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The NBA schedule slows down a bit for us all to catch our collective breath on Thursday night, which may be good if they went against our NBA picks from Wednesday night (we went 7-2). In fact, we may have done even better if the Celtics kept up their early pace (they were destroying the Thunder in the first quarter), while the Heat really laid an egg at home against a bad Pacers team.
We don’t like to pat our own back too much, though, as we actually strive for perfection every night. Still, we’ll take winning by a wide margin with our picks, and walk confidently into Thursday night’s action with a solid 66-33 mark on the year:
Kings @ Grizzlies
Sacramento has been a gritty team on the road so far this year (3-2), but after a hot start they seem to be slowly falling back down to earth. They could give Memphis a fight, but they’ll need quite the effort to top Memphis on the road, as the Grizzlies are undefeated on their own floor and have been flat out elite overall on defense.
Pick: Grizzlies 94, Kings 89
Bulls @ Raptors
Derrick Rose’s status changes on a nightly basis, while the Bulls continue to be unsure of whether or not several of their key players will suit up on a regular basis. The Bulls are very balanced and could easily win with Rose starting, but even his presence isn’t enough to make them a safe lock. Toronto hasn’t lost at home yet this year (5-0) and currently is the better team on both sides of the court.
Pick: Raptors 105, Bulls 103
76ers @ Mavericks
Philly may be getting Michael Carter-Williams (knee) back for Thursday night’s clash in Dallas, but he should be limited and won’t provide enough to shock the Mavs. Dallas is an elite offensive team that should take full advantage of this cakewalk matchup. They could let the Sixers hang around for a while, though, as their defense does leave a lot to be desired.
Pick: Mavs 115, 76ers 107
Nets @ Warriors
Stephen Curry (pictued) and Golen State cap the night, as they try to hold off a pretty solid Brooklyn squad. This should be an easy pick ultimately, as the Nets are on the second of a back to back and aren’t nearly as good defensively as the Warriors. Golden State is also always tough at home, so Deron Williams and co. will have their work cut out for them.
Pick: Warriors 107, Nets 101
