The second half of the NBA season is underway with full slate of weekend games. The Denver Nuggets play back-to-back games against two Western Conference bubble teams, including the Memphis Grizzlies on the road at Grind City, and the Dallas Mavericks at home in Colorado. Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors are seeking to end a four-game skid while hosting the hottest team in the NBA, the Utah Jazz.
The Houston Rockets lost 14 games in a row and are desperate to get off the schneid, but the outlook seems grim with the Utah Jazz awaiting them on Friday evening.
The Minnesota Timberwolves finally ended their nine-game losing streak, but they host Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers in a Saturday/Sunday back-to-back.
| NBA Friday |
- Denver Nuggets at Memphis Grizzlies
- Houston Rockets at Utah Jazz
- Indiana Pacers at LA Lakers
| NBA Saturday |
- Detroit Pistons at Brooklyn Nets
- Toronto Raptors at Charlotte Hornets
- Dallas Mavericks at Denver Nuggets
- Indiana Pacers at Phoenix Suns
| NBA Sunday |
- Utah Jazz at Golden State Warriors
- San Antonio Spurs at Philadelphia 76ers
- Portland Trail Blazers at Minnesota Timberwolves
- LA Clippers at New Orleans Pelicans
The second half of the season is loaded with back-to-back games. The Indiana Pacers are on a West Coast road trip with a Friday game against the LA Lakers and a Saturday contest against the Phoenix Suns.
Friday: Ja Morant vs Jamal Murray
Denver Nuggets (21-15) at Memphis Grizzlies (17-16)… If you dig guard matchups, check out Ja Morant and Jamal Murray. Home dog alert! Memphis has the third-best ATS record (19-14) in the NBA and they come into Friday night as a +3 underdog. Denver has the fourth-best record (23-13) in hitting the over. The total for Nugs/Griz is 227 o/u.
Houston Rockets (11-24) at Utah Jazz (27-9)… Numerous members of the Rockets are subject to NBA trade rumors, including PJ Tucker, John Wall, and Victor Oladipo. Eric Gordon (groin) is out for at least a month. Houston’s best player Christian Wood (ankle) finally returned to practice, but he’s still a few days away from returning to action. The Jazz headed into the second half playing their “worst” stretch of the season with a two-game losing streak and a 3-4 clip over their last seven games.
Indiana Pacers (16-19) at LA Lakers (24-13)… The Pacers are three-games below .500, yet part of that bubble cluster of teams in the Eastern Conference. They’re on the road for a three-game West Coast swing against three tough teams. First up, a trip to Tinsel Town to play a well-rested LeBron James and the Lakers.
Saturday: Luka vs Jokic, LaMelo Rising
Detroit Pistons (10-27) at Brooklyn Nets (25-13)… The Pistons are 4-17 on the road this season. The Nets won’t have Kevin Durant in this one, which marks 11 games in a row that he’s missed. It’s not like they needed KD. Kyrie Irving dropped 40 points against the Boston Celtics last night to kick off the second half of the season. Blake Griffin has yet to suit up for the Nets, but he should make his debut on Saturday against his old team.
Toronto Raptors (17-20) at Charlotte Hornets (18-18)… A pair of mid-level teams are stuck in a fierce bubble fight. Charlotte’s LaMelo Ball has the inside track for Rookie of the Year. The Raptors lost three in a row and are still recovering from an outbreak of COVID-19. The short-handed Raptors didn’t have Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby, or rookie Malachi Flynn to start the second half.
Dallas Mavericks (19-17) at Denver Nuggets (21-15)… Luka Doncic, the Unicorn, and the Dallas Mavericks head to Colorado for a showdown against Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and the high-flying Denver Nuggets. Doncic started the second half in style with a triple-double.
Indiana Pacers (16-19) at Phoenix Suns (25-11)… The Pacers have another tough matchup against a top dog in the West. Caris LeVert should make his debut with the Pacers after recovering from surgery to remove a mass from his kidney. The Suns won five in a row and are now only two games behind the Jazz for the #1 seed in the Western Conference. The Pacers have the second-worst ATS record (14-21) in the league, and only the Houston Rockets cover fewer games. The Suns have the best ATS record in the league, and are currently tied with the Utah Jazz.
Sunday: Spida vs Curry, Pops vs Doc
Utah Jazz (27-9) at Golden State Warriors (19-19)… The Jazz and Warriors are the Marquee Game of the Weekend. The Jazz take their potent triple guard offense to the Bay Area for a shootout against Steph Curry and the Warriors. Curry won the 3-point contest over the weekend, but he shot bricks in his first game back with a 1-for-8 clip from downtown. Steve Kerr benched rookie James Wiseman for missing COVID tests.
San Antonio Spurs (18-15) at Philadelphia 76ers (25-12)… The Spurs and LaMarcus Aldridge broke up, but the show must go on. If you like coaching chess matches, then keep a close eye on Gregg Popovich and Doc Rivers. Pops takes the Spurs into dangerous territory at the Wells Fargo Center. The Sixers boast the best home record over the past two seasons, and currently have the second-best home record (16-3) in the league. The Spurs are a top-five under squad with a 19-14 record hitting the under, whereas the Clippers are a top-five overs team at 23-15-1.
Portland Trail Blazers (21-15) at Minnesota Timberwolves (8-29)… This marks the second game of a back-to-back for the Blazers and Timberwolves. The T-Wolves finally won their first game under new head coach Chris Finch, but can they build upon it and string together a winning streak?
LA Clippers (25-14) at New Orleans Pelicans (15-22)… Stan Van Gundy was wicked pissed that the Pelicans lost to the atrocious Minnesota Timberwolves last night. The Pelicans are still fade material with a 15-22 ATS record for the third-worst in the NBA. If you love to bet NBA totals, this is a good spot. The Pelicans (27-10) are the best over team in the league, while the Clippers (23-15-1) are ranked #5.
