The 2015 NBA trade deadline comes on Thursday afternoon, just before games pick back up following a festive All-Star weekend. But before those games start and that trade deadline hits, a few big names better be in new cities. We’ve seen Carmelo Anthony get shut down, Amare Stoudemire and Larry Sanders get bought out and we’ve already seen some big trades go down. More need to come, and for various reasons that impact both players and teams. Let’s take a look at the 16 biggest names that absolutely need to be moved as soon as possible, why and where they could wind up:

Deron Williams, PG, Brooklyn Nets

Williams is paid like a stud starting point guard and he’s either constantly banged up or coming off the bench for the Nets. Brooklyn is a borderline playoff team, but they don’t know what they want to do right now. One good way to discover their true desire is to find a taker for a still talented and useful D-Will. They still have Jarrett Jack to man the point and they’d shed a monster contract in the process. He’s been loosely tied to the Kings in the past, so they could re-engage in talks.

Reggie Jackson, PG, Oklahoma City Thunder

Jackson showed earlier in the year he can carry a (bad) team if need be, and he just might have some serious star power. His agent just demanded he be traded, while OKC probably was leaning that way anyways, considering they’ll lose him for nothing if they don’t. He could be a true gamer and a be a piece of the puzzle in somewhere like New York or Los Angeles.

Goran Dragic, PG, Phoenix Suns

Dragic has made it clear that he won’t be re-upping with the Suns, so they’d be foolish to hold onto him now. The good news is that a ton of teams want him for the long-term, so Phoenix hasn’t backed itself into a corner when it comes to negotiations just yet. He reportedly would like to play long-term with teams like the Lakers, Knicks or Heat, while the Rockets and Celtics have recently made it known they want The Dragon.

Jeremy Lin, PG, Los Angeles Lakers

Linsanity is a thing of the past. It’s clear Lin can be a quality role player, but he’s probably not a viable starter and he surely isn’t a star player. That doesn’t mean he’s as useless as the Lakers have painted him to be, which could mean someone tries to add him to their squad for the playoff run. Teams that could use bench scoring or point guard depth like the Cavaliers, Pistons, Clippers, Bucks and Pelicans could all express interest.

Jose Calderon, PG, New York Knicks

Calderon hasn’t been awful with the Knicks, but he’s an aging vet who isn’t part of the solution. New York is dropping quality veterans left and right, so he should expect to either be dealt or bought out at some point in the near future. Either way, Calderon landing in a nice spot like San Antonio or Houston could make some sense.

Lance Stephenson, SG, Charlotte Hornets

Stephenson has been woefully ineffective despite signing a superstar deal this past summer, which has lead to both he and the Hornets counting the days until he’s playing in another city. The end is drawing near one way or another, though it’s painfully clear that his trade value is at an all-time low. There have been whispers about a return to Indiana, while the Clippers could consider using him at small forward if they can swing the right deal.

Kevin Martin, SG, Minnesota Timberwolves

Martin has suffered through a wrist injury for most of the year, but when he’s played he’s continued to be a fantastic scorer. The T’Wolves are knee-deep in a full-blown rebuild, though, so he’s got to be on his way out. A few teams could trade for him, but it’s just as likely the two sides agree to a mutual buyout.

Nik Stauskas, SG, Sacramento Kings

Stauskas is the rare rookie that needs to get out of town – and fast. The Kings have misused him all year and it’s clear they prefer Ben McLemore as their starting shooting guard going forward. He wants out and they’ve been testing his trade value for months. Any numbers of teams could pry him from the Kings for the right package.

Arron Afflalo, SG, Denver Nuggets

Afflalo’s name is all over the trade rumor mill, as numerous teams see him as an answer for an offensive spark they currently likely. A couple of those teams are the Bulls and Pistons, but figuring out the appropriate compensation could be difficult. Making things harder is Afflalo’s interest across the league, too, as several teams will be fighting to land him until the final minutes.

Wilson Chandler, SF, Denver Nuggets

Sticking with Denver, the Nuggets just might blow it all up by shipping off Chandler, as well. Chandler has been tied loosely to a number of NBA teams, but the Trail Blazers have been the loudest team to show interest so far. The Nuggets still like Chandler, though, so if they don’t get the right deal he could stick around.

David West, PF, Indiana Pacers

West is aging and could drop off at any moment, so the Pacers need to decide if they want to keep him around for another run. He’s also whispered about retirement and at 34, that decision could be coming sooner than some may think. No one knows how badly the Pacers want to unload him for assets, but word has sprung that the Toronto Raptors are big fans of his game. They’re probably the top team to watch if he’s going to be moved before Thursday.

Kenneth Faried, PF, Denver Nuggets

Faried isn’t overly likely to be moved due to an insane salary, but it’s precisely because he hasn’t lived up to his massive new deal that the Nuggets may cut bait early. He simply has had a terrible season given the money he’s earning, as he’s focused too much on his offense and it’s negatively impacted his rebounding and overall intensity. A lot of teams could show interest in turning him back into a dominant rebounder, but his contract could be an obstacle. Still, Denver may be gung-ho about getting rid of him, and it’s hard to blame them.

Greg Monroe, PF, Detroit Pistons

The Pistons don’t really want to trade Moose. Not only is Detroit in the running for a playoff spot, but the Pistons also would prefer to hold onto Monroe for the long-term, as well. Unfortunately, he’s going to enter free agency and it’s going to be extremely hard for the Pistons to talk him into staying. With the real threat of losing him for nothing, the Pistons will have to seriously listen to any and all offers. The Suns were rumored to be a hot landing spot back in the summer, but a long list of suitors can be expected to be involved in any Greg Monroe trade rumors.

Jason Thompson, PF, Sacramento Kings

Thompson just hasn’t been getting it done as Sacramento’s starting power forward and the team needs an upgrade at the position. How they find that upgrade is anyone’s guess, but they might as well get the process started by shipping off the disgruntled Thompson.

Enes Kanter, C, Utah Jazz

Kanter is another high profile player that has already publicly said he wants out, so Utah may want to act fast and get all they can for their talented big man before it’s too late. Kanter is a really nice offensive player, but he’s borderline inept on defense. Still, someone would love to take on the task of fixing him on defense and at the very worst would use him for his offensive skill-set. Due to his talent and youth (he’s just 22), there won’t be a shortage of teams knocking on Utah’s door to land him.

Brook Lopez, C, Brooklyn Nets

Lopez ends our long list of guys that should or could be traded by Thursday’s deadline, as the Nets are very close to a fire sale and he’s not even starting these days. Like Kanter, Lopez is a problem on defense, but he’s a great offensive player and at least has the tools to be a good rebounder and shot-blocker, as well. Several teams have been rumored to be interested in landing him, including the Kings and the Thunder. Oklahoma City makes special sense, since the Thunder really lack a consistent inside scoring threat. No deal is imminent, but Lopez could be on his way out of Brooklyn by Thursday afternoon.

Just the seventh main event in the 2015 PGA TOUR gets rolling on February 19th, when the Northern Trust Open kicks off. Tiger Woods will be the biggest absentee as he tries to find his game and spend some time with those close to him, while Brandt Snedeker will try to make it two wins in a row this season after claiming the 2015 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. He won’t be the only golfer trying to make it two straight, though, as Bubba Watson will take his unorthodox game to the green at Riviera Country Club in in Pacific Palisades, California and try to win for the second consecutive season.

Watson is obviously a big name on his own, but despite his sights being set on a title defense, there are other big names and story-lines to consider as the PGA TOUR rages on and counts down to a potential clash of the titans at The Honda Classic on the 26th. Before we can get that far, we need to take a look at the keys going into this one and see who may emerge as the winner:

Nick Watney to Close

Watney took second behind the aforementioned Snedeker at Pebble Beach and it’s worth wondering if he’ll come into Riviera looking to finish the job. He gave Snedeker a scare and had Snedeker not gone on a record-setting run, he just might have. Watney will have to avoid a fade down the stretch like he endured his last time out, but he’ll definitely be a name to watch on the final day.

Dustin Johnson Rages On

Dustin Johnson’s return from some time away from the golf scene has been huge news in 2015 and in just his second tourney he tied for fourth with 17-under 270 at Pebble Beach. That was impressive, to say the least, and it could be that one of PGA’s top golfers is just rounding into form. It’s a quick progression, but not one fans of golf will bat their eyes at. If Johnson comes remotely close to what he was dealing out in his last tournament, he may be a real problem for the field when things get going on Thursday. It’s also worth noting that Johnson was second in this very event a year ago, putting him on the short list of candidates to take it in 2015.

Bubba Repeat?

It’s not just lazy to pick Bubba Watson to win the Northern Trust Open for the second year in a row. It might make a lot of sense. He completely dominated this event a year ago, finishing the event with the strongest weekend in tournament history. That’s where Watson’s magic lies, as he played lights out to top a very rock solid effort out of Dustin Johnson. Watson tends to either flat-line or go nuts, and when he’s in the zone he’s almost impossible to stop. If he comes in with all the goods, will everyone else just be lost in the dust – again? Maybe so.

Who Wins?

Snedeker is obviously red hot after winning just days ago, Watson could easily repeat, Watney came oh, so close last time out and Dustin Johnson is inching closer to sweet vindication. We also can’t forget about guys like Hideki Matsuyama (two top-5 finishes in 2015) and Jim Furyk (6th ranked golfer). The rub with Furyk is he hasn’t won a major event since 2010 and he hit well in his last time out. He’s not a lock to win, but he’s a solid dark horse worth betting on.

We’re going to go with recent success, talent and an eye on continued momentum and roll with Dustin Johnson. It’s probably down to Watson defending, Furyk coming out of nowhere again or Johnson finishing his rise back to the top of his game. We’re pulling for Dustin Johnson and he has the goods to back it up. Look for him to take the 2015 Northern Trust Open as he and the rest of the field get ready for a heated Honda Classic.

The Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets haven’t been quiet about their interest in landing star Phoenix Suns point guard, Goran Dragic. The Suns don’t seem to be too quiet about their lack of interest in letting him go, however. Per reports, the Suns feel more inclined to do what it takes to keep Dragic in town, rather than see what they can get in return for him.

Phoenix is definitely dancing on a fine line with the trade deadline looming, as Dragic can opt out of his current deal and leave as a free agent this summer. Should that happen, the Suns would lose the player that arguably is their “face of the franchise” for literally nothing. If that’s to be avoided, the Suns would probably have to show Dragic that they’re “for real”. Part of that process is naturally paying him the cash he deserves, while also changing the current format of the team. One huge part of that could mean unloading fellow lead guard Isaiah Thomas, who they just brought on last summer via a big contract.

Thomas has only been operating off the bench and doesn’t even average 30 minutes per game, but he’s yet another ball-dominant guard, one of three in Phoenix’s deadly and talented three-pack of point guards – along with Eric Bledsoe. Bledsoe has already been firmly established as a key cornerstone for the future, leaving the Suns to decide between Thomas or Dragic moving forward. Early signs point to Thomas being the odd man out.

Again, there is risk involved, as the Suns would have to opt to trade Thomas away within the next week (the 2015 NBA trade deadline is next Thursday) and bet the farm that Drafic either doesn’t opt out of his current deal, or opts out and agrees to a new long-term deal with the Suns. That could have Isaiah Thomas looking at any number of destinations, while the Suns also try to rebuild their former balance across their roster at the same time.

If the Suns can keep Dragic and add some size via the loss of Thomas in the process, they’ll be getting a lot better heading into next season. That should naturally mean a more balanced squad heading into the stretch run, and could make the Suns a tougher out on a nightly basis, as well as a legit playoff contender. If things go the opposite way and Dragic jets, they’ll have swung and missed in the worst way and a team on the brink of the playoffs could begin to crumble back down to mediocrity.

The 2015 NBA All-Star weekend is officially here, as the Celebrity Game gets going on Friday night (7:00 pm Eastern) and we’re away from grueling daily NBA picks until next week, Thursday. With no regular games to break down and predict, we at least have to dive into All Star game prop bets and see what’s worth betting on over the weekend. There’s a lot of craziness involved, from celebrities to the skills challenge, to the three-point shootout and dunk contest, and of course the actual All-Star game.

Before we sit back and enjoy all of the action, let’s take a look at the main prop bets and see what bets we might want to place:

Celebrity Game – First Point

Which celebrity will score the first point? There’s actually a few athletes in this game and even more loud-mouths who suggest their game is better than some would think. Will funny man Kevin Hart get the first basket (leader with 11/4 odds) or will it be a virtual unknown (yes, there are “celebrities in this we’ve probably never heard of”)? Here are the names and odds:

Kevin Hart – 11/4
Chadwick Boseman – 5/1
Abhishek Bachchan – 5/1
Anthony Anderson – 6/1
Common – 13/2
Kristen Ledlow – 7/1
Nick Cannon – 7/1
Robert Pera – 15/2
Michael Rapaport – 8/1
Win Butler – 12/1
Ansel Elgort – 12/1

Our Pick: Michael Rapaport, simply because he talks a big game and it makes almost no sense.

Rising Stars Challenge – MVP

Also going down on Friday night, the BBVA Rising Stars Challenge features some of the game’s best young talent. This one is even more out in the open, as you have to decide which rookie or second-year player is going to be named MVP of this clash of youngsters. It could range from Andrew Wiggins to Victor Oladipo or Trey Burke to Dennis Shroder. Could someone as random as Matthew Dellavedova snag the MVP title? Probably not, but he’s listed in the odds, too:

Andrew Wiggins – 57/20
Victor Oladipo – 9/2
Giannis Antetokounmpo – 7/1
Trey Burke – 12/1
Nerlens Noel – 12/1
Mason Plumlee – 14/1
Elfrid Payton – 15/1
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope – 20/1
Shabazz Muhammad – 16/1
Gorgui Dieng – 20/1
Dennis Schroder – 30/1
Nikola Mirotic – 25/1
Cody Zeller – 25/1
Bojan Bogdanovic – 25/1
Rudy Gobert – 25/1
Dante Exum – 16/1
Jusuf Nurkic – 30/1
Matthew Dellavedova – 30/1
Robert Covington – 20/1
Zach LaVine – 20/1

Our Pick: Andrew Wiggins. He’s an elite athlete and is extremely versatile and we all know he’ll be playing in this game all day. These games are all about offense and dunking, anyways, and this kid can dunk all day.

Skills Challenge – Winner

The ever important Skills Challenge hits the screen on Saturday night to get the night’s three-event festivities going. It’s the least exciting of the three events but it does showcase some of the league’s best athletes using precision, speed and accuracy. Here are the players you can bet on winning:

Jeff Teague – 4/1
Kyle Lowry – 4/1
Trey Burke – 9/2
Isaiah Thomas – 9/2
Brandon Knight – 5/1
Patrick Beverley – 13/2
Jimmy Butler – 7/1
Michael Carter-Williams – 15/2

Our Pick: Isaiah Thomas. Based purely on speed and quickness, we like IT2. He’s also a great shooter and passer, so there isn’t much in this Skills Challenge that scares us when thinking of his abilities and the field.

Three-Point Shootout – Winner

The fun gets a little more intense as some truly elite chuckers hit the stage for Saturday night’s second-best event. The league’s best sharpshooters will go head to head, as we’ll get to see sick strokes from the likes of Stephen Curry, Kyle Korver and J.J. Redick. Will it be one of those guys that ultimately wins the contest or will it be someone a little more random like Kyrie Irving or Marco Belinelli?

Stephen Curry – 13/4
Kyle Korver – 15/4
Klay Thompson – 4/1
Kyrie Irving – 6/1
J.J Redick – 6/1
Wesley Matthews – 7/1
Marco Belinelli – 7/1
James Harden – 8/1

Our Pick: Kyle Korver. He’s shooting at a blistering rate across the field and he hasn’t won what has to be his coveted contest yet. It’s his time.

Slam Dunk Contest – Winner

The Sprite Slam Dunk Contest rarely lives up to expectations due to none of the NBA’s top superstars competing, but there is still some awesome leaping ability and sheer talent hitting the hardwood for this year’s battle. There’s still just four entrants, but despite them all having great athleticism and the ability to win, it’s pretty safe to say the field is wide open.

Zach LaVine (-110)
Giannis Antetokounmpo (+225)
Victor Oladipo (+300)
Mason Plumlee (+700)

Our Pick: Giannis. That last name is a damn nightmare, but we love his length and athleticism. He’s not called the Greek Freak for nothing and this field isn’t all that competitive.

All-Star Game – High Scorer and MVP

They could go hand in hand and be the same person on Sunday night, or the game’s high scorer and MVP could be two different people. That’s one fun little bet you can toy with, but you might be better off trying to nail both with different players. LeBron James and Kevin Durant naturally have to be near the top of the list, while anyone conducting NBA betting this weekend would have to strongly consider Stephen Curry and James Harden, as well. The entire roster for either the Eastern Conference or Western Conference has a shot, though, so choose wisely.

Our Picks: James Harden for High Scorer and LeBron James for MVP. Would we really have it any other way? We’re probably headed for another classic East/West clash that goes to about 300 total points and is decided in the final minute, and I think these two end up going head to head. Harden takes the points, but King James gets more dimes and boards and quite possibly the win.

We worked out way to a perfect 5-0 run on Tuesday night, which is fantastic considering going undefeated on a 12-game Wednesday would have been next to impossible. Yours truly was not able to make it to Wednesday’s picks, but we’ll pick things back up going into the break with a fantastic Eastern Conference showdown between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Chicago Bulls.

Not only is this contest riddled with big names (although Kevin Love could miss this one due to an eye abrasion), it’s also a game between the two best teams in the East’s Central division. Chicago currently is in the lead with a nice 33-20 record, while the Cavs have used a 9-1 run in their past 10 games to pull just one game behind the Bulls at 32-21. With a Cavs win tonight, these teams pull into a total tie (although the Cavs would technically be in first) with one more showdown to go in April. Let’s take a close look at tonight’s matchup and see who should come away with the win:

Cleveland Cavaliers @ Chicago Bulls

Both of the previous meetings between these two teams have been mostly about offense and have ended with wins for the Cavaliers. The third clash could post similar results, especially with star shooting guard Jimmy Butler sitting this one out for Chicago. That should put added pressure on Derrick Rose and Pau Gasol for the Bulls, and if they aren’t on top of their game in this matchup, they could easily drop down to 0-3 in this season series with the Cavaliers.

Cleveland has slowly developed into a legit title contender and bypassing the Bulls completely would be just one step closer to declaring themselves the team to beat in the Eastern Conference. Regardless of whether or not Kevin Love (eye) is a full go, we can probably expect the Cavs to bring their run and gun offense to the United Center, as well as their improved defense. In fact, if Love is out, Cleveland’s defense would only get better with Tristan Thompson getting extra run.

Jimmy Butler’s absence is ultimately going to be the biggest key to this game. He couldn’t help the Bulls beat the Cavs in two previous outings, and he won’t be here to do it in the third try. More specifically, he won’t be around to try to slow down LeBron James and his 20+ points per game also won’t be around to help Chicago’s offense. That is going to force Rose into added pressure and mistakes, and the same can be said for Gasol, who is already a defensive liability and at least at times arguably a black hole on offense.

Cleveland has had the upper hand to this point and it looks like they’re molding into the far better team right before our eyes. A third win over the Bulls on the year may be all that’s left to convince us who is going to take the Central division. Expect a lot of points, but with no Butler, Cleveland’s defense should end up providing the edge, instead of Chicago’s.

Pick: Cavaliers 104, Bulls 99

We made it through a busy Monday night to get our NBA picks going for the new week, finishing a hectic night with a nice 7-2 mark. Had the Jazz and Clippers not pulled off two upsets, we could have ended the night with a perfect 9-0 record. We still made out okay and lifted our season total to 445-227 and head into Tuesday night aiming for perfection with a light five-game schedule:

Pistons @ Hornets

Charlotte just swung a trade to land Mo Williams at the lead guard spot, but he probably won’t be ready to play tonight. That keeps the Pistons and Hornets at an even playing field and with more size down low, it’s hard not to like Detroit right now.

Pick: Pistons 97, Hornets 94

Kings @ Bulls

The Bulls have been extremely hit or miss lately and they won’t be stopping DeMarcus Cousins, but Darren Collison is out again and Rudy Gay might be, as well. Sacramento already was going to have a tough time taking down the Bulls at the United Center, but at less than full strength they’re a weak bet to make that happen now.

Pick: Bulls 104, Kings 98

Rockets @ Suns

Dwight Howard is still out and could miss up to two months, while the Suns play host tonight knowing they need to win every game they can to sneak into the playoffs. Phoenix can run any opponent into the ground when they’re on, but betting against James Harden is rather silly.

Pick: Rockets 106, Suns 102

Nets @ Grizzlies

The Nets took two steps back after they seemed to be starting to put the pieces together, while poor play and another injury from Deron Williams certainly haven’t helped. Now Brooklyn has to head to Memphis tonight, where a Grizzlies team that has won nine of their last 10 awaits. It doesn’t look good for the Nets.

Pick: Grizz 105, Nets 101

Nuggets @ Lakers

Denver helps cap the night in L.A., where something has to break with both teams entering Tuesday night with long losing streaks. Denver is simply the more talented squad at the moment, so we like Ty Lawson to go off and help the Nuggets snap their six-game skid.

Pick: Nuggets 109, Lakers 104

Chicago squeaked by the Magic, Memphis edged Atlanta and the Blazers withstood 45 points from James Harden as we made it through Sunday with a solid 5-2 mark. In fact, our night could have been perfect had the Raptors and Kings not stolen upsets over the Spurs and Suns, respectively. But that’s what NBA betting is all about – sometimes you just can’t see everything before it happens.

If you rolled with us you were still profitable, however, as we bumped up our season record to 438-225. We aim to do so again as we tackle a fully loaded Monday night of pro basketball action. Let’s get to it:

Spurs @ Pacers

San Antonio has done a bad job of taking out lesser opponents, but they’ll get a chance to do just that tonight in Indiana. The Pacers have actually stepped up their play lately, as they’ve won three in a row – including a sneaky win over the Cavs. The Spurs are without a doubt the better team, though, so look for them to snap this run for Indiana.

Pick: Spurs 102, Pacers 95

Warriors @ 76ers

Philly has shown signs of life (4-6 in last 10 games), but the Warriors are a top-two team. They’re not about to drop a gimme game to the Sixers.

Pick: Warriors 107, 76ers 96

Magic @ Wizards

Orlando tries to make it two of three since firing Jacque Vaughn, while the Wiz try to build a tiny winning streak after losing seven of their last 10. Washington is hurting right now, but they’re at home and have the edge in just about every regard.

Pick: Wizards 103, Magic 98

Knicks @ Heat

Dwyane Wade and Hassan Whiteside could both potentially return to the court tonight, which would give Miami a serious edge against the Knicks. Regardless, Miami has dropped three in a row and needs to take care of business at home against an inferior squad.

Pick: Heat 96, Knicks 90

Jazz @ Pelicans

Anthony Davis took a spill in his last game and probably won’t play tonight, but you still have to like a balanced Pellies squad against a Jazz team that is abysmal (8-18) away from home.

Pick: Pelicans 104, Jazz 101

Nets @ Bucks

The Nets finally had a mini-winning streak snapped and could be without Deron Williams tonight, while Milwaukee has been a solid 7-3 in their last 10 contests. Brook Lopez does as he pleases against the Bucks, but if Milwaukee’s trademark defense shows up, it’s hard not to like the balanced Bucks.

Pick: Bucks 101, Nets 98

Hawks @ Timberwolves

Atlanta got tripped up by a good Grizzlies squad last night but they’ll look to get back on track in Minnesota. The T’Wolves are quietly healthy and competitive again, but this is a good time for their three-game winning streak to come to an end.

Pick: Hawks 109, T’Wolves 102

Clippers @ Mavericks

L.A. has dropped four straight and heads into Dallas with Blake Griffin (elbow) out indefinitely. That gives the Mavs all the edge they need.

Pick: Mavs 106, Clips 103

Thunder @ Nuggets

OKC is healthy again and seems to be slowly rounding back into form, while the Nuggets have lost nine of their last 10 and appear to be in full blown free fall mode. OKC is the easy pick to cap the night.

Pick: Thunder 108, Nuggets 104

Rudy Gay cratered, Blake Griffin is out indefinitely and Anthony Davis took a spill as a crazy Saturday bleeds into a potentially crazier Sunday. Last night saw the 76ers beat the Hornets, Utah top the Kings and Dirk Nowitzki power the Mavs past the Blazers. Through it all, we stood tall after Saturday night (5-2 on the night) and carry a 433-223 season mark into a new night of basketball.

A couple early games got the NBA action going for us earlier in the day, but we’re here late to deliver our NBA picks for Sunday night. Let’s run through the games and see which teams you can trust:

Timberwolves @ Pistons

A healthy Minnesota squad is clearly not a bad bunch, while the Pistons are struggling lately with just four wins out of their last 10 games. The T’Wolves have won two straight, so who are we to bet against them now?

Pick: T’Wolves 101, Pistons 99

Bulls @ Magic

Orlando finally snapped an ugly 10-game skid, but Chicago is the better team on paper and is actually a solid 18-9 on the road.

Pick: Bulls 107, Magic 102

Hawks @ Grizzlies

Atlanta has another winning streak going with two nice wins in a row, but going into Memphs and coming out alive is easier said than done.

Pick: Grizz 102, Hawks 100

Pacers @ Hornets

Charlotte will be without defensive ace Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and point guard Brian Roberts isn’t 100%. That’s enough to give the defensively-minded Pacers a shot on the road.

Pick: Pacers 97, Hornets 92

Trail Blazers @ Rockets

Houston doesn’t even matchup well with the Rockets when Dwight Howard is healthy and he’s out tonight. That should give the Blazers the edge they need to get a nice road victory.

Pick: Blazers 109, Rockets 106

Spurs @ Raptors

Toronto rebounded from a rough two games with a big win over the Clippers recently, but San Antonio will come in pretty determined tonight. The Spurs have the edge with their size and discipline on both ends, so look for them to get a strong road win.

Pick: Spurs 104, Raptors 101

Suns @ Kings

The Kings got a horrid performance from Rudy Gay last night and have dropped three straight, so they’ll be tough to pick over a better Suns team, even at home.

Pick: Suns 106, Kings 103

Friday night was fun in the NBA for all sorts of reasons, as Anthony Davis hit an awesome buzzer-beater, the Hawks and Warriors went to war and the Pacers somehow topped the Cavaliers. It was a crazy 12-game night that definitely lived up to expectations and we somehow survived with an 8-4 record. In fact, had Cleveland won it’s 13th game in a row and the Grizzlies not lost to the Timberwolves, we would have enjoyed a nice 10-2 night.

We still made out okay and hopefully you did, too. Let’s jump right back into the chaos by breaking down and picking Saturday night’s NBA action:

Bulls @ Pelicans

Derrick Rose and the Bulls could have a nice shot at taking down the Pellies tonight, as they’re high off of a huge last second win over the Thunder and should be tired on the second of a back to back. These teams matchup well, but the Bulls are well rested and oddly play better on the road.

Pick: Bulls 105, Pelicans 102

Nets @ Wizards

Brooklyn and Washington make for an intriguing matchup, as the Wizards have somehow lost five straight and the Nets are just now turning things around with a nice three-game winning streak. Look for something to break here, though, as the Wiz are at home and are still the better team.

Pick: Wiz 104, Nets 101

Warriors @ Knicks

Golden State should be dead tired after losing a shootout to the Hawks last night, but they’re way too good to lose to the Knicks. New York is a mild upset pick due to the Warriors probably being run down, but it’s still quite a reach.

Pick: Warriors 107, Knicks 96

Hornets @ 76ers

Charlotte has really been clicking lately and Michael Carter-Williams could be out once again, giving the Hornets the advantage tonight.

Pick: Hornets 99, 76ers 95

Trail Blazers @ Mavericks

The Blazers and Mavs should combine for an explosive shootout, as both teams try to get some winning streaks started. Something will have to break here and since it’s in Dallas and the Blazers have been shaky over the past two weeks, the Mavs feel like the right pick.

Pick: Mavs 109, Blazers 105

Celtics @ Bucks

Jared Sullinger has come alive lately and the Celtics are storming into Milwaukee with three consecutive wins. Milwaukee is no pushover, though, as they barely lost in Houston last night and have won five of their last six. Look for the Bucks to hold serve on their home floor.

Pick: Bucks 102, Celtics 99

Kings @ Jazz

Sacramento and Utah cap the night with a nice Western Conference battle. Neither of these teams is very good, while the Jazz struggle on offense and the Kings struggle on defense. That could equate to a bit of a shootout, but we’re siding with DeMarcus Cousins and his squad.

Pick: Kings 104, Jazz 101

We all got a nice break with just four games on Thursday night, and we made the most of the light slate by rolling to a solid 3-1 record. That lifted us to 420-217 on the year and carries us into a very busy Friday night that boasts 12 NBA games. Let’s get to it:

Cavaliers @ Pacers

Cleveland enters Indiana with a 12-game run and they’ll probably keep it going. The Cavs are completely healthy and Indy’s only hope is to play sound defense and keep this one low scoring. That’s unlikely to happen.

Pick: Cavs 109, Pacers 97

Knicks @ Nets

The battle of New York goes down in Brooklyn tonight, as the Nets try to take out the Knicks. New York has been competitive lately and Carmelo Anthony is expected to play, but Deron Williams is back and the Nets have won two in a row.

Pick: Nets 104, Knicks 101

Lakers @ Magic

L.A. shocked Orlando in their first meeting earlier this year, but the Magic are starting over after firing head coach Jacque Vaughn. They also have lost 10 straight games and there won’t be a better time for them to start fresh and get an easy win at home. Tonight’s the night.

Pick: Magic 106, Lakers 102

Clippers @ Raptors

Los Angeles got housed by the Cavaliers last night so they’ll want to come into Toronto and respond with a big win. The Raptors are a pretty balanced team and can be tough at home, but they’ve looked awful in their last two.

Pick: Clips 105, Raptors 103

Warriors @ Hawks

The two best teams in the league face off in what is easily the game of the night. The Total is over 200 points on this one and it’d be a fun one to take with how these two can sling it from outside. Golden State might actually be the better squad, but we’re not going against the Hawks in Atlanta.

Pick: Hawks 108, Warriors 107

76ers @ Celtics

Philly and Boston play zero defense and Michael Carter-Williams could be out of this one, so we can probably safely prepare for a high-scoring game that ends in a Boston win.

Pick: Celtics 105, 76ers 103

Nuggets @ Pistons

Detroit has been up and down ever since losing Brandon Jennings, but they’re back at home and the Nuggets are struggling with just one win in their past 10 games. It’s not overly likely they get their second tonight.

Pick: Pistons 104, Nuggets 98

Bucks @ Rockets

Milwaukee has been playing sound defense and is riding a nice five-game winning streak, but a trip to Houston could put an end to that. Dwight Howard is still out but if James Harden is a full go, the Rockets should be able to win this one going away.

Pick: Rockets 106, Bucks 101

Grizzlies @ Timberwolves

Minnesota is at full strength and play host tonight, but Memphis has an elite defense and is far too disciplined to drop a gimme game on the road. We hope, at least.

Pick: Grizz 112, T’Wolves 104

Pelicans @ Thunder

New Orleans topped the Thunder just a few days ago and they’re heading into OKC to try to do so again. Kevin Durant should be ready to make his return to the court (toe), however, so OKC should be the pick.

Pick: Thunder 107, Pelicans 104

Jazz @ Suns

Utah has been playing solid defense lately but it’s not really translating into wins. Phoenix will try to hand the Jazz their third straight loss, but will do so a little tired on the second of a back to back. That could make Utah a fun upset pick, but we still like the Suns at home.

Pick: Suns 104, Jazz 103

Heat @ Spurs

The Spurs are heavy favorites tonight, and they should be, as Dwyane Wade is still out and Hassan Whitesid also may miss this one. San Antonio is at home against a team that struggles big time offensively, so don’t bank on a surprise upset here.

Pick: Spurs 101, Heat 88