mavs won despite a rare off night from Luka Doncic, and they must once again step up without their superstar, who will miss the game against the Rockets due to an ankle injury.
Spencer Dinwiddie, who is averaging nearly 20 points in his last nine games, will get the start against Houston. Dinwiddie had 16 points and 7 assists in the Mavs’ 113-100 win over the Rockets a few weeks ago.
Betting Tip: Rockets Asian Handicap +10.00 @ 1.85
Philadelphia 76ers @ Los Angeles Lakers
The Sixers pulled off a shock 113-106 win over the East-leading Heat despite sitting both Joel Embiid and James Harden. Tyrese Maxey starred with 28 points in their absence, while Shake Milton and Furkan Korkmaz combined for 38 points off the bench.
The Embiid-Harden duo should be back for the Sixers’ showdown against the Lakers, who beat the Cavs, 131-120, last time out to finish their four-game road trip 2-2. But LeBron James, who starred with 38 points, 11 rebounds, and 12 assists against Cleveland, is questionable to play with a knee problem.
Betting Tip: 76ers Asian Handicap -7.00 @ 1.92
San Antonio Spurs @ Portland Trail Blazers
The Spurs and Blazers both look unlikely to make the play-in tournament in the West. Nevertheless, they are both coming off road wins, with the Spurs stunning the Warriors and the Blazers bringing down the Pistons.
The Blazers, who had lost 10 of their previous 11 games, will still be without top guards Anfernee Simons and Josh Hart, so rookie Brandon Williams (17 PPG on 41 per cent shooting in his last 10 games) will have to match up with Spurs All-Star Dejounte Murray.
Betting Tip: Spurs Asian Handicap -7.50 @ 1.93
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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