We had another crazy weekend of NBA action, but we’ll get eased into the new week with six games on Monday night. We carry a solid 248-130 season record. Let’s see if we can’t improve on that record with tonight’s games:

Bulls @ Pacers

Indiana is back to playing solid defense and could make it two straight wins tonight, but the Bulls are oddly very solid on the road (13-4) and are also riding a six-game winning streak.

Pick: Bulls 101, Pacers 95

Bucks @ Hornets

Larry Sanders and Ersan Ilyasova will sit out tonight, which could be bad news for the Bucks as they try to slow down Al Jefferson down low in Charlotte. This could be a defensive battle that goes down to the wire, but the Hornets might deserve the edge with better interior play.

Pick: Hornets 98, Bucks 96

Magic @ Heat

Chris Bosh returns tonight as the Heat try to get a win against the visiting Magic. Miami still doesn’t have much down low to stop Nikola Vucevic, but you have to like their chances at full strength at home tonight.

Pick: Heat 103, Magic 101

Kings @ Nets

DeMarcus Cousins dropped 39 points on Saturday, so it looks like he’ll be completely healthy when he and the Kings head to Brooklyn tonight. Brooklyn just had a three-game winning streak snapped but they have both Deron Williams and Brook Lopez back and could be a handful at home.

Pick: Nets 104, Kings 102

Wizards @ Rockets

The Wiz enter Houston with a nice two-game run, but the Rockets are healthy and just got Josh Smith in the starting lineup on Sunday night. Houston is 10-5 at home, so even with Smith still getting acclimated, they should be the pick over the visiting Wizards.

Pick: Rockets 105, Wizards 102

Jazz @ Clippers

Utah travels to L.A. to take on the Clips, who are a pretty formidable 12-4 on their home court this season. The Jazz have won two straight games and have the talent to compete, but the Clips are just an entirely different beast at home. This should be a rout.

Pick: Clippers 108, Jazz 90

We’ve gotten bombarded by huge NBA slates the past few days, but things calm down a bit on Sunday, when just six NBA games hit the hardwood. It’s still enough to get the NBA betting juices flowing, though, so let’s dive into each matchup and see who the likely winners are:

Pistons @ Cavaliers

Detroit has been a total mess and LeBron James “deactivated chill mode” on Friday night. Greg Monroe being inserted back into the starting lineup helps the Pistons, but he won’t be enough to upend the Cavs in Cleveland.

Pick: Cavs 106, Pistons 99

Rockets @ Spurs

San Antonio has really stumbled lately, losing eight of their last 11. That’s not like them, so eventually you’d think they’d piece things back together. It’s just tough to buy that happening tonight against a good Rockets team.

Pick: Rockets 105, Spurs 102

Thunder @ Mavericks

OKC has been magical now that they’re mostly at full strength, but if Kevin Durant is still out they’re going to have a tough time topping a good Dallas team on the road.

Pick: Mavs 107, Thunder 102

Knicks @ Blazers

Carmelo Anthony is drowning with this sorry Knicks team, and Ridge or no Ridge, the Blazers are far and away the better team.

Pick: Blazers 109, Knicks 97

Raptors @ Nuggets

Denver can run with just about anyone, but they’ve slipped of late and there aren’t many teams that are better than the Raptors. Toronto plays balanced ball and is a strong 8-4 on the road, so they’re the safer bet.

Pick: Raptors 106, Nuggets 103

Suns @ Lakers

Kobe Bryant could continue sitting out, while the Lakers are probably in trouble against the Suns, either way. Phoenix is at full strength and big man Alex Len is starting to turn some heads. Phoenix could run the Lakers out of the gym.

Pick: Suns 105, Lakers 101

LeBron James deactivated “chill mode“, Kevin Love got benched and Josh Smith impressed in his Rockets debut in a crazy NBA Friday night. Despite all of the chaos, we still made it through a jam-packed 11-game night with a 6-5 mark. That’s not an amazing run at first glance, but given that the Grizzlies and Hawks lost at home and the Spurs coughed up another loss, we’ll take it.

Tonight doesn’t make NBA picks any easier, as there’s another full slate with 10 games on the docket. Let’s carry our 238-124 season record into the fire and see what sticks:

Raptors @ Clippers

Toronto is solid on the road, but winning in Los Angeles is never easy. The Clips enter this one as winners of just five of their last 10, but a big win over the Raptors should boost their confidence.

Pick: Clips 109, Raptors 106

Magic @ Hornets

Orlando and Charlotte are neck and neck for the bottom of their division at the moment, but the Hornets have won four of their last five and play host, so we’ll give them the slight edge.

Pick: Hornets 97, Magic 95

Celtics @ Wizards

Washington is a strong 13-4 at home and the Celtics have dropped three straight. With no Rajon Rondo, Boston could start free falling, so the Wiz are the easy pick.

Pick: Wiz 105, Celtics 101

Grizzlies @ Heat

Miami won a spirited game against LeBron James and the Cavs on Christmas Day, so they could brace for a letdown here. Memphis plays elite defense and comes storming in with a four-game skid that that can’t afford to let go on much longer.

Pick: Grizzlies 102, Heat 98

Pacers @ Nets

Indiana is starting to piece things back together, but the Nets have found themselves lately with three straight wins. Brooklyn should make it four in a row at home tonight.

Pick: Nets 104, Pacers 95

Pelicans @ Bulls

Chicago oddly isn’t amazing at home this year and the Pellies are coming off of a huge win over the Spurs, but this feels like a trap game for New Orleans. They’ll be tired and Chicago is fresh and on their home floor, so we like the Bulls.

Pick: Bulls 106, Pellies 101

Hawks @ Bucks

The Bucks crushed the Hawks last night and these two teams face again right away on a back to back. Milwaukee hosts, but it’s tough envisioning a strong Hawks squad losing to the same team twice in a row.

Pick: Hawks 104, Bucks 102

76ers @ Jazz

Philly has looked better lately, but anytime you see a team with four wins you have a good shot at winning if you pick their opponent. Utah hosts and can build a mini-winning streak if they can get the win tonight.

Pick: Jazz 106, Sixers 103

Knicks @ Kings

The Knicks can’t normally buy a win, but their six-game skid has to end eventually. If DeMarcus Cousins (illness) is out again, I’ll give New York a shot to get their sixth win of the year.

Pick: Knicks 104, Kings 101

Timberwolves @ Warriors

Minnesota has lost seven straight and they visit Golden State tonight, where the Warriors are 10-1. It doesn’t look good for the Timberwolves tonight.

Pick: Warriors 109, T’Wolves 96

Hopefully everyone had a good Christmas. If you followed along with our Christmas Day NBA picks, you might have had a great one. We snagged three of the five games for a 3-2 mark, hopefully helping your big bets pocket some cash on the holiday of all holidays.

We’re at it again on Friday (save for the early Celtics/Nets game) as we carry our 232-119 record into tonight’s action:

Cavaliers @ Magic

LeBron James admitted his Cavs just “aren’t very good” right now, but they’re still better than the Magic. Orlando hosts a game of little defense and Nikola Vucevic should chew up their non-existent interior defense, but you still have to like the Cavs.

Pick: Cavs 109, Magic 107

Bucks @ Hawks

Milwaukee has dropped two straight and is struggling to find the right replacement for Jabari Parker, while Atlanta has continued a torrid run (winners of nine of their last 10). It’s going to be tough to go against the Hawks at home.

Pick: Hawks 104, Bucks 97

Pacers @ Pistons

Detroit comes in as losers of their last four, while the Pacers have won two straight and are almost fully healthy. Only Paul George (leg) is still out, and we could see Indy start to pull themselves back together slowly.

Pick: Pacers 101, Pistons 94

Hornets @ Thunder

Charlotte has quietly gone on a nice four-game winning streak and has been much more efficient with Lance Stephenson out of the lineup. While their recent run bodes well for the rest of the season, they’re running into a blender as they take on the Thunder in OKC.

Pick: Thunder 106, Hornets 98

Spurs @ Pelicans

San Antonio has been slipping lately, going just 3-7 over their last 10. Tony Parker is out again tonight, but you have to think a veteran Spurs team starts getting it turned around eventually.

Pick: Spurs 103, Pellies 101

Rockets @ Grizzlies

The Rockets and Grizz have combined for two blowouts, so hopefully tonight we’ll finally get a gritty defensive battle. Memphis is at home, so they’ll come in with the slight advantage.

Pick: Grizz 104, Rockets 102

Lakers @ Mavericks

L.A. is playing solid ball without Kobe Bryant (who is expected to remain out), but going into Dallas and getting a win won’t be easy. The Mavs have dropped two straight and a nice cure for their ails is a date with the Lakers.

Pick: Mavs 107, Lakers 103

Timberwolves @ Nuggets

No defense can be expected in this matchup, when the T’Wolves try to snap a six-game skid in Denver. The Nuggets have a small two-game losing streak and are 3-7 in their last 10, but this is a good night to pick them, as they’re a solid 8-6 on their home floor.

Pick: Nuggets 106, Wolves 102

Suns @ Kings

We can probably expect an offensive explosion in this contest, as Phoenix’s elite guard trio takes it to DeMarcus Cousins and the Kings. Boogie should own the inside of the paint tonight and we like the Kings at home in a firefight.

Pick: Kings 107, Suns 106

76ers @ Blazers

Portland could rest LaMarcus Aldridge again, but either way they should remain the heavy favorites against the 4-23 Sixers. Philly has actually won two straight, but that’s half of their wins on the year, so it’s probably safe to assume they’ll lose tonight.

Pick: Blazers 105, Sixers 95

Christmas Day is all about family, friends, gifts and…basketball? It’s odd that the NBA has no games the day before Christmas and then loads them on us on the day we’d probably rather be spending time with family, but hey, NBA bettors won’t be complaining. You can refer to our picks, place your bets and sit back and enjoy the games. We head into the festive day with a still stellar 229-117 season record:

Wizards @ Knicks

The Knicks are still a complete mess at just 5-25 on the year. They might be tanking to get a good draft pick, and if they are, they’re doing a wonderful job at it. Washington is a stout 19-8 on the year and shouldn’t slip up here.

Pick: Wiz 108, Knicks 97

Thunder @ Spurs

The Thunder head to San Antonio in a battle of two very good teams that don’t have the records many thought they would at the moment. That’s largely been thanks to injuries, but rumor has it the Spurs will be completely healthy come Thursday. That gives them the edge at home, even if Kevin Durant returns.

Pick: Spurs 105, Thunder 104

Cavaliers @ Heat

LeBron James returns to South Beach to take on Dwyane Wade and the Heat team he abandoned. The Heat are struggling and the Cavs are starting to find their groove, but this should still be an interesting revenge game for the Heat. Ultimately, though, Cleveland is the better team now and it should show.

Pick: Cavs 105, Heat 99

Lakers @ Bulls

Kobe Bryant will start against the Bulls after resting on Tuesday night, but his presence shouldn’t make much of a difference. The Lakers are still one of the worst teams in the league and with Derrick Rose healthy, the Bulls are going to start being tough to beat on their home floor.

Pick: Bulls 103, Lakers 101

Warriors @ Clippers

In a rematch of last year’s opening round playoff series, Stephen Curry and the Warriors will try to take it to Chris Paul and the Clippers in L.A. This is a huge game for the Clippers as they’re quite a bit behind the Warriors in the Pacific division, and a nice 11-3 home record should give them a nice chance to get the upset.

Pick: Clips 109, Warriors 106

The Houston Rockets missed out on Chris Bosh in free agency this summer. They might have just made up for it. Per reports, the team had previously guaranteed Josh Smith a starting role and the former Piston and Hawk has committed to signing with the team once/if he clears waivers at 5:00 pm Eastern on Wednesday evening.

Smith reportedly has a close relationship with center Dwight Howard and the signing is a near-lock. The question is, what does it mean for the Houston Rockets’ title hopes? Already a legit contender to reach and possibly win this year’s NBA Finals thanks to an elite offense and defense, the Rockets could push themselves over the hump by bringing in Smith.

Catch-22

As good of a player as Smith can be, however, he could also end up being a signing that blows up in Houston’s face. Smith is historically known as an inefficient jump shooter who takes too many bad shots, particularly at long or mid-range. Smith brings terrific athleticism and defensive ability to the table and can hit the outside shot at a solid rate for a guy who plays the four spot. He’s now flamed out at his last two stops, however, and was arguably a bust signing with the Detroit Pistons.

Smith is an electrifying athlete and can contribute on the boards, with blocks and in scoring. However, he’s struggled mightily with efficiency throughout his career and it’s at least questionable if he can get it done at the four spot for the Rockets.

The Next Step

Houston made the playoffs last year in Dwight Howard’s first season with the team, but they were unable to get out of the first round due to some major issues at power forward. On paper, Smith could correct those issues, as he gives them outside shooting and another body that can capably defend. That’s on paper, though. For this signing to end up paying off, Smith needs to be convinced to finally be a true team player. That’s going to mean a major change in his playing style, better shot selection and a commitment to doing work down low in the post.

With the Rockets guaranteeing Smith a starting spot, that pushes both Terrence Jones and Donatas Motiejunas back to the bench for good. That’s not the best news for Houston’s immediate continuity, but in the long-term it at the very worst gives them two very solid big men that can score off the bench. By signing “Smoove”, the Rockets upgraded their starting five and by default also upgraded their depth. Whether it leads to a title surely remains to be determined, but on paper Houston’s arguably has increased their odds.

The Mavericks and Grizzlies lost at home (that never happens!) and the Raptors couldn’t beat the Bulls as we ended Monday night with a 4-3 record. We’re still a strong 224-112 on the year and head into a jam-packed Tuesday night aiming for perfection.

Let’s get to it:

Timberwolves @ Cavaliers

Kevin Love faces his former team tonight, but we can expect little emotion as the game isn’t in Minnesota. The Timberwolves are also terrible and the Cavs are back on a two-game winning streak so Cleveland has to be the easy pick.

Pick: Cavs 109, T’Wolves 101

Bulls @ Wizards

Chicago got a big win over the Raptors last night and have put together a nice three-game winning streak. Going into Washington and getting a win won’t be easy, but the Bulls are rather strong on the road (12-4).

Pick: Bulls 105, Wiz 104

Celtics @ Magic

The Magic have dropped four straight and really aren’t great on their home floor, but Boston’s lack of defense gives them a shot to end their skid. A heavy dose of Nikola Vucevic should help them get past the Celtics.

Pick: Magic 106, Celtics 104

Pelicans @ Pacers

Indiana has tumbled in it’s last 10 games (2-8), while they get The Brow tonight. The Pelicans have been pretty average overall, but they run at a solid pace. The Pacers may not be able to handle them tonight.

Pick: Pellies 101, Pacers 96

Clippers @ Hawks

L.A. lost to the Spurs last night and will be on the second game of a back to back set, so they could be in a tough spot on the road against a pretty good Hawks team. Atlanta has a nice four-game winning streak going and has lost at home just twice all year.

Pick: Hawks 104, Clippers 101

Nuggets @ Nets

Brooklyn might hold the upper hand in this matchup if Deron Williams and Brook Lopez were both healthy, but entering tonight’s matchup that’s not the case. The Nuggets should get the win if both are out tonight.

Pick: Nuggets 99, Nets 96

76ers @ Heat

Philly got their third win of the year in their last game, so the numbers game suggests they’re not about to head into South Beach and get a second straight win.

Pick: Heat 97, Heat 94

Blazers @ Thunder

Portland and OKC are two stout teams when healthy, but tonight could be interesting with LaMarcus Aldridge sitting out on Monday night and Kevin Durant questionable for this contest. OKC holds the edge at home, but if Durant sits out switch the pick to Portland.

Pick: Thunder 106, Blazers 104

Hornets @ Bucks

Charlotte of all teams has a three-game winning streak going, while the Bucks keep exchanging a win with a loss. Milwaukee should be the favorite at home, but the Hornets are finding their groove on defense so they look like the pick.

Pick: Hornets 95, Bucks 92

Mavericks @ Suns

Phoenix has won three straight and hosts Dallas tonight in what should be the night’s most fact-paced game. Rajon Rondo has fit in nicely so far with the Mavs and should help Dallas get the nice road win.

Pick: Mavs 109, Suns 107

Warriors @ Lakers

Kobe Bryant might finally take a break tonight, which should obviously hurt L.A.’s ability to score. That means we’ll see a lot more Nick Young, but he won’t be enough to get past a 23-3 Warriors club.

Pick: Warriors 110, Lakers 104

Josh Smith got traded, Kobe Bryant might take a break and way too many big names are banged up as we get the week started on Monday night. We almost got tripped up with a shaky 5-4 record on Sunday night and we attribute that to the Wizards and Thunder randomly failing to win at home, as well as the Magic caving at home to the Sixers.

Logic doesn’t always prevail, but for us during this 2014-15 NBA season, it largely has. We take our still stellar 220-109 season record into a nice seven-game night to start the week:

Nuggets @ Hornets

Charlotte has won two straight and hosts a Denver team that could be without Ty Lawson and also just lost Danilo Gallinari (again). It’s not easy picking the Hornets, but this isn’t a bad night to do so. If Lawson suits up, switch it back to the Nugs, however.

Pick: Hornets 99, Nuggets 96

Blazers @ Rockets

Portland has been awesome and brings a nice five-game run into Houston, but the Rockets are at home and are healthy. Both LaMarcus Aldridge and Dwight Howard are questionable tonight, but them sitting or playing is probably a wash. Houston has dropped two straight and needs a big win at home and I think they’ll get it.

Pick: Rockets 105, Blazers 104

Jazz @ Grizzlies

Memphis has dropped two straight and could be without Zach Randolph for the second game in a row (knee). That shouldn’t kill them tonight, however, as they’re 12-2 at home on the year and get a Jazz squad that is just 4-11 away from home this season.

Pick: Grizz 104, Jazz 97

Raptors @ Bulls

Derrick Rose (illness) should be back tonight, but the Bulls are pretty average at home and could also be down some bigs in this one. Toronto is strong (8-3) on the road and comes in as winners of six straight. They should hold a slight edge.

Pick: Raps 107, Bulls 104

Hawks @ Mavericks

Atlanta has been insane lately, winning 12 of their last 13 and surprising the entire league with an awesome 19-7 start. They could slow down eventually, but chances are they give the Mavs a run for their money. Dallas is pretty tough on their home floor, though, so we’ll take the Mavs in a shootout.

Pick: Mavs 111, Hawks 110

Clippers @ Spurs

Los Angeles has been playing solid basketball and are 7-3 over their last 10, but the Spurs sorely need to hold serve at home after dropping four straight. Expect San Antonio’s usual crew to get back on the floor in a game the Spurs need to steal.

Pick: Spurs 104, Clips 102

Kings @ Warriors

DeMarcus Cousins returned two games ago and the Kings have gone 1-1 since. They’ll slowly start building themselves back up, but running over Golden State on the road probably isn’t in the cards.

Pick: Warriors 107, Kings 101

Josh Smith was with the Detroit Pistons yesterday. Now he’s not. With the big man waived on Monday morning, he suddenly could be in line to attract a ton of suitors. There were teams somewhat interested in trading for him a few months back, but now he can be had by anyone if/when he clears waivers within the next 48 hours.

We can’t know if someone will jump on him in waivers, but until we know for sure where he’s going, it’s worth speculating about. Smith wasn’t a fit in Detroit, but he’s immensely talented and could absolutely still be a great fit in the right system with the right coaching. Let’s break down the five most logical potential suitors if he is able to clear waivers (or really, even if he isn’t):

Los Angeles Clippers

The Clippers are back to playing very good basketball and with Doc Rivers guiding a star-studded cast, this just might be a legit title contender. They’re one true hole? The small forward position, where a pedestrian Matt Barnes currently resides in the starting lineup. Smith could be the answer and give this team the extra boost it needs, or adding him could mess up the chemistry and keep this team from realizing it’s potential. There’s really only one way to find out.

Houston Rockets

Smith, best known as “Smoove” is tight with Dwight Howard, while the Rockets don’t really have a brute force at the four spot. Smoove loves to chuck shots from deep, but perhaps with his pal guiding him, he can buckle down in the paint and help the Rockets where they need assistance the most. Smith suddenly buying into a new system and becoming a more disciplined player isn’t overly likely, but he’s talented enough to take that chance. There were whispers about Smith going to Houston in each of the last two seasons, so this is certainly a spot to monitor.

Dallas Mavericks

Dallas just made a splash by landing Rajon Rondo, so why stop there? Smoove has loads of talent and could help the Mavs on the wing, but it’s possible adding him could clog things up for Chandler Parsons and Dirk Nowitzki. It’s a high-risk move, but they’re already a legit contender and this has to be considered a move that could potentially push them over the top.

Sacramento Kings

The Kings have a versatile forward in Rudy Gay, who can play both the three and four effectively. Smith would give them another wing man who can do exactly that, which could potentially fix their issues at the four spot. Smith would still need to be reigned in, which is a tough task considering the Kings don’t even know what they’re doing at the head coach spot yet (Ty Corbin is the interim coach). Still, there were whispers over the summer that Sacramento was interested in landing Smith, so that talk could come back to life in a big way.

Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers are crazy. They traded for Jeremy Lin, grabbed Carlos Boozer off of the waiver wire and signed an aging Kobe Bryant to a massive two-year deal. Smith brings talent and experience to the table and the Lakers sorely lack both. If they still have some odd hopes of making the playoffs, they could be silly enough to try to get better by adding Smoove.

While the NFL takes center stage on Sundays, we’re in for a big day of NBA action. We survived a solid seven-game Saturday night, but that only was to prepare us for an insane nine-game barage on Sunday, starting with the early game between the Knicks and Raptors.

We went a pedestrian 4-3 last night and hope for a better finish as we carry our 215-105 season record into Sunday’s NBA action:

Knicks @ Raptors

Carmelo Anthony is ready to go but the Knicks aren’t at full strength and they’re in Toronto, where the Raptors are 13-3 on the year. It’s not looking good for the Knicks, who have fallen to 5-24 on the year.

Pick: Raptors 108, Knicks 92

Grizzlies @ Cavaliers

Memphis will be without both Zach Randolph and Tony Allen when they head to Cleveland, which could sap some of their defense and scoring. That gives the Cavs a better shot at taking this one, while they already had a nice chance.

Pick: Cavs 105, Grizz 101

76ers @ Magic

Philly has been playing better basketball the past two weeks but are still just 2-8 over their last 10. Orlando hosts and will have a nice opportunity to snap a three-game skid here.

Pick: Magic 104, Sixers 102

Celtics @ Heat

Boston takes it to the court for the second time without Rajon Rondo, after winning their first game without him the other night. A visit to South Beach could prove to be a tad more difficult, however.

Pick: Heat 107, Celtics 103

Pistons @ Nets

Detroit has been a hot mess at 5-22 on the year, while they enter Brooklyn with three straight losses. The good news is both Deron Williams and Brook Lopez will be out, so Detroit has a nice shot at winning.

Pick: Pistons 104, Nets 101

Suns @ Wizards

Phoenix is finally at full strength and has won two straight, but they head to Washington tonight, where the Wiz are a ridiculous 13-2. It’s going to be tough sledding for the Suns.

Pick: Wiz 109, Suns 104

Lakers @ Kings

Kobe Bryant missed a game-winner the other night and will try to help his Lakers snap a minor two-game skid. DeMarcus Cousins has personally lifted his minutes limit and the Kings are at home, though, so Sac-town is tough to bet against tonight:

Pick: Kings 107, Lakers 106

Pacers @ Timberwolves

Indiana and Minnesota are both disaster teams right now, but Indy at least plays some defense and is slowly getting healthier. This one is a toss-up and Minnesota should have a chance at home, but the Pacers are the veteran squad and should get the win if they can find a way to bring their offense.

Pick: Pacers 97, T’Wolves 92

Pelicans @ Thunder

Anthony Davis heads to OKC to take on Russell Westbrook in a nice showdown that should probably be absent Kevin Durant. The Thunder probably take the cake at home, either way, however.

Pick: Thunder 108, Pellies 104