Russell Westbrook delivered yet another triple double to cap an exciting Friday night that included a ridiculous 14 games and us going right down the middle (7-7) with our NBA picks. That will happen when the Bucks lose to the Lakers, the Knicks take down the Piston in double overtime in Detroit and the Wizards get handed a sixth straight loss by the hands of the freaking 76ers. Those three insane games should have gone the other way, and had they, we would have ended a loaded night with a respectable 10-4 mark. The good news is we managed to stick around .500 and enter Saturday’s slate with a still solid 490-258 season record.

We have another seven games to break down and pick for tonight, so let’s dive right in:

Pistons @ Wizards

I think tonight is a “go against trends” night. Last night kind of was, too, but as bad as the Wizards have been I can’t see them losing forever. They’ve dropped an incredible six straight and while it could easily continue against a decent Pistons teams, I think they finally end the skid. They’re at home and could get Bradley Beal back in some capacity tonight. If so, it could be just the lift they need.

Pick: Wiz 102, Pistons 98

Hawks @ Heat

Miami has been a very back and forth team all year and that hasn’t changed since landing Goran Dragic. Not having Chris Bosh around hurts them on the boards and doesn’t help them offensively. Atlanta is one of the most disciplined and balanced teams in the league, so it’s hard to take the Heat seriously in this one.

Pick: Hawks 104, Heat 97

Raptors @ Knicks

Toronto got housed by a great Warriors team last night, so they’ll be looking to bounce back against a talent-barred Knicks squad. New York should be awfully tired after squeaking out a 2OT win last night, too.

Pick: Raps 106, Knicks 98

Grizzlies @ Timberwolves

Minnesota is quietly a pretty decent team these days thanks to being at full health. Memphis just dropped a tough home game last night to the Clippers and aren’t really the type of team to lose three games in a row, though.

Pick: Grizz 106, T’Wolves 101

Nets @ Mavericks

Brooklyn is another up and down team like the Heat that are pretty hard to trust, and that’ll be even more so in Dallas. The Mavs get Rajon Rondo back tonight and are pretty solid at home.

Pick: Mavs 109, Nets 100

Spurs @ Suns

San Antonio finally ended a four-game skid last night but now they have to enter the desert on the second game of a back-to-back set. Phoenix loves to run and I’m not so sure a tired, old Spurs team will have the energy to make it through a marathon outing.

Pick: Suns 108, Spurs 104

Bucks @ Jazz

Milwaukee and Utah are the second late game to end the night, as the Bucks hit the road with an eye on going above .500 away from home on the year. Utah isn’t great at home, but they’ve turned into a pretty good defensive team. Gordon Hayward also destroyed the Bucks last time and might do so again tonight.

Pick: Jazz 99, Bucks 94

We only had two games to figure out last night, yet we went 1-1 (now 483-251 on the year) thanks to Eric Bledsoe leading the Suns past the Thunder. Both games were high-scoring, competitive affairs and we saw some awesome performances out of LeBron James, Russell Westbrook and the aforementioned Bledsoe. James and Westbrook go back to work again tonight, as their teams and 12 others hit the hardwood in an insane 14-game showcase.

We’ll make our picks quick and easy so you can continue on with your NBA betting for Friday night:

Cavaliers @ Pacers

Cleveland is white hot and just topped the Warriors last night. They will be without star point guard Kyrie Irving in Indy, but LeBron James and Kevin Love can handle the Pacers.

Pick: Cavs 104, Pacers 97

Wizards @ 76ers

Washington has looked awful en route to dropping five in a row, but there’s nothing like seeing the Sixers on the schedule. Look for the Wiz to roll.

Pick: Wiz 106, Sixers 94

Magic @ Hawks

Orlando seem to give the Hawks a good fight, but Atlanta is at home and has a new winning streak going. They won’t want to have it snapped by the lowly Magic.

Pick: Hawks 111, Magic 105

Hornets @ Celtics

Charlotte just ended an ugly skid and the Celtics host after winning two straight. Charlotte is the safer pick with Al Jefferson roaming the paint, while of the two teams the Hornets are the only ones who play any defense.

Pick: Hornets 102, Celtics 98

Knicks @ Pistons

The Knicks are dreadful and the Pistons have been solid as winners of six of their last 10. They should take care of the no-name gang at home.

Pick: Pistons 108, Knicks 102

Warriors @ Raptors

Golden State just lost last night to the Cavs so they’ll look to get the bad taste of losing a big game out of their mouths. Toronto can be tough at home, but they’ve lost three in a row and it’s unlikely that skid ends against the best team in the league.

Pick: Warriors 107, Raptors 103

Heat @ Pelicans

Miami has been a mixed bag since bringing Goran Dragic in, but they’re starting to come together and get the Pellies tonight without both Anthony Davis and Ryan Anderson. Miami should be the slight favorites in a gritty showdown.

Pick: Heat 98, Pelicans 96

Timberwolves @ Bulls

Derrick Rose is already out for 4-6 weeks and now the Bulls will have to fend off the pesky T’Wolves without Pau Gasol (illness). Minnesota is healthy and can pour on the points, so we smell an upset brewing in Chi-town.

Nets @ Rockets

James Harden is a little banged up but he should suit up and will likely dominate an inconsistent Brooklyn defense. The Nets are healthy and have been playing better lately, but winning in Houston is a tall order.

Pick: Rockets 106, Nets 101

Clippers @ Grizzlies

L.A. and Memphis teamed up for a great game just a few days ago and they might do just that again. Lob City still will be without Blake Griffin, though, so the odds rest with the Grizz on their home floor.

Pick: Grizz 102, Clips 101

Jazz @ Nuggets

Denver is reeling after four straight losses, while Utah has been much more formidable defensively since inserting Rudy Gobert into the starting lineup. Denver can enforce their will offensively at times, but the Jazz have been more impressive lately.

Pick: Jazz 101, Nuggets 96

Spurs @ Kings

DeMarcus Cousins and Darren Collison are both out for the Kings, which should give a totally reeling Spurs squad (four straight losses) a great chance to get off the schneid.

Pick: Spurs 104, Kings 97

Bucks @ Lakers

Milwaukee is surging with seven wins out of their last 10 games, and while the Lakers are hosting with a nice two-game winning streak, the Bucks have to be the pick. They’re simply more complete and play sound defense, while the Lakers getting three wins in a row sounds like something that is borderline impossible.

Pick: Bucks 99, Lakers 97

Thunder @ Trail Blazers

Russell Westbrook takes OKC into Portland for what is easily the game of the night. No Kevin Durant gives Portland the obvious edge, who are pretty brutal on their home floor (24-6 on the year).

Pick: Blazers 107, Thunder 105

Thursday night gives NBA bettors a break, as just two games hit the schedule with a huge matchup between the Cavaliers and Warriors and the Thunder/Suns to close out the night. Despite there just being two games, fans are in for quite an entertaining night of basketball due to all the star power involved. With all that being said, we welcome the light docket after a heavy 12-game Thursday night where we made it out alive with a 7-5 record (bringing us to 482-250 on the season).

The night could have been so much better had the Jazz taken care of the lowly Lakers and the Wizards not lost to the Timberwolves. Those are the breaks, though, and we march on into another night of NBA picks:

Golden State Warriors @ Cleveland Cavaliers

The Warriors come into the night with the NBA’s best record (44-10) but the Cavaliers could be ready to give them a piece of their mind. Winners of eight of their last 10, Cleveland has done a terrific job of executing a fast-paced offense, while also improving on defense. If this game were in Golden State the Warriors would probably be the easy pick given how dominant they’ve been at home this year, but the Cavs have been solid on their home floor and seem to be rounding into top form. Even more important is they’ve dropped their allowed points to just 98 per game, and that’s a trend that doesn’t seem to be going away. That doesn’t mean they’ll come close to shutting down the Warriors tonight, but I do think they have the tools to squeak out a win. Expect a lot of points and some big individual performances, but I’ll take the Cavs at home.

Pick: Cavs 108, Warriors 105

Oklahoma City Thunder @ Phoenix Suns

Kevin Durant remains out but that shouldn’t matter as OKC comes into the desert tonight as the hottest team in the league (7 wins in a row). Russell Westbrook has been a man possessed and that’s really especially been the case whenever KD has been out. We should expect nothing else tonight, especially in an up-tempo matchup where there will be very little defensive resistance from the Suns. Phoenix does still have the weapons via Eric Bledsoe, Brandon Knight and Markieff Morris to contend with the Thunder, but they just don’t have the same defensive chops OKC does right now. The Thunder would be a total lock if Durant were available, but even without him it’s hard to bet against them. Look for this game to be explosive, but for the Thunder to pull away late and nab their eighth win in a row.

Pick: Thunder 109, Suns 103

The big NBA news on Tuesday night was star Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose going down, but we also saw some pretty intense basketball. Russell Westbrook showed us again with a sick triple double why he just might be a legit MVP candidate and Stephen Curry returned from a one-game absence to top the Wizards.

We made out okay overall, going 3-1 on the night and lifting our season record to 475-245. We aim to pick it up even more on an insanely buys Wednesday night:

Heat @ Magic

Orlando has quietly won three games in a row (their longest such streak of the season), but Goran Dragic already looks comfortable with the Heat and Miami knows every win counts right now. Orlando won’t go out without a fight, but the Heat are the safer pick in this battle of Florida.

Pick: Heat 97, Magic 95

Mavericks @ Hawks

Atlanta has stumbled a bit in relation to their ridiculous winning streak, but they’re still 6-4 in their last 10 and are a real problem at home (25-4 on the year). The Mavs have won three straight and pose a serious threat, but they have issues at point guard with Rajon Rondo losing his cool. Atlanta at home is tough to go against.

Pick: Hawks 106, Mavs 102

Knicks @ Celtics

Boston has been pretty competitive lately and the Knicks are just a trash heap. New York isn’t even trying to win right now (lost seven in a row), so pick them at your own risk.

Pick: Celtics 106, Knicks 97

Nets @ Pelicans

Brooklyn has looked great with Deron Williams back at the helm, but Jarrett Jack could return and ruin that tonight. The Pellies have done a solid job without Anthony Davis and Ryan Anderson, but eventually they’re going to trip up. Tonight could be one of those nights.

Pick: Nets 103, Pellies 101

Hornets @ Bulls

Charlotte is in a free fall with five losses in a row and even with Derrick Rose going down again, it’s hard to take them over the Bulls. Chicago could be playing with heavy hearts but they’re still the better team and on their home floor.

Pick: Bulls 105, Hornets 95

Clippers @ Rockets

Our first really explosive game of the night has Chris Paul leading his Clips into Houston to take on James Harden. Patrick Beverley’s status is huge for this one, as he could be pesky against CP3 if active. L.A. has been great even without Blake Griffin, but winning in Houston isn’t going to be easy.

Pick: Rockets 106, Clippers 104

76ers @ Bucks

Michael Carter-Williams is set to make his Bucks debut and face his former team all on the same night. I’m betting on MCW showing up big in this one, while the Bucks play good defense and are simply the vastly superior squad. The 76ers are terrible.

Pick: Bucks 99, 76ers 94

Wizards @ Timberwolves

Washington is struggling with four losses in a row, but even on the road a date with the Timberwolves has to be met with a smile. Minnesota gets Kevin Garnett back tonight and really haven’t been that bad since getting back to full health, but the Wiz have to take advantage of this one.

Pick: Wiz 103, T’Wolves 97

Suns @ Nuggets

Ty Lawson versus Eric Bledsoe will be a fun matchup, but Denver can’t stop anyone in the paint or just in general. They do host a Suns team that has dropped five in a row, but in a fast-paced toss up we like the better built Suns.

Pick: Suns 104, Nuggets 102

Lakers @ Jazz

The Jazz are fresh off taking down the defending champion Spurs so they’ll host the Lakers with confidence tonight. L.A. doesn’t have any kind of an identity and they got their token win over the Celtics recently. Take the Jazz at home.

Pick: Jazz 105, Lakers 94

Grizzlies @ Kings

DeMarcus Cousins will have to be huge for the Kings to take down the Grizzlies, while the top story-line might be Rudy Gay taking on the team that drafted him. The Kings should keep it close on their home floor, but the Grizz have won eight of 10 and aren’t about to trip up against a weaker team.

Pick: Grizz 105, Kings 99

Spurs @ Trail Blazers

San Antonio has been rather sluggish and has lost three in a row, so we should expect them to wake up and actually show up for a change in a huge clash with the Blazers. Damian Lillard has enjoyed facing the Spurs this year, but if LaMarcus Aldridge can’t go Portland could be in some trouble. That being said, the Spurs just don’t look very good and Portland is a staggering 23-6 on their home floor this year.

Pick: Blazers 107, Spurs 104

James Harden went nuts, the Pelicans won without Anthony Davis and the Spurs lost to the Jazz in a wacky Monday night to get the new week going. We made it out alive with a 5-4 record (472-244 on the year), but we had hoped for a better run. There are even fewer NBA games to mess with our heads come Tuesday, so we should have a shot at going a perfect 4-0 on the night. Let’s dive right into our NBA picks for Tuesday, 2/24/2015:

Warriors @ Wizards

Stephen Curry could sit out for the second straight game due to an ankle injury, which could put the top-ranked Warriors in a bad spot. It’s bad enough they have a stiff test in the Wizards on the road, but no Curry dramatically stifles their potent offense. Golden State just lost to the Pacers without Curry, so you can imagine how difficult it will be for them to win in D.C. tonight if he can’t go.

Pick: Wiz 103, Warriors 101

Cavaliers @ Pistons

Detroit has come on strong lately (winners of six of their last 10), but they’re still getting acclimated with new starting point guard Reggie Jackson and the Cavaliers seem to be bull-dozing everyone these days. Cleveland is 8-2 over their last 10 and doesn’t look to be slowing down anytime soon.

Pick: Cavs 109, Pistons 104

Pacers @ Thunder

Indy did just upset the Warriors, but they didn’t have Stephen Curry and Russell Westbrook is a man possessed right now. OKC could potentially be in trouble considering Kevin Durant (foot) remains out, but new acquisition Enes Kanter has worked out swimmingly and Westbrook isn’t one to bet against – especially on his home floor.

Pick: Thunder 104, Pacers 97

Raptors @ Mavericks

Toronto visits Dallas to end a quiet four-game night, but this game should be anything but low on noise or points. Both of these teams can fill it up offensively and Dallas tends to play lights out at home. The Mavs will miss Chandler Parsons in this one, but Toronto is fresh off of a thriller from last night, so they could be a little run down.

Pick: Mavs 106, Raptors 103

Sunday capped another fun week of NBA action with what ended up being an extremely tough to predict nine-game night. We didn’t make it out on top, going just 4-5 (dropping to 467-240 on the season) thanks to weak efforts by the Wizards, Warriors and Trail Blazers. We got nipped by last second injury hits via Stephen Curry (ankle) and LaMarcus Aldridge (wrist), and that surely didn’t helped their teams (who both lost). We also picked the Hornets to take down a depleted Mavs squad (in hind sight, that was ill advised), while the Celtics failed us in an overtime thriller against the hapless Lakers.

Despite finishing below .500 on the night, we’re taking it all in stride, as we haven’t had many losing nights on the year and sometimes you can’t predict injuries and weak performances from favorites. That’s NBA betting in a nutshell, so we’ll regroup and shoot for perfection to start the week. Let’s dive right into Monday’s NBA picks, which boasts a solid eight games on the schedule:

76ers @ Heat

The Sixers are rolling with Isaiah Canaan at the point and they have almost no real NBA talent on their roster. The Heat are still getting acclimated with new point guard Goran Dragic, but outside of Chris Bosh (blood clots) being done for the year, they’re pretty healthy. Hassan Whiteside should control the paint as the Heat earn a big home win.

Pick: Heat 106, 76ers 101

Raptors @ Pelicans

Anthony Davis is out for the next week (shoulder) and Ryan Anderson could sit out two full weeks, significantly hurting New Orleans down low and overall on offense. Toronto has been rock solid as winners of seven of their last 10, so they should come in and control this one.

Pick: Raptors 105, Pellies 99

Bucks @ Bulls

Milwaukee has been fantastic (8-2 over their last 10) and they play great team defense, while the Bulls oddly have been average (16-11) on their home floor all year. They should be healthy and ready to take on the Bucks, but Milwaukee is suddenly just 3.5 games out of first place in the Central division and they have all of the momentum.

Pick: Bucks 98, Bulls 95

Timberwolves @ Rockets

Houston continues to be without Dwight Howard, but James Harden is absolutely wrecking and a healthy Terrence Jones has helped them down low. Minny is at full strength but they don’t play much defense and winning in Houston should be a problem for a T’Wolves squad that is an abysmal 5-21 on the road this year.

Pick: Rockets 106, Timberwolves 94

Nets @ Nuggets

Ty Lawson and Deron Williams are both back in the saddle for their respective clubs, which could make for a nice up-tempo showdown on Monday night. Lawson has the slight edge in the one on one battle, but his team lost Arron Afflalo last week (trade) and has been in a free fall for the past month. Denver has a slight edge at home, but the Nets are more complete from top to bottom.

Pick: Nets 107, Nuggets 104

Celtics @ Suns

Boston plays their second game of a back to back, which could render them dead tied (they played in overtime last night), while being on the road again can’t help. Phoenix has Brandon Knight activated after a trade and center Alex Len is coming on strong, so we like the new-look Suns at home.

Pick: Suns 103, Celtics 102

Spurs @ Jazz

San Antonio have not been themselves at all with two losses in a row, so they’ll have to get focused to come in and take down a young Utah team that is suddenly playing better defensively. The Spurs are still the more experienced and deeper squad, and losing the season series 2-1 would be unacceptable.

Pick: Spurs 98, Jazz 94

Grizzlies @ Clippers

In what is easily the game of the night, Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph enter the Staples Center to try to chip away at DeAndre Jordan and the Clippers. Chris Paul has kept the Blake Griffin-less Clips afloat (winners of four straight), but the Grizz have the edge defensively and won the earlier meeting this year. I might take the Clips with Griffin, but without him they may end up struggling to score like they normally do.

Pick: Grizz 104, Clippers 98

We made it through a light Saturday night with an unblemished 5-0 record (bringing us to 463-235 on the year), but things will get a little tougher to close the week with a nine-game Sunday ahead of us. The Cavaliers and Knicks get it all started early at 1:00 pm Eastern, so let’s not waste anymore time and jump right into our NBA picks for 2/22/2015:

Cavaliers @ Knicks

Cleveland finally looks like an elite team, while the Knicks are sans Carmelo Anthony and are loudly known as one of the worst teams in the league. Sorry, Knicks fans.

Pick: Cavs 109, Knicks 88

Wizards @ Pistons

Detroit is going to try to get acclimated with new point guard Reggie Jackson, so they may not be totally in sync tonight. Washington, on the other hand, will badly want to rebound after getting smoke by the Cavs a couple of days ago.

Pick: Wiz 101, Pistons 97

Hawks @ Bucks

Atlanta has been struggling ever since they had their insane winning streak snapped, so taking down the Bucks tonight may be key for their confidence. That won’t necessarily be a lock in Mi-town, but at least the Bucks are down to their spare point guards due to trades. That should give Atlanta the edge they need on the road.

Pick: Hawks 104, Bucks 99

Warriors @ Pacers

Golden State has won four in a row and easily dispatched the Spurs in their last outing, so a date with the Pacers doesn’t look too daunting. Indy is at full strength (save for Paul George), but they probably don’t stand much of a chance in this one.

Pick: Warriors 105, Pacers 96

76ers @ Magic

Philly has stripped down to an even less talented roster following some big trade waves, so they won’t be a feared opponent by the Magic tonight. Orlando has actually been solid lately and they’re at home, so we’ll give them the nod.

Pick: Magic 103, Sixers 95

Nuggets @ Thunder

Kevin Durant could be out yet again, but so could Ty Lawson (team) and Russell Westbrook has been unstoppable. We’re siding with Westbrook’s hot run and the fact that the Thunder have improved by adding Enes Kanter down low.

Pick: Thunder 106, Nuggets 103

Hornets @ Mavericks

Dirk Nowitzki may not suit up and Chandler Parsons has already been ruled out, putting the Mavs at a bit of a disadvantage as they host a pesky Hornets team. Mo Williams gives them a solid upgrade at the point spot until Kemba Walker returns and if Al Jefferson can deliver tonight, Charlotte just might land the upset.

Pick: Hornets 99, Mavs 96

Grizzlies @ Trail Blazers

In what should be the game of the night, the Grizzlies and Blazers duke it out in Portland. Memphis took both of the previous battles, but Portland needs to step up and take on eventually if they want to get serious about making their way through the brutal West. It won’t be easy, but the fact that Portland is 23-5 on their home floor can’t hurt.

Pick: Blazers 105, Grizz 103

Celtics @ Lakers

Fans can expect almost no defense when the Lakers host the Celtics tonight, making this a popular “over” pick on the Total. There will be a good amount of points, but if anyone is playing defense it should be the Celtics, who have more talent and better defensive-minded players such as Avery Bradley, Marcus Smart and Tyler Zeller. If they play up to their ability, the Celtics should be able to win for the sixth time in 11 tries.

Pick: Celtics 107, Lakers 104

Friday night was an insane night for trying to pick NBA games, as the Wizards and Hawks both got completely housed at home, the Pistons beat the Knicks, the Magic beat the Pelicans and the Jazz dominated the Trail Blazers. Despite that insanity, we still made it out of a 13-game night alive, boosting our season record up to 458-235 with a 7-6 mark. It wasn’t ideal, but with all of those upsets, we’ll take finishing above .500.

Saturday should be much less chaotic with just five NBA games on the schedule. Let’s take a look at each contest and see who we can safely pick to win tonight:

Thunder @ Hornets

Kevin Durant will sit out tonight but it’s hard to go against the Thunder right now with how good Russell Westbrook is playing. Enes Kanter also makes his debut, giving OKC some more offensive muscle down low. Charlotte has a shot at home if they can keep the pace slow, but OKC is the clear favorite.

Pick: Thunder 101, Hornets 96

Pelicans @ Heat

The Goran Dragic era starts in South Beach tonight, as he’ll hit the court and try to help the Heat upend Anthony Davis and the Pelicans. That could be good or bad his first time out, but no Chris Bosh puts Miami even further behind the eight ball. This should be a good game, but the Pellies have the slight edge.

Pick: Pellies 104, Heat 101

Suns @ Bulls

Phoenix plays it’s second straight game since unloading two of it’s best guards, but Brandon Knight will make his debut tonight when they travel to Chicago to take on the Bulls. Chicago just lost to the Pistons and should play mad tonight, so look for big outings out of Derrick Rose and Pau Gasol in a win.

Pick: Bulls 108, Suns 104

Raptors @ Rockets

Toronto could be in for a trap game tonight after a huge blowout win in Atlanta last night. They showed they have the goods, but getting back to back road wins against elite teams isn’t easy. James Harden should show up with another big game as the Rockets hold down the fort at home.

Pick: Rockets 109, Raptors 106

Kings @ Clippers

The George Karl era is off to a nice 1-0 start, but the Kings are still without Darren Collison as they head into Los Angeles tonight. The Clips are down Blake Griffin, but both DeAndre Jordan and Chris Paul have been playing spirited ball as the Clips have stayed afloat. Look for them both to be big again in a nice home win.

Pick: Clips 107, Kings 102

Chris Paul put the Clippers on his back as L.A. topped the Spurs on Thursday night, bringing basketball and randomness back to our lives. We had the Spurs taking the Blake Griffin-less Clips down, but it didn’t work out that way and we left the night with a 1-1 mark (bringing our season run to 451-229).

We’re still doing great on the year and have plenty of opportunities tonight to help you win some money via NBA betting, thanks to a plethora of pro basketball contests (a whopping 13, to be exact). Chris Bosh has a blood clot and is probably out for the year (and obviously tonight), and also be sure to keep in mind all the pending trades and injuries that could tilt some of these contests. With that said, let’s jump right into it as the NBA is officially back, baby:

Pelicans @ Magic

Anthony Davis should be able to make his way back from a shoulder injury, but with or without him the rising Pellies need to be favored over the sorry Magic. Orlando is actually 2-2 in their last four games since firing Jacque Vaughn, but on the year they’re a terrible defensive team. Look for Tyreke Evans and hopefully Davis to carve them up in a nice road win.

Pick: Pellies 109, Magic 104

Pacers @ 76ers

The Sixers just traded away their best player and may have only one true active point guard tonight. Indy, meanwhile, plays solid defense and outside of a healthy Paul George, comes in at full strength. We like the Pacers, obviously.

Pick: Pacers 103, Sixers 79

Raptors @ Hawks

The Hawks slide into the All-Star break, while the Raptors ran screaming in with a nice three-game winning streak. Atlanta is dominant at home and will want to get the second half of the year off on the right foot, though, so we like the Hawks in a tight contest.

Pick: Hawks 108, Raptors 107

Bulls @ Pistons

Detroit is hurting at point guard right now after trades (Reggie Jackson won’t be active yet), so they’ll need their bigs to dominate this one. They might do so early at home, but Joakim Noah and Pau Gasol are certainly no slouches. Derrick Rose might just dominate this game.

Pick: Bulls 105, Pistons 102

Heat @ Knicks

Chris Bosh is out and Goran Dragic won’t be active yet, but Dwyane Wade should be back and the Heat are still facing the Knicks. Advantage: South Beach.

Pick: Heat 99, Knicks 96

Suns @ Timberwolves

The Suns and T’Wolves get together in Minnesota tonight, in what could be a high-octane and high-scoring affair. Lots of guys are out of this one due to trades, putting Eric Bledsoe and Ricky Rubio against each other in what should be a wild showdown. Minnesota has more weapons at the moment, so I’ll give them a shot on their home floor.

Pick: Timberwolves 107, Suns 104

Cavaliers @ Wizards

Cleveland gets a stiff test in D.C. tonight, although John Wall hasn’t been quite 100% and the Wiz have dropped six of their last 10. It might be hard to take them seriously over the Cavs, even at home, especially since Cleveland has been so hot (8-2 in last 10).

Pick: Cavaliers 104, Wizards 101

Rockets @ Mavericks

Still no Dwight Howard for the Rockets, but Houston will take on a tired Dallas team (they lost to the Thunder last night). James Harden tends to play well against the Mavs, so he should erupt in a nice road win.

Pick: Rockets 106, Mavs 102

Nuggets @ Bucks

Milwaukee has no point guard tonight, but they’ll look to put the defensive clamps on Ty Lawson and the Nuggets. That could happen with this one in Milwaukee, but Denver’s team is still largely intact and I think Lawson could go nuts.

Pick: Nuggets 101, Bucks 98

Trail Blazers @ Jazz

Rudy Gobert will step up as the full-time starter for the Jazz, which could mean big things for the progression of their defense. It’ll be a nice start at home tonight, but the Blazers are just too good and come in with a two-game winning streaking.

Pick: Blazers 102, Jazz 94

Celtics @ Kings

Boston and Sacramento get together for George Karl’s first game, as he’ll try to get the Kings to play better team defense and kick his tenure off with a 1-0 start. That should be easier with Jared Sullinger out due to injury.

Pick: Kings 105, Celtics 100

Spurs @ Warriors

San Antonio will be dead tired after losing to the Clippers late last night, so heading into Golden State has to be last on their wish list. We could randomly see some of their stars benched here, but either way the Warriors are the strong favorites (they’re 23-2 at home).

Pick: Warriors 107, Spurs 104

Nets @ Lakers

Brooklyn heads to L.A. without Kevin Garnett (traded) and Thaddeus Young won’t be active yet, but that just means Mason Plumlee and Brook Lopez will both start and carve up the Lakers’ weak defense. The Nets should roll.

Pick: Nets 106, Lakers 102

The NBA has returned. We finally get back to the greatness that is pro basketball and NBA betting, as Thursday night has the NBA back in style with two solid games on the schedule. We all get blessed with a duel between the Dallas Mavericks and Oklahoma City Thunder early at 8:00 pm Eastern, while the San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Clippers close the night later in the evening.

We went into the All-Star break with a stout 450-228 season record. That included going a perfect 5-0 a Thursday ago, but we whiffed on the Bulls/Cavs Thursday night game. We’re back at it again tonight, so let’s break down both NBA contests and see who might come away with the win:

Dallas Mavericks @ Oklahoma City Thunder

Rajon Rondo should make his return from a facial injury tonight, which could mean bad news if he brings his best defense against Russell Westbrook. Westbrook has been a monster, though, and he and Kevin Durant shouldn’t be afraid of a pretty weak Dallas defense. The Thunder are also at home and got a fun new toy in rookie Mitch McGary, who has dropped two double-double efforts in his last three games. Tyson Chandler and Steven Adams are both questionable for this one, which would end up being a wash if they both sat. If Chandler plays, though, Dallas might have a tiny edge going into a hostile environment. Unfortunately, OKC is pretty hot and actually playing well, and they’ll come into tonight riding a nice three-game winning streak. Dallas has the better record and their offense is tough for anyone to deal with, but they’re on the road and the Thunder are slowly evolving back into an elite team.

Pick: Thunder 107, Mavs 105

San Antonio Spurs @ Los Angeles Clippers

San Antonio has the leg up (2-1) in the season series and I don’t know how anyone can feel great about the Clips evening it up without Blake Griffin. DeAndre Jordan has been a monster since Griffin went down with an elbow infection, but he’s going to have his hands full with Tim Duncan, Boris Diaw and Tiago Splitter. Duncan has actually been relatively quiet against the Clippers this year but the matchup is obviously there for the taking with Spencer Hawes on him. I love the Spurs down low tonight, while Danny Green and Kawhi Leonard are going to have their win on the outside, as well. Tony Parker versus Chris Paul is a solid battle that actually can go either way at times, but CP3 might have the slight edge defensively. L.A. is at home and they should give a solid fight, but the Spurs are healthy and have too many advantages in this one.

Pick: Spurs 103, Clippers 98