The last time Diego Chaves fought at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, Nevada, it was an ugly bout that ended in his disqualification. On Saturday, Chaves returns to The Cosmopolitan and his opponent says he is ready for anything Chaves will do.

A Dirty Fighter?

As former WBO welterweight champion Timothy Bradley returns to the ring to rebound from his loss to Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao during their April rematch, he is well aware of what his opponent is capable of doing inside the ring. According to Bradley, he has reviewed the tapes of Diego Chaves’ bout against Brandon Rios and he concluded that Chaves is indeed a dirty fighter.

Bradley may be half correct. During the Rios fight, Chaves was disqualified by referee Vic Drakulich in the 9th of a scheduled ten rounder for excessive fouls. Although Rios threw his own bag of dirty tricks on Chaves, the bout took its shape because Chaves resorted to holding, elbowing, wrestling and head butting. It was a sorry loss for Chaves because he was ahead 75-74 on two of the scorecards at the time of the stoppage.

Legit Fighter

The other half of Diego Chaves is that he isn’t just a “dirty fighter.” Although he’s mostly fought in his native Argentina, the then unbeaten Chaves made five successful title defenses of the WBO Latino Welterweight title before capturing the interim WBA Welterweight champion. Unfortunately, Chaves finally got his first career loss when American prospect Keith Thurman beat him for the WBA title in July of last year. After recapturing the WBO Latino title after the Thurman debacle, Chaves then went to Las Vegas for that unfortunate fight with Rios. With redemption in mind, he is looking to prove that he is a worthy 147-pound contender against Bradley on Saturday night.

Experts’ Pick

Bradley is the heavy favorite in this one because he is too skilled a boxer for a rugged brawler like Diego Chaves. In most probability, Chaves will try to blitzkrieg Bradley right from the opening bell in the hopes of replicating the first couple of rounds of the Bradley-Provdnikov fight where Bradley got into early trouble by brawling with the heavy hitting Provodnikov. But Bradley has learned his lesson and he also deals well with adversity so if he can overcome the early onslaught from Chaves, he should have a smooth sailing victory.

But the biggest factor should be how veteran referee Tony Weeks controls the bout, and Chaves in general. If Chaves gets his roughhousing going, we may see a repeat of the Rios-Chaves bout. But if Weeks takes control of the bout and Bradley is ready as he says he is, he should have all the real estate to launch his attack and beat Chaves decisively.

Bradley opened the betting as a -800 favorite and Chaves the massive +500 underdog. Those lines aren’t expected to change as the fight draws closer. 25 out of 26 fight experts interviewed by Ring.com had Bradley winning this contest, and most say he will do so by decision.

Kobe Bryant thinks the Lakers are soft, LeBron James has a bum knee and we enjoyed a perfect Thursday night. While our NBA picks don’t own the headlines in the NBA world, they probably should, as went 2-0 and obtained our third unblemished night of the year. That brings us to a stellar 171-79 season record as we prepare for a totally loaded Friday night:

Clippers @ Wizards

Los Angeles is playing fantastic basketball during a sweet nine-game winning streak, while they’ve been especially stout on the road this year (8-2). That clashes with Washington’s home dominance (10-2), but we have to side with the Clips since they have way more star power and are on fire.

Pick: Clippers 105, Wiz 102

Blazers @ Bulls

Portland heads to Chicago for a rematch of a game the Blazers trounced the Bulls in just a few weeks ago. Chicago has oddly had some issues at home and will be without center Joakim Noah for the second straight game. Advantage: Blazers.

Pick: Blazers 107, Bulls 104

Pacers @ Raptors

Indiana is trying desperately to stay alive in the race for the East’s last playoff spot, but their offense is just too hit or miss. We can expect much more of the same in Toronto, where the Raptors are extremely tough to beat.

Pick: Raptors 106, Pacers 92

Knicks @ Celtics

New York has dropped 10 straight, but they just might have a shot at ending their skid tonight. Boston doesn’t play much defense and if the Knicks can slow things down and execute, they might be able to get it done. Oh, wait, Carmelo Anthony is probably out? Yeah…

Pick: Celtics 105, Knicks 97

Magic @ Hawks

Atlanta leads the Atlantic division and is quite balanced, while the Magic continue to struggle on offense. If Nikola Vucevic is out again, Orlando doesn’t stand a chance.

Pick: Hawks 104, Magic 96

76ers @ Nets

Both of these teams appear to be complete messes, but the Nets are at home and still have much better talent on their roster. They get the pick, if only be default.

Pick: Nets 105, 76ers 99

Hornets @ Grizzlies

Charlotte oddly has won two straight after losing for most of November and December, so they’ll try to make it three in a row. That’s not likely in Memphis, though, where the Grizz have lost just one game all year.

Pick: Grizz 104, Hornets 88

Cavaliers @ Pelicans

Cleveland had a nice eight-game winning streak snapped last night, so they’ll try to start all over in New Orleans tonight. They’re the better team right now, but it’s on the road and the Pellies are quite strong at home (6-2). Anthony Davis also completely dismantled them last time, so I like the Pelicans to get the win and get back to .500.

Pick: Pelicans 101, Cavs 100

Thunder @ Timberwolves

OKC has built up a nice four-game winning streak, but they might be tired on the second of a back to back in Minnesota. No matter, the Timberwolves are too awful to take advantage.

Pick: Thunder 109, T’Wolves 93

Pistons @ Suns

Detroit is on an atrocious 13-game losing streak and the Suns might be getting stronger with Isaiah Thomas potentially returning from an ankle injury. With this one in Phoenix, it doesn’t look good for the Pistons.

Pick: Suns 104, Pistons 96

Heat @ Jazz

Miami is struggling to find offense consistently and may be a team that hovers around .500 all year. At least they play some defense, though, which the Jazz simply do not. It could be a competitive game in Utah, but look for Dwyane Wade and co. to get the win.

Pick: Heat 98, Jazz 95

Lakers @ Spurs

Kobe Bryant made just one of 14 shots the last time these two sides faced. San Antonio’s four best players all sat out their last game, so we can expect most of them to be back to take care of the Lakers at home.

Pick: Spurs 106, Lakers 99

The NBA slows down considerably on Thursday night, as just two games grace the schedule. That’s probably fine for anyone that did any NBA betting on a jam-packed Wednesday night, as a full slate of games can often be chaotic and unpredictable. That wasn’t really the case on Wednesday, though, as just one game was truly crazy (Timberwolves over the Trail Blazers) and we saw no overtime action.

We got through it with a strong 8-2 finish, bringing our season record to 169-79 (that’s over 68% for those counting at home). Thursday will hopefully be an easy 2-0 sweep, but they play the games for a reason, and we analyze them for a reason, too. With that, it’s on to our NBA picks for Thursday, December 11th:

Cavaliers @ Thunder

LeBron James an Kevin Durant will duel in Thursday night’s first game, as the Thunder welcome Cleveland and their “Big 3” to Oklahoma City. OKC is still getting things back together with Durant on a minute limit, while the Cavs seem to be in a groove with their current eight-game winning streak. OKC has won three straight and is starting to look like a scary team again now that they’re back at full strength, so now might be a good time to bet on the Cavs stumbling into a loss.

Pick: Thunder 105, Cavs 104

Rockets @ Kings

Dwight Howard still hasn’t returned from a sore knee, but the Kings will be without DeMarcus Cousins, as well. That should be a wash, which should push this matchup back in favor of the Rockets, who remain quite stout with James Harden leading the way. They’re a very strong 8-2 on the road and the Kings obviously have even less bite without “Boogie” there to score and grab rebounds. With Sacramento just 4-6 over their last 10, we have to roll with the Rockets tonight.

Pick: Rockets 107, Kings 101

A third straight night of NBA picks perfection was well within our grasp on Tuesday night, but the San Antonio Spurs and Phoenix Suns burned us. The Spurs falling to the lowly Jazz and the Suns losing at home is a pretty terrible way to go 6-2, especially when you correctly pick the Los Angeles Lakers to nab a win.

No matter, we’ll attempt picks perfection again on a fully loaded Wednesday night. Yeah, that’ll happen. Still, we carry a stout 161-77 season record into tonight’s 10-game slate:

Wizards @ Magic

Orlando and Washington tip the night off at 7:00 pm ET, as the Magic play host. They’ll hold out hope that big man Nikola Vucevic (back) can return, and if so they’ll have a shot to compete against Washington’s long line of steady post players. The Wiz have the upper hand across the board, though, so the Magic are probably looking at a loss, either way.

Pick: Wizards 104, Magic 102

Clippers @ Pacers

Los Angeles is playing really solid basketball these days and aren’t any worse on the road, which should be bad news for the hosting Pacers. Chris Paul should slap Rodney Stuckey around and Blake Griffin should have a nice night against David West. Indiana just won’t be able to keep up in this one.

Pick: Clips 106, Pacers 99

Celtics @ Hornets

Boston plays some of the worst defense in the league, so even the offensively challenged Hornets should be able to score the ball tonight. The Hornets also get Michael Kidd-Gilchrist back tonight, which could dramatically boost their perimeter defense. If so, Charlotte might be able to build a two-game winning streak.

Pick: Hornets 103, Celtics 101

76ers @ Hawks

Philly has been pretty competitive and actually has two wins in their past 10 games, but they’re on the road against a quietly solid Hawks team. They might keep it close for a while, but the Hawks should pull away late.

Pick: Hawks 104, 76ers 97

Pelicans @ Mavericks

The Pellies have been very average over the last week and that certainly won’t be good enough against the Mavs on the road. Dallas is one of the best offensive teams in the league, so we can expect a nice back and forth affair. Dallas gets the edge at home, though.

Pick: Mavs 113, Pelicans 105

Nets @ Bulls

Brooklyn is ready to trade just about everyone in a sinking season, while the Bulls play host without Joakim Noah. The Nets are also down Brook Lopez, so the losses cancel out and the better team prevails.

Pick: Bulls 102, Nets 96

Blazers @ Timberwolves

Minnesota is in free fall mode right now and despite being at home, may not be able to put up much of a fight against a very deep and balanced Trail Blazers squad. LaMarcus Aldridge shall feast tonight.

Pick: Blazers 109, Timberwolves 101

Knicks @ Spurs

New York can’t catch anything remotely close to a break. The Spurs already coughed up a pathetic loss to the Jazz last night, so there’s no way they take a breather and let the Knicks get by them – especially at home.

Pick: Spurs 104, Knicks 94

Rockets @ Warriors

Houston is getting a little healthier at point guard and Dwight Howard might even make a return tonight. The Warriors are probably still the better team even when Howard gets back in the lineup, while winning in Golden State is about as difficult as a task as they come.

Pick: Warriors 107, Rockets 104

Heat @ Nuggets

Miami burned us last night by beating the Suns on the road, so they’ll surely burn us again. However, they’re actually solid on the road (6-5) and the Nuggets are on a four-game skid, so we’ll go against the grain a bit and take the Heat in Denver.

Pick: Heat 98, Nuggets 95

Monday night was an explosive one, as NBA fans were blessed with an incredible three overtime games, while the clash between the Wizards and Celtics actually lasted two extra periods. We even got to see a game-winning three by Blake Griffin, while fantasy basketball nuts didn’t hate a potential line of the year from Eric Bledsoe.

Overall, it was a very exciting night of pro basketball action and we didn’t do too bad with our NBA picks, either, as we went perfect (6-0). That gives us back to back perfect runs over the last two nights and we’ll go for the trifecta as we carry a stout 155-75 season mark into Tuesday night’s games:

Raptors @ Cavaliers

Cleveland hosts the Raptors after beating them two games ago and look white hot on their current seven-game win streak. The Raptors miss DeMar DeRozan but Kyle Lowry has been an absolute stud in his absence. Toronto might actually be the better team at the moment, but they don’t have one of their best players and it’s in Cleveland, so the smart call is to stick with the Cavs to keep winning.

Pick: Cavs 107, Raptors 104

Blazers @ Pistons

The only silver lining tonight is that Detroit is at home, but they’ve been mostly dreadful during a horrific 12-game drought. The Blazers are a very balanced team and are on a nice four-game run, so it’s tough to buy the Pistons tonight.

Pick: Blazers 102, Pistons 88

Mavericks @ Grizzlies

Memphis and Dallas clash in a huge divisional contest. It’s elite offense versus elite defense, which could be viewed as a classic toss up. Memphis hosts this one, though and is an impressive 9-1 on their home floor, so they’re the logical pick.

Pick: Grizz 96, Mavs 92

Bucks @ Thunder

Milwaukee is ultra competitive this year but with Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant back, the Thunder are not looking to lose much going forward. They have a two-game winning streak going and they’ll probably need to reserve any losses to elite teams. They know they can’t drop this one, so look for them to batten down the hatches at home.

Pick: Thunder 107, Bucks 99

Knicks @ Pelicans

New York is so lost right now, as they head into New Orleans free falling with eight straight losses. The Pellies are really just average in the West, but average in the toughest conference beats anything the Knicks have to offer. The Pelicans should make it two wins in a row with a big win tonight.

Pick: Pellies 104, Knicks 97

Spurs @ Jazz

Utah has been struggling to find it’s offense lately and really doesn’t scare anyone on defense, so the fact that they host the Spurs tonight is hardly an advantage. They do have the luxury of facing a Tony Parker-less Spurs team, but San Antonio is still the vastly superior squad and should get the win.

Pick: Spurs 111, Jazz 103

Heat @ Suns

Phoenix has dropped two straight, while Miami hasn’t won in four games. Miami will want this one badly, but the Suns are the much better offensive team. Dwyane Wade will need to be huge to get a tough road win, but it’s not likely.

Pick: Suns 105, Heat 101

Kings @ Lakers

In what should be the highest scoring game of the night, L.A. hosts a DeMarcus Cousins-less Kings squad. Sacramento has been pretty competitive without their best player, but the Lakers obviously have to like their chances with the Kings at less than 100%. We’ll give L.A. a chance in a game with just about zero defense.

Pick: Lakers 109, Kings 108

Sunday night ended up being a fairly predictable night for NBA betting, as we nailed all five of the late games for a perfect 5-0 mark on the night. Hopefully you rode our predictions to a big payday and are up for doing the same again tonight. We carry a still stellar 149-75 season record into Monday’s seven-game slate:

Celtics @ Wizards

Boston surprised the Wiz in Washington last night, and they oddly face them again in the second of a back to back for both teams. This time it’s in Boston, but even the change of location can’t possibly give the Celtics the upper hand for a second game in a row. Can it?

Pick: Wiz 109, Celtics 95

Hawks @ Pacers

Atlanta is quietly a very good team right now, while the Pacers are loudly a pretty weak one. Indy has a chance if Roy Hibbert dominates Al Horford, but Horford is a pretty strong defensively and the Hawks simply have more fire power on offense. Atlanta should squeak out a close win on the road.

Pick: Hawks 101, Pacers 98

Nuggets @ Raptors

The Raptors seem to lose everytime we logically pick them at home, but that’s not a trend that can keep going much longer (is it?). Our brains say no, especially with the Nuggets riding a three-game skid and not looking great as of late.

Pick: Raptors 106, Nuggets 101

Cavaliers @ Nets

Brooklyn has proven this year they have the veteran talent to beat anyone, but they’re also inconsistent enough to lose to anyone. They could be without Joe Johnson tonight, but either way may not be up to handle a red hot Cavs team that is coming into town on a six-game winning streak.

Pick: Cavs 105, Nets 103

Warriors @ Timberwolves

Minnesota is in shambles and is missing so much veteran help, while the Warriors are probably the best team in the league. Golden State has won a remarkable 12 straight games and is 10-1 on the road, so they’re easily the safest pick of the night.

Pick: Warriors 112, T’Wolves 99

Jazz @ Kings

DeMarcus Cousins is out again, but the Kings have played tough without him and are at home, so you have to give them a shot against the 5-15 Jazz. Utah has been struggling to find offense lately, yet they can’t play any defense, so picking Sacramento on their home court feels like the right thing to do.

Pick: Kings 101, Jazz 100

Suns @ Clippers

Phoenix could bring in an up tempo game and compete with the Clippers, but L.A. is at home and certainly doesn’t mind playing a fast-paced game. The problem for Phoenix is L.A. is finally playing better on defense and are on fire with a seven-game run. The Clips should roll tonight.

Pick: Clippers 115, Suns 105

Sunday got started a little early with two games, but we still have five late NBA contests to dissect and predict. Let’s try to make up for a sloppy 2-4 run on Saturday night as we try to correctly pick Sunday’s remaining games:

Thunder @ Pistons

OKC got it’s first win since Kevin Durant returned in their last game, so tonight they’ll shoot for two straight when they take on the Pistons in Detroit. Detroit has been pretty awful and are just 2-9 on their own court, so they don’t get much of an edge here.

Pick: Thunder 106, Pistons 97

Heat @ Grizzlies

Miami is playing very mediocre ball right now and the Grizzlies aren’t one to lose three games in a row. Since they’re playing host and are easily the better team, it’d make a lot of sense for Memphis to get a big win tonight.

Pick: Grizz 105, Heat 92

Bucks @ Mavericks

Milwaukee is very competitive right now and just faced these same Mavs last week, so Dallas could have a fight on their hands on their home court. Dallas is still the better team and will run early and often in this one. Look for the Mavs to take it at home.

Pick: Mavs 109, Bucks 104

Blazers @ Knicks

New York has now dropped seven straight and couldn’t even beat the Hornets in their last game. Things are getting uglier with each passing night and it’s tough to buy them topping a 15-4 Portland team, even at home. The Blazers have started another nice winning streak and are a rock solid 5-2 away from home, as well.

Pick: Blazers 104, Knicks 99

Pelicans @ Lakers

Los Angeles has been a tough team to pick against lately and they’re at home, but the Pelicans need to take wins where they can get them. New Orleans looked soft last night in a loss to the Clippers, so don’t be shocked if they storm out and crush the Lakers to avoid a three-game skid.

Pick: Pellies 106, Lakers 95

Another crazy night of NBA action is upon us, after we witnessed two overtime games and several upsets on Friday night. In a chaotic 12-game night, we didn’t get our footing as we’d hoped, going just 6-6 on a jam-packed night. We blame losses by the Mavericks and Raptors at home, while we probably should have known better than taking the Lakers on the road.

Still, breaking even is better than dipping below .500, so we’ll march into Saturday night with a stellar season record of 142-71 and try to correct things on a much quieter six-game night:

76ers @ Pistons

Philly won’t go winless this year, but picking them to win again isn’t a fun or easy thing to do. The Pistons definitely aren’t the worst team to roll with the Sixers against, though, especially since they’ve dropped 10 straight games. However, as good as that looks for Philly, Detroit has to be licking their chops over this matchup. Look for the Pistons to snap a horrendous skid.

Pick: Pistons 108, Sixers 104

Warriors @ Bulls

Golden State is arguably the best team in the league right now at 16-2, especially since their offense is about as good as it gets and they actually play sound defense, too. They’re an astounding 9-1 away from home this year, but winning in Chicago is never an easy task. Oddly enough, though, the Bulls are just 2-4 at home. Chicago is mostly healthy and should step up big on their home floor, making them a nice trendy upset pick tonight.

Pick: Bulls 103, Warriors 102

Suns @ Rockets

Houston is still probably without Dwight Howard and their main point guards tonight, which could be a big problem with a red hot Goran Dragic coming into town. Houston barely got by Minnesota last night, so the fast-paced Suns could be a lot to handle. Look for the Suns to edge out the Rockets in a high scoring affair.

Pick: Suns 106, Rockets 103

Timberwolves @ Spurs

The Wolves aren’t very good or healthy right now, while they’re sure to be pretty run down after an overtime loss to the Rockets last night. This is a good night for the Spurs to rest some big names, while both sides could be missing steady point guard play with Mo Williams officially out and Tony Parker doubtful. That’s an even split that leaves this one very much in favor of the Spurs at home.

Pick: Spurs 105, Wolves 91

Magic @ Kings

Orlando and Sacramento both are fresh off of two tight games, with the Kings going into OT. Luckily both teams got the win, but both could be bogged down on the second game of a back to back. With DeMarcus Cousins and Nikola Vucevic both possibly out yet again, this one could be a true toss up. In that case, the odds may weigh in favor of the home team.

Pick: Kings 106, Magic 101

Pelicans @ Clippers

Anthony Davis leads his Pellies into L.A. for a huge showdown with Blake Griffin and the Clippers. Los Angeles is playing terrific basketball in the midst of a six-game winning streak, so it’s going to be tough to buy the Pellies coming in and getting the upset.

Pick: Clippers 104, Pellies 102

Making the right calls for NBA games on Thursday night wasn’t very difficult. However, with the Knicks almost upsetting the visiting Cavaliers (lost by three), we’ll take a perfect 3-0 on the night. That brings us to a stellar 136-65 on the year (67% accuracy) as we gear up for a jam-packed Friday night of pro basketball.

Let’s get to our picks for Friday, December 5th, 2014:

Knicks @ Hornets

New York suffered another tough loss last night and will really want to turn things around tonight against a bad Hornets team that has dropped 10 straight. Losers of six straight themselves and unable to get out of their own way, New York probably blows this one, too.

Pick: Hornets 99, Knicks 96

Thunder @ 76ers

Kevin Durant should be much better in his second game back, while a Thunder squad at full strength isn’t one to bet against normally. That’s especially the case in Philly tonight, where the Sixers chase their second win in a row (and of the year).

Pick: Thunder 115, 76ers 95

Nuggets @ Wizards

Denver has been a pretty solid team lately (7-3 over last 10), but the Wiz are 8-2 at home and play much better defense. No Paul Pierce could hurt the Wiz, but they’re still the strong favorite on their home court.

Pick: Wiz 101, Nuggets 94

Hawks @ Nets

Atlanta has been killing it and is a nice surprise at 11-6, while the Nets are riding high off of an OT win over the Spurs. This one could be a classic toss up with the hometown Nets getting the slight edge due to superior defense.

Pick: Nets 104, Hawks 102

Cavaliers @ Raptors

Cleveland won last night but will come in on the second of a back to back pretty tired after narrowly beating the Knicks in New York. Winning in Toronto is hard enough, but LeBron James has a banged up elbow and taking this one might be asking too much.

Pick: Raptors 105, Cavs 102

Lakers @ Celtics

You will find no defense when the Lakers meet up with the Celtics in Boston tonight. Both teams put up a ton of points and give them up even quicker, so we can expect a lot of back and forth. Kobe Bryant has been dropping points and distributing the ball well, so L.A. could have a chance at getting another win here.

Pick: Lakers 106, Celtics 103

Rockets @ Timberwolves

Houston still won’t have Dwight Howard back and all of their point guards are hurt, but I still can’t see them losing in Minnesota tonight. The ‘Wolves are missing important bodies of their own, while Mo Williams might also sit out. If he does, Minnesota probably doesn’t stand a chance.

Pick: Rockets 107, Timberwolves 95

Spurs @ Grizzlies

Two defensive-minded teams wage war in Memphis, as the Grizzlies try to erase a drubbing by the Rockets recently. This one could go down to the wire, but the Spurs need the win more as they’re sliding in the most competitive division in the league.

Pick: Spurs 104, Grizzlies 99

Heat @ Bucks

Two very averages teams clash in Milwaukee tonight, where the Heat will try to crack .500 without Luol Deng. If he’s out, the Heat will be somewhat undermanned on the road. The Bucks are playing well, so I’ll give them the edge at home.

Pick: Bucks 101, Heat 97

Suns @ Mavericks

Phoenix heads to Dallas for what could be the highest scoring battle of the night. Dirk Nowitzki should be well rested enough to have a solid outing, while the Suns will need their guards to play extremely well to earn the tough road win.

Pick: Mavs 108, Suns 106

Magic @ Jazz

The Magic seemed to give up against the Clippers in their last game, so hopefully they’ll work harder to upend the Jazz tonight. Utah looks to be the favorites, though, as star center Nikla Vucevic may be out again (back) for the Magic.

Pick: Jazz 104, Magic 101

Pacers @ Kings

Indiana comes into Sacramento at it’s healthiest it’s been all year, so they should have a good chance of taking down a DeMarcus Cousins-less Kings squad. Sacramento is the slight favorite at home, but the Pacers played hard last night and will be hungry to get this win. If Roy Hibbert dominates, they just might get it.

Pick: Pacers 97, Kings 95

Wednesday night was a huge night for NBA basketball. Other than just a ton of games being played, NBA fans were blessed with two overtime games and six games that were decided by 10 points or less. As solid as we did last night overall (6-4), it could have been, oh, so much better. We picked the Bucks and Spurs to win, but both narrowly lost in the night’s two overtime games. We also picked the Grizzlies to beat a Rockets team sans Dwight Howard and any true point guards, yet Houston ran all over the normally disciplined Grizz.

With all of that going down, we’ll take 6-4. And hey, we also nailed Philly’s first win of the year. It was the first time we picked them all year, so hopefully you went with our NBA picks on Thursday night. If you didn’t, you can make up for it by rolling with us as we carry our 133-65 season record into a three-game Thursday night:

Cavaliers @ Knicks

Cleveland is pretty average away from home and doesn’t play the best defense, but they are in sync offensively right now and the Knicks are reeling. Carmelo Anthony can the Knicks got the better of Cleveland in Ohio in the season opener, but these are two very different teams at this point. Look for the Cavs to possibly roll.

Pick: Cavs 107, Knicks 99

Pacers @ Blazers

Indiana is starting to get healthy and with mostly just Paul George on the shelf, they can actually compete again. That’s helped spark a solid 5-5 run in their last 10 games, but they still aren’t in Portland’s class The Blazers play well at home and are really in a groove at both ends of the floor these days.

Pick: Blazers 106, Pacers 95

Pelicans @ Warriors

Anthony Davis and the Pellies travel to Golden State on Thursday night to take on Stephen Curry and the Warriors. New Orleans is balanced and talented enough to give the Warriors a game, but Golden State really is the cream of the crop right now. Some might say they’re even the best team in the league, as they’re crushing it on offense and even holding opponents under 97 points per game. It’s hard to pick against them any night right now, much less at home in this one.

Pick: Warriors 105, Pelicans 102