Friday night sent us into the weekend with a heavy night of NBA action, and we’ll aim to build on our 6-5 record (293-156 on the year) as we head into Saturday night’s games. Friday could have been far better if the Kings and Nets could have taken care of business at home (Brooklyn lost to Philly!), while we foolishly bet on the Pistons winning a ridiculous eighth straight game (they only lost by three at home).

On a night like that, we’ll have to be okay with above .500, but Saturday should be a little more prolific. Let’s run through the matchups for today and see who we should be betting on:

Hornets @ Knicks

Carmelo Anthony is out yet again, so betting on the depleted Knicks (losers of 14 straight) is something to be done at your own risk. They’re at home and it’s not like the Hornets are unstoppable, but Charlotte should get the win.

Pick: Hornets 98, Knicks 93

Mavericks @ Clippers

Fans are in for a high-flying affair when Dallas visits the Clippers, as two of the more potent offenses in the league square off at the Staples Center. Rajon Rondo versus Chris Paul is the matchup of the night, while Tyson Chandler could make life difficult for Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan. Ultimately, this is one that should go down to the wire, but it’s hard to go against the home team (L.A. is 16-5 at home).

Pick: Clips 109, Mavs 107

Nets @ Pistons

Detroit finally lost last night for the first time since they cut Josh Smith, but they’ll have a chance at getting another streak going tonight at home. The Nets are a tad under-manned and have lost four straight, so it could be hard for them to get back on track on the road.

Pick: Pistons 104, Nets 101

Pacers @ 76ers

Indy looked good last night and will get another favorable matchup in the second of a back to back. Roy Hibbert was awesome last night and should have little trouble dominating the Sixers down low. If that happens, the Pacers should win easily.

Pick: Pacers 101, 76ers 87

Celtics @ Raptors

Boston can bring the offense, so they can’t be completely dismissed when they visit Toronto tonight. The Raps have been terrible on the defensive end and have lost four straight, but they should still be able to take down the Celtics at home (who will be without Jeff Green).

Pick: Raptors 109, Celtics 106

Spurs @ Timberwolves

San Antonio got a big win last night and needs to start putting together a winning streak eventually, so who better to do that against than the struggling T’Wolves? Minnesota is at home and can pack a punch offensively, but they have no defense to speak of and have lost an alarming 14 consecutive games.

Pick: Spurs 112, Timberwolves 102

Bucks @ Bulls

Milwaukee and Chicago played things tight in their first meeting this year, and we could see another good battle in Chicago tonight. Both teams play solid defense and the Bulls are oddly not great at home. Chicago has dropped two straight and needs to snap out of their funk, though, so look for them to get the win.

Pick: Bulls 102, Bucks 99

Jazz @ Rockets

Utah has been solid in their last 10 (5-5) and has been improving defensively, but going into Houston and putting James Harden and Dwight Howard under wraps won’t be easy. Howard is probably for this game due to general knee soreness, but the Rockets are a solid 12-6 on their home floor, so they should have the edge, regardless.

Pick: Rockets 104, Jazz 100

Magic @ Trail Blazers

Orlando just got housed by the Lakers and now they have to go to Portland on the second of a back to back. They could be without Tobias Harris, too, who twisted his ankle on Friday. That’s all bad enough, but the Blazers are also a ridiculous 17-3 at home this year. Sorry, Magic fans.

Pick: Blazers 107, Magic 102

Thursday night was supposed to be a cakewalk sweep with just three games on the docket. Instead, the Charlotte Hornets had upset on the brain, riding yet another strong performance from Kemba Walker. We felt pretty confident about the Raptors taking care of the Al Jefferson-less Hornets in Toronto, but Walker put up 29 points, falling one point short of a fourth straight 30+ point effort.

That was our one miss, though, as we exited last night with a solid 2-1 mark and enter Friday night’s onslaught of NBA action with a 287-151 season record:

Celtics @ Pacers

Indiana hosts the reeling Celtics, who have dropped seven of their last 10. Boston can’t stop anyone defensively, so the Pacers should have a shot at getting their seventh win in 11 contests if they can keep the tempo slow and play good defense. That might be more difficult if Roy Hibbert sits (ankle), but Indy is a solid pick at home, regardless.

Pick: Pacers 95, Celtics 93

76ers @ Nets

Brooklyn has dropped three in a row and head coach Lionel Hollins hasn’t been shy about calling out his players. He specifically called center Brook Lopez “lazy” and doesn’t like how his team is handling itself. Luckily they get the Sixers at home.

Pick: Nets 104, Sixers 95

Hawks @ Pistons

Detroit has been extremely impressive, ripping off an insane seven straight wins after cutting Josh Smith. It’s anyone’s guess if they’re legit suddenly, but with wins in San Antonio and Dallas on this run, now isn’t the time to start betting against them.

Pick: Pistons 104, Hawks 102

Bulls @ Wizards

Chicago has been red hot with an 8-2 mark in their last 10 games, and they’ll take on an equally solid Wizards squad on the road tonight. They’re actually better on the road (14-4) and they handled the Wiz last time, so the Bulls look like a good pick.

Pick: Bulls 98, Wiz 94

Jazz @ Thunder

Russell Westbrook has been atrocious and the Thunder have gotten blown out in two straight games, but that can’t go on forever. Even if Russ can’t get it going on Friday, Kevin Durant should look to take over to keep his Thunder from losing at home to the Jazz.

Pick: Thunder 106, Jazz 97

Grizzlies @ Pelicans

New Orleans and Memphis are both just 4-6 over their last 10, but the Grizz are the ones that are more likely to start cleaning things up. They clearly have been missing Zach Randolph’s scoring, but with Z-Bo back in the saddle on Friday, the Grizz look like the right call.

Pick: Grizz 106, Pellies 101

Timberwolves @ Bucks

The Timberwolves have lost 13 straight games and are a hopeless 2-14 away from home. Ricky Rubio and Nikola Pekovic are still out, so they could be in trouble on the road again tonight.

Pick: Bucks 101, T’Wolves 99

Suns @ Spurs

Phoenix is on a nice roll (winners of four straight), while the Spurs have basically been in shambles since the beginning of December. San Antonio has looked better since the new year hit, though, so as long as their key players are active they should take care of business at home.

Pick: Spurs 104, Suns 103

Nuggets @ Kings

Sacramento seems to slowly be turning things around now that DeMarcus Cousins is healthy again, but they’ve got a tough test tonight at home against the Nuggets. Denver is atrocious on the road this year, however (5-12), so we like the Kings.

Pick: Kings 103, Nuggets 101

Magic @ Lakers

The Lakers are just 11-25 but they’ve mostly remained competitive and the Magic give them a shot at a win at home. Orlando could also easily get the win in what figures to be an offensive shootout, but their 9-13 record on the road doesn’t exactly bode well.

Pick: Lakers 106, Magic 104

Cavaliers @ Warriors

LeBron James is still out (knee, back), so the Cavs will be short-handed when they try to be just the second team to win in Golden State this year. Best of luck, Cavs.

Pick: Warriors 108, Cavs 103

Thursday night gives us a minor break with just three NBA games to pick, and we can use it after a daunting 13-game Wednesday night. We still went a solid 8-5, but could have been even better had the Mavericks and Bulls not lost to inferior teams at home.

With 13 games, you could guess some craziness would happen. The Timberwolves almost snapped a 12-game skid, the Jazz won in Chicago, Detroit won it’s sixth straight (what!?) and the Kings blew out the Thunder. That’s the NBA for you, yet we still escaped well above .500 and walk tall into Thursday with a sweet 285-150 season record:

Hornets @ Raptors

Charlotte has won three straight despite playing without Al Jefferson, and that’s all thanks to Kemba Walker shouldering the scoring load. We said he couldn’t do it for a third game in a row, and then he dropped in 31 points and a late shot to get the win. If Walker goes nuts again the Hornets should have a shot, but they’re still facing the Raptors in Toronto. Walker isn’t likely to drop 30+ points a ridiculous fourth straight game – specifically not on the road against a solid defender in Kyle Lowry. I expect it to be the other way around in a close Toronto win.

Pick: Raptors 99, Hornets 97

Rockets @ Knicks

Not much analysis is needed here, as Carmelo Anthony (knee) is almost certainly out again and New York’s best players at the moment are Tim Hardaway Jr. and Jose Calderon. Yikes. Houston would be smart to give Dwight Howard a rest, because they’re winning this game with or without him. Either he or James Harden should wreck the Knicks at The Garden tonight.

Pick: Rockets 107, Knicks 89

Heat @ Trail Blazers

Miami comes into Portland tonight stumbling, losing seven of their last 10 and not looking like a legit contender even in the East. That’s troubling, and it’s hard to imagine them coming in and competing with (or beating) the Blazers. Not only is Portland untouchable at home (16-3), but they’re one of the most balanced teams in the entire league. Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh will have to produce mammoth outings to even keep this game close, but it doesn’t look good for the Heat.

Pick: Blazers 104, Heat 98

The San Antonio Spurs once again burned us to keep us from being perfect on Tuesday night, but we walk into the fire of a 13-game Wednesday night unfazed. At least the Phoenix Suns took care of business to get us to 1-1 on the night and 277-145 on the year.

What’s crazier than the Spurs losing at home on a two-game night? How about losing at home to the Detroit Pistons? Even crazier, though, is Brandon Jennings making a game-winning layup with under a second to go to give the Pistons a fifth straight win.

Gee, I wonder if the Pistons like playing without Josh Smith (bazinga!).

That’s enough Pistons talk. We have a full boat tonight and you need our picks. Here goes:

Rockets @ Cavaliers

LeBron James is still out so the struggling Cavs could be in a bad spot when they host the visiting Rockets. With no inside resistance, Houston should have it’s way tonight.

Pick: Rockets 108, Cavs 102

Bucks @ 76ers

Philly just beat the Cavs the other day, so they got their one random token win. Milwaukee will be tired after barely losing to the Suns, but they know they need to win games like this. Even on the road, you have to like the Bucks in this one.

Pick: Bucks 107, 76ers 101

Knicks @ Wizards

Carmelo Anthony (knee) is out and the Knicks are just about dead. Washington is beastly on their home floor anyway, so you can send this one in, gift-wrapped.

Pick: Wiz 109, Knicks 84

Pelicans @ Hornets

Kemba Walker has carried his Hornets to two straight wins thanks to 63 total points in his last two games, but he’s too erratic to keep that up for a third game in a row. I’m betting against him specifically, as the Hornets desperately need him to be a hero with Al Jefferson still sidelined.

Pick: Pellies 105, Hornets 97

Grizzlies @ Hawks

Atlanta is the best team in the East and hosts a very good Grizzlies team with a five game roll. Memphis is stout and could easily win, but Zach Randolph may sit again and it’s not an easy road game. I’m going with the Hawks.

Pick: Hawks 102, Grizzlies 101

Celtics @ Nets

The Nets and Celtics are both struggling at the moment, but Brooklyn hosts and has been the better team on the year. I’ll take Jarrett Jack over whatever the Celtics have at the point right now, while Brook Lopez actually playing well has to provide a boost down low, as well.

Pick: Nets 103, Celtics 101

Jazz @ Bulls

Utah should be without Enes Kanter and Trey Burke again tonight, which makes winning in Chicago extra hard tonight. The Bulls could be without Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah, too, but they still hold the clear edge.

Pick: Bulls 96, Jazz 90

Pistons @ Mavericks

Someone’s winning streak has to snap tonight. The Pistons (five straight wins) head to Dallas (six), where the Mavs have dropped five games all year. Detroit did just beat the Spurs, but it’s obvious Dallas is the better team and the Pistons’ wild run has to die sometime.

Pick: Mavs 109, Pistons 103

Magic @ Nuggets

Orlando could eat Denver up down low with Nikola Vucevic and Tobias Harris, but they’ve dropped three straight and haven’t been particularly impressive on the road (at home, either, really). Denver has won two in a row and has enough muscle inside to contest the Magic on their home floor. A good outing from Ty Lawson should put them over the top.

Pick: Nuggets 105, Magic 102

Suns @ Timberwolves

Phoenix is running wild on offense right now and will enter Minnesota with a nice three-game roll. The T’Wolves have been competitive and can put up points, but that’s not much good when you’ve lost 12 in a row. It’s looking like number 13 tonight.

Pick: Suns 108, T’Wolves 105

Thunder @ Kings

OKC was simply pathetic in Golden State the other night, so we should expect a big bounce back effort in Sac-town. DeMarcus Cousins could help make it close, but the Thunder can’t be that bad two games in a row and they know they need wins.

Pick: Thunder 106, Kings 104

Pacers @ Warriors

The Warriors are just insanely good in general, but probably at another level when at home. Sorry, Pacers.

Pick: Warriors 104, Pacers 88

Lakers @ Clippers

Both teams get a home game against each other tonight, which ultimately favors the Clippers (we guess?). The Clips are simply the better team, regardless of whether or not Kobe Bryant suits up. L.A. actually has been pretty competitive, but Blake Griffin destroyed them for 39 points last time, so it doesn’t look good.

Pick: Clips 111, Lakers 106

We’re back in the NBA picks game after a brief two-day hiatus. After last leaving you with a respectable 4-4 mark on Saturday night, we stroll into Tuesday’s two-game night with a season record of 276-144.

With Sunday and Monday being a little unpredictable, we’re almost glad to have taken the break. After all, even Saturday didn’t go as planned, as the Bulls needed overtime to beat Boston at home, the Magic and Timberwolves lost winnable games at home, the Grizzlies got smoked by the Nuggets and Portland lost on their home floor.

Sometimes NBA games just aren’t easy to call. Luckily we return with just two games to get right. If you plan on doing any NBA betting on Tuesday, be sure to break both of these matchups down with us first:

Phoenix Suns @ Milwaukee Bucks

Milwaukee struggled to win in Phoenix for decades. The last time they faced them, though, they won. This is clearly a different Milwaukee team than we’re used to seeing and the Suns need to be worried about a season sweep tonight – especially with this game coming in Mil-town. The Bucks tend to play solid team defense and could push two games over .500.

While the Bucks getting over a little hump would be nice here, their season path thus far suggests they probably won’t. They’re just 7-7 on their home floor, just 5-5 in their last 10 and just 18-17 on the year. Overall, they’re an inconsistent bunch that just can’t seem to string a lot of wins together. That’s not a terrible thing for a young team with a coach getting his feet wet in his second ever season, but it’s not great when you have to take on a talented Suns team that loves to run.

Milwaukee can run with Phoenix if all goes right, but ever since Jabari Parker went down, they’ve had inconsistency at forward. With no Larry Sanders (personal) to help handle Phoenix’s bigs, the Bucks will have to catch fire to take down the Suns.

Milwaukee did slow the Suns down in Phoenix and got the win, but the Suns are healthier now than they were then and they’ll be out to even the series. Phoenix comes in with two straight wins and it looks like this could be three in a row. That said, I think the Bucks will give them hell at home.

Pick: Suns 105, Bucks 104

Detroit Pistons @ San Antonio Spurs

On paper you’d think the Pistons have zero chance to go into San Antonio and get this win, but a closer look suggests this is a pretty tough game to call. Not only have the Spurs been shaky over their past 10 games (just 4-6), but they’re also just 21-14 on the year. Detroit also has been quite good ever since freeing themselves of the curse that appears to be Josh Smith, as they’ve now won five straight games. Before they got that winning streak game going they had five wins all year.

Andre Drummond has been a beast and should give the Spurs trouble down low, but all it will take is some early foul trouble to get him out of his game. If Tim Duncan and Tiago Splitter are aggressive early, that could be a real issue for the visiting Spurs.

Tonight’s a good night for Detroit’s winning streak to hit a skid. The Spurs are healthy and well rested, while they’ve gotten 2015 off to a good start with two straight wins. Tonight should be number three in a row, as San Antonio is at home (12-5 on their home floor) and they know they can’t afford to drop games like this.

Pick: Spurs 109, Pistons 101

The Cleveland Cavaliers won without LeBron James, the Knicks lost again and Kobe Bryant got mad as we rode a stellar 8-2 record through a jam-packed NBA Friday night. Things slow down slightly on Saturday, but we still have to maneuver through eight NBA games. Let’s break down all of the matchups and see who makes for the safest picks for tonight:

Hornets @ Magic

The Hornets made a bit of a surge a week ago but without big man Al Jefferson they’ve slipped back off the edge, losing five straight games coming into tonight. They’ve lost to the Magic twice already this year and this game is in Orlando, so it’s tough to bet on a short-handed Hornets squad.

Pick: Magic 102, Hornets 98

Celtics @ Bulls

Chicago will miss Jimmy Butler (personal) and Michael Dunleavy (ankle) tonight, while Pau Gasol and Taj Gibson are also questionable. That could leave the Bulls short-handed, but they’re pretty deep and seem to be turning a corner at home. They’re still a solid pick over a Celtics team that has dropped six of their last 10.

Pick: Bulls 106, Celtics 102

Jazz @ Timberwolves

This is a no-defense toss up, as Utah travels to Minnesota in what could be a high-scoring affair. Enes Kanter will sit out, so the Timberwolves might have a decent shot at snapping a horrific 10-game skid.

Pick: T’Wolves 107, Jazz 105

Heat @ Rockets

Dwight Howard hasn’t been quite himself lately, and the Heat come into Houston at 100%. The Rockets have been a different team with Josh Smith added to the lineup (just 5-5 in last 10), but Miami has dropped three straight and is a mediocre 8-7 away from home. Take Houston at home tonight.

Pick: Rockets 109, Heat 101

Wizards @ Spurs

San Antonio had a miserable December but got 2015 started off right with a win. They’ll try to make it two in a row in the new year when the Wiz come to town. Washington can bang down low, but the Spurs are 11-5 on their home floor so they’re a solid bet to keep things going in the right direction.

Pick: Spurs 104, Wizards 102

Grizzlies @ Nuggets

Denver can bring the offense but hasn’t been able to finish games lately with three straight losses. Finally doing so won’t get much easier on Saturday when they host a Grizzlies team that has won three straight and is a solid 11-4 on the road.

Pick: Grizzlies 107, Nuggets 106

Hawks @ Trail Blazers

Atlanta heads to Portland for the first time this season, where the Blazers are a deadly 15-2. Portland is one of the more balanced teams in the league and just doesn’t lose at home, but the Hawks have been on fire (8-2 in last 10) and should at least make it a good game.

Pick: Blazers 109, Hawks 106

76ers @ Clippers

Philly has four wins on the year and is knee-deep in another losing streak (four straight), while the Clips have won two straight and are a blistering 14-4 on their home floor. They’re not losing to the Sixers tonight.

Pick: Clips 112, 76ers 90

We said New Year’s Day would be a cakewalk, and it really was, as we started 2015 off right with our NBA picks, going 2-0 on the night. That brings us to a steady 264-138 season record. We ride our mini-perfect ride from Thursday into a fully loaded Friday night.

Get yourself ready as we try to manage the tides of another crazy docket:

Nets @ Magic

Brooklyn enters Orlando with two straight wins and winners of six of their last 10, while the Magic continue to struggle. Orlando is also just 4-10 on their home floor, so they may not have much of an advantage when the Nets come into town tonight.

Pick: Nets 99, Magic 96

Mavericks @ Celtics

Rajon Rondo returns to take on the Celtics in Boston, while the Mavericks hold the upper hand in just about every way in this matchup. Boston might be able to keep up with them offensively, but their defense may not be able to finish the job.

Pick: Mavs 108, Celtics 104

Pacers @ Bucks

Milwaukee keeps going back and forth around .500 but with two straight wins, they head into tonight’s matchup with a chance at getting two games above .500. They can do it against the Pacers, who they already beat earlier in the year.

Pick: Bucks 102, Pacers 97

76ers @ Suns

The Suns are running the floor and scoring about as good as anyone right now and look like a legit playoff contender out West. They ran all over the Sixers the first time they met this year (122-96), so there’s little doubt they’ll have much trouble with them at home tonight.

Pick: Suns 114, 76ers 102

Hawks @ Jazz

Atlanta has been one of the best teams out East and will carry a two-game winning streak into Utah. The Jazz only lost by three in their first meeting, but Kyle Korver and Paul Millsap could continue to lay out some punishment on their former squad.

Pick: Hawks 102, Jazz 99

Cavaliers @ Hornets

LeBron James is out for two weeks and Kevin Love (back) is also dinged up, so Cleveland should enter tonight’s matchup with the Hornets at far less than 100%. Unfortunately, Al Jefferson and Lance Stephenson are also out, so this could be the Kyrie Irving show.

Pick: Cavs 101, Hornets 98

Pistons @ Knicks

Detroit has turned things around ever since unloading Josh Smith, and they’ll come into tonight with a three-game winning streak and looking to make it four in a row. They’re a good bet to stay hot, too, since the Knicks have dropped a whopping nine straight games and continue to look absolutely lost.

Pick: Pistons 104, Knicks 101

Rockets @ Pelicans

Anthony Davis hosts the Rockets, who haven’t looked quite themselves as they try to get Josh Smith acclimated. They still have the talent and defense to give the Pellies a tough time, though, so we’ll take the Rockets at home.

Pick: Rockets 107, Pelicans 105

Wizards @ Thunder

OKC has been a pretty tough team when healthy, as evidenced by their 8-2 record when Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are both in the lineup. They’re also 4-0 at home when that happens, so the Wiz might be expecting a loss tonight.

Pick: Thunder 106, Wizards 102

Raptors @ Warriors

Toronto has a tough task in trying to steal a big road win in Golden State, where the Warriors have lost just once all season. The Raptors could make it two times, but that’s not a great bet to roll with on such a loaded night.

Pick: Warriors 108, Raptors 107

Grizzlies @ Lakers

Kobe Bryant and his Lakers have given the Grizz a fight in two losses this year, but it’s beyond clear that Memphis plays better defense and closes games better. With a stout 10-4 record away from home, there’s little reason to think the Grizzlies can’t take another step closer to a complete series sweep.

Pick: Grizz 109, Lakers 103

It’s a new year and we can start it off right with just two NBA games taking some of our attention away from the NCAA football bowl games. NBA bettors will be able to relax with the light schedule, but it’ll still be nice to nail down these two picks and collect some cash. The good news is that while there is only one team above .500 in this grouping, all four teams at least have watchable talent and can score the basketball.

Let’s break down the two games for Thursday and night and see who makes sense to pick:

Denver Nuggets @ Chicago Bulls

Chicago gets the new year started off right at home and will try to contain a solid Denver offense. Pau Gasol and Joakim Noah should be able to have their way down low, as Kenneth Faried and the rest of the Nuggets interior defense has struggled defensively all year long. Ty Lawson and Derrick Rose will be a fun battle to watch, too, but this matchup rests in Chicago’s favor the whole way. Denver could come out firing at first, but Jimmy Butler’s rise to the top of the league is the kicker for the Bulls, who have won eight of their last 10.

Pick: Bulls 104, Nuggets 102

Sacramento Kings @ Minnesota Timberwolves

The Kings head into Minnesota with two straight losses, but their skid is nothing compared to the Wolves’ insane nine-game losing streak. Minnesota’s only real advantage is that they’re at home in this one, but with a meager 3-11 home record, that’s not going to do much. The Kings have been an inconsistent bunch, but DeMarcus Cousins is a real problem down low and should be able to drop a nice game on Minnesota’s weak defense. The T’Wolves remain under-manned and there is little to suggest they’ll snap this skid tonight – or really anytime soon.

Pick: Kings 106, T’Wolves 99

The Detroit Pistons keep winning, the Spurs can’t stop losing and LeBron James missed a game. It was a crazy Tuesday night of NBA action, but we somehow survived with a solid 5-3 record. That brings us to a nice 257-136 mark on the year as we race into another loaded schedule on Wednesday.

It all gets started with an early 1:00 pm ET game, so let’s run through the games and see what the safest picks might be:

Kings @ Celtics

Even with DeMarcus Cousins back the Kings have still struggled to get wins (2-8 in last 10), but a trip to Boston against a reeling Celtics squad could be beneficial. Boston has lost four straight games and could be in for a fifth thanks to some injuries and inconsistency at the point.

Pick: Kings 106, Celtics 104

Heat @ Pacers

A year ago this is an intense rivalry decided by defense and execution. Now, not so much. It could still be an intense matchup of two teams that have visibly declined, while both scratch and claw their way back up. Miami is the better team, but this one could go down to the wire.

Pick: Heat 99, Pacers 97

Knicks @ Clippers

New York will try to keep up with the Clippers in L.A., which is mostly fruitless since they don’t have the size down low or outside shooting to truly hope to do so. Carmelo Anthony will have to be huge to keep this one close.

Pick: Clips 109, Knicks 88

Hornets @ Rockets

Al Jefferson is down for about a month (groin), so we can probably expect Dwight Howard to destroy Charlotte down low. With Kemba Walker hounded by Patrick Beverley, this one might be over early.

Pick: Rockets 104, Hornets 89

Pelicans @ Spurs

San Antonio has been dreadful in December (7-10), but they need to get it going eventually. They’re at home and have already gone down 2-0 in the season series with the Pellies. They need to find a way to get this win tonight.

Pick: Spurs 103, Pelicans 101

Bucks @ Cavaliers

Milwaukee is competing with just about everyone these days and the Cavs are in shambles with losses and injuries. Brandon Knight destroyed the Cavs in their last meeting and he just might do it again.

Pick: Bucks 101, Cavs 99

Suns @ Thunder

Phoenix charges into Oklahoma City with six wins in their last seven contests, while the Thunder might get Kevin Durant back tonight. If KD is back, the odds are in OKC’s favor at home.

Pick: Thunder 106, Suns 104

Monday got our NBA picks rolling with just six games, allowing us to respond with a solid 3-3 start to the week. Let’s see if we can’t do better with several more games on the docket on Tuesday.

We enter tonight’s action with a 252-133 season record and as always, aim to break the matchups down with logic and exit with perfection:

Pistons @ Magic

Detroit and Orlando have both won two straight, so something will have to break entering Tuesday night’s matchup in Orlando. The Magic seem to be the better team on paper, but the Pistons can’t be ruled out now that they seem a little more cohesive with Josh Smith in Houston. Detroit is pretty bad on the road, though, so in a virtual toss up we’ll take the home team tonight.

Pick: Magic 104, Pistons 101

Suns @ Pelicans

The Pellies are a solid 9-4 at home, but they’re flat out average across the board (5-5 in past 10 and 15-15 overall). Phoenix, meanwhile, can really bring it offensively and comes in red hot with six straight wins. Bank on that run staying alive tonight.

Pick: Suns 106, Pellies 104

Nets @ Bulls

Brooklyn is healthy and won their last game, but they’ll take on an equally healthy Bulls squad that has won seven consecutive games. Chicago is oddly better on the road than at home, but this matchup is in their favor and they’re too hot to bet against right now.

Pick: Bulls 101, Nets 98

Wizards @ Mavericks

Dallas is heating up a bit with Rajon Rondo leading the charge, as they’ve won two straight games and have gone a solid 6-4 over their last 10. They have a tough opponent in the Wiz, who are a strong 8-4 on the road, but with the Mavs’ stout 12-5 home record, it’s hard not to like Dirk and co.

Pick: Mavs 108, Wiz 104

Timberwolves @ Jazz

Neither of these two teams are reliable by any means, but Utah has been much more competitive on a regular basis and the T’Wolves have dropped eight straight. This would be a good opportunity for them to finally get a win, but the same can be said for the Jazz. With this one in Utah, we’ll go with the Jazz tonight.

Pick: Jazz 97, T’Wolves 94

Cavaliers @ Hawks

Cleveland just got crushed by the Pistons and now are dealing with some health issues. It’s hard to pick them with confidence right now, especially on the road against a good Atlanta team.

Pick: Hawks 104, Cavs 101

Spurs @ Grizzlies

These two teams battled into a triple overtime thriller the last time they faced, so we could be in for a blood bath tonight. All that’s certain is San Antonio badly needs to start winning games and that it’s not going to be easy in Memphis, where the Grizz are a stout 12-4.

Pick: Grizzlies 105, Spurs 103

Lakers @ Nuggets

Kobe Bryant is back, which should give the Lakers a lift for the second game in a row as they try to upend a Denver squad that is just average (9-7) on their home floor. The Nuggets and Lakers will run all night, so we can expect little defense. It’s basically a toss up, but Kobe could will the Lakers to a win over a beatable opponent.

Pick: Lakers 106, Nuggets 105

Raptors @ Trail Blazers

In what figures to be the game of the night, two hot teams face off in Portland. Both the Raptors and Blazers have gone a blistering 8-2 in their last 10 contests and will come into tonight with three straight wins. LaMarcus Aldridge could be out again (illness), but the Blazers have won two of the three games he’s missed and are a remarkable 14-2 at home this year.

Pick: Blazers 107, Raptors 104

76ers @ Warriors

Golden State seems to play down to their competition at times, but it’s hard to believe that happens tonight when they host the 4-25 Sixers. Philly has struggled mightily to point points on the board and the Warriors are the third best team in the entire league at doing that. This one shouldn’t be close.

Pick: Warriors 109, Sixers 84