The set-up: The Chicago Bulls were embarrassed Sunday at Boston on ABC, losing 100-80 to the Celtics. It was the team's fifth straight loss (a season-high) and now it's on to Charlotte to take on the 29-37 Hornets, who are two games back of the Bulls in the Eastern Conference standings Chicago is 10th at 31-35 and Charlotte 11th, with both teams chasing 32-35 Miami and all three teams chasing 32-33 Milwaukee, which currently owns the final playoff spot in the East.

Chicago: It doesn't get much worse than it was for the Bulls on Sunday, as they scored nine first-quarter points and had just 26 at the half. All Star Jimmy Butler (23.4-6.2-5.1) was limited to five points on 2-of-11 shooting, as Chicago was held under 100 points for the sixth straight time. Dwyane Wade (18.7-4.6-3.9) joined Butler with a poor performance of his own Sunday, as he was held to eight points and failed to hand out an assist for the first time since Nov. 5.

Charlotte: The Hornets know all about slumps, as they lost 12 of 13 from Jan. 23-Feb. 23. However, since a six-point overtime loss in Detroit, the Hornets are 5-4. Still, by going 6-16 in their last 22 games, the Hornets has dropped to 11th, two games behind Chicago and 3 1/2 behind Milwaukee. I'm not sure what to make of the Hornets, who opened 8-3 and looked like a solid playoff team early on. Walker (23.2-4.1-5.4) is an All Star and backcourt partner Batum (15.4-6.7-5.9) has produced excellent numbers. The team has excellent depth but the whole seems less than the sum of this team's parts.

The pick: The Bulls scored nine points in the first quarter on Sunday plus missed their first 12 shots and 19 of their first 22 attempts, all in front of a national television audience. That makes five straight losses (three by double-digits) and six straight games of failing to reach 100 points. It CAN'T get worse, right? The underachieving Hornets, who are on a 7-14-2 ATS run, may be just what the doctor ordered. Make Chicago a 10* play.

The set-up: The 41-25 Boston Celtics return home after a 2-3 road trip and have fallen behind the streaking Wizards (41-24), for the East's second-best record. They begin a favorable stretch of games Sunday, when they host the visiting Chicago Bulls, who are 31-34 on the season and currently in 10th-place in the East (one game back of the final playoff spot).

Chicago: The Bulls hung on to their best player, Jimmy Butler (23.7-6.2-5.2), at the trade deadline but moved Taj Gibson and Doug McDermott. Not that trading Butler was a good idea but I'm not sure how trading Gibson and McDermott was a plus. Dwyane Wade (18.9-4.6-3.9) returned from a thigh injury to score a team-high 21 points but his teammates combined to shoot 36.3 percent from the floor in Friday's 115-94 home loss to Houston. It marked Chicago's fourth loss in a row and the fifth consecutive game in which the Bulls have scored less than 100 points.

Boston: The Celtics suffered a dramatic at Phoenix (steal and three-pointer at buzzer by Ulis for the Suns) and an ugly 119-99 setback in Denver on Friday, just two nights after a 99-86 victory at Western Conference-leading Golden State. However, Boston will play 11 of its final 16 games at home and 12 of the last 16 against teams that entered the weekend with sub-.500 records. Thomas (29.3 & 6.1 APG) has led Boston all season but head coach Brad Stevens just indicated that Avery Bradley (16.9 & 6.3), who has been on a minutes restriction in the wake of a recent Achilles injury, is just about all the way back. The defensive stalwart has played a total of 59 minutes over the last two games. Bradley getting back to full strength is no small deal. Also, rookie forward Jaylen Brown (6.5 PPG) had 14 points off the bench in Denver and is averaging 11.6 - nearly twice his season average - while shooting 55.7 percent since returning from a hip injury in February.

The pick: The Bulls may rank 10th in the East but they are only two games out of sixth-place. Chicago's still very much alive but the team is 3-5 since moving Gibson (the team's starting power forward) and McDermott (the team's best three-point shooter). FYI...Chicago ranks last in the NBA in made three-pointers per game at 6.8. Chicago's woes continue here in Boston. Make the Celtics a 10* play.

The set-up: The 23-41 Philadelphia 76ers will be in LA to take on the 39-26 Clippers in an afternoon game at Staples Center. Injuries have again caught up with Philly (Simmons never got on the court this year and Embiid's season was limited to just 31 games) and the Sixers will again be lottery-bound. As for the Clippers, like Forrest Gump's favorite box of chocolates, "you never know what you are going to get." They look like NBA title contenders one night and a lottery team the next.

Philadelphia: Embiid was the presumptive rookie of the year before a knee injury ended his season but Dario Saric is stepping up to make his own run at the award. He had 28 points and nine rebounds in Thursday's 114-108 OT loss in Portland, his 214th straight game in double figures.However, the starting backcourt of T.J. McConnell and Nik Stauskas combined to go 0-of-14 from the floor in the loss (hard to believe Philly took the game into OT!). The loss was the third straight and sixth in seven games for the 76ers.

LA Clippers: The Clippers are two games behind the Jazz in the race for the No. 4 spot in the West and have a showdown with Utah looming Monday in Salt Lake City. Both Griffin (21.2-8.5-5.1) and Paul (17.4-5.1-9.4) have missed time this season but both are healthy now, so LA has no excuse not to make a late push. Then again, Blake Griffin had 14 points and 12 rebounds on Thursday, giving him just his first double-double in six games this month. Paul, who recently returned from a thumb injury recently, broke out with 20 points to lead the reserves on Thursday but that's after averaging 7.3 points in the previous four contests.

The pick: As noted, you are never quite sure which Clipper team will show up. Yes, the Clippers are healthy, but inconsistency has plagued them, as they are 4-5 SU & ATS since the All-Star break. Meanwhile, the 76ers are 10-3 ATS their last 13 games. Philadelphia is an 8* play.

The set-up: The 52-12 Golden State Warriors still own the NBA's best record but the team sure looks vulnerable as it heads to Minnesota for a game with the 26-37 Timberwolves. The Warriors turned from a five-game road trip after flying cross country from Atlanta and had their lowest-scoring game of the season on Wednesday, a 99-86 home loss to the Celtics in which they were outscored 27-12 in the fourth quarter. The Warriors now hit the road for two more games, tonight at Minnesota and Saturday at San Antonio, contests which could end up determining homecourt advantage in the Western Conference playoffs. Meanwhile, the Timberwolves are just hoping to make the playoffs as an 8-seed, which would mean a series against either Golden State or San Antonio in the first round. Minnesota currently sits 2 1/2 games behind the eighth-place Denver Nuggets, although Minnesota must first pass Dallas and Portland.

Golden State: The travel-weary Warriors are coming to the end of a 13-day stretch in which they will have played eight games. Are tired legs the reason that "Splash Brothers" Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson have combined to shoot just 25.4 percent from three-point range in the last six games. Head coach Steve Kerr acknowledged after Wednesday's game that his team was tired, and that the injury to Kevin Durant (knee) is causing the team to lengthen minutes of some of the other players. "We still have the No. 1 seed, but I won’t run guys ragged to get it," Kerr told reporters. "We have to manage this stretch right here and get through this week."

Minnesota: The Timberwolves are coming off an impressive 107-91 home win over the LA Clippers on Wednesday, the team's third victory in four games. Minnesota has held each of its last four opponents under 100 points, with the lone loss in that span coming in a 97-90 overtime setback at San Antonio. "I think we’re feeling like a team that’s playing with confidence," star center Karl-Anthony Towns told reporters. "I don’t know what a playoff team feels like, but my wild guess I think we right now are playing with the confidence, with the demeanor of a playoff team. We’ve got to continue to build. We can still be a playoff team." Towns (24.1 & 12.3) is having a terrific season and so is Wiggins (23.2 & 4.1). Throw in SG LaVine (18.9), power forward Dieng (10. & 8.0) and PG Rubio (9.2 & 8.7 APG), who has recorded double-digit assists in eight of the last 10 games, and most observers wonder how this team is 11 games under .500!

The pick: The Warriors had gone 146 regular season games without losing back-to-back contest when they lost at Chicago on March 2nd but now look to avoid back-to-back losses for the second time in a little more than a week. The T-wolves have won seven of their past 11 games and Tom Thibodeau's defensive approach is finally starting to take hold in his first season with the team. Minnesota has held its past four opponents -- Sacramento, Utah, San Antonio and Los Angeles -- under 100 points. That said, I'm not about to 'bury' the Warriors just yet, especially against the still-underachieving Timberwolves. Make Golden State a 10* play.

The set-up: The 38-26 LA Clippers own a two-game lead over the 36-28 Memphis Grizzlies in the West. The Clippers currently own the No. 5 seed and Memphis the No. 6 seed. Both teams are struggling as they get set to square off tonight in Memphis, with the Clippers having lost five of eight and the Grizzlies having lost five of seven.

LA Clippers: PG Chris Paul (17.3-5.1-9.4) returned to the court on Feb. 24 but the Clippers are just 3-4 since his return (they were 6-8 in the 14 games he missed). LA is coming off a bad loss at Minnesota, as the Clippers were out-rebounded 50-36 and outscored 62-40 in the paint, in a 107-91 loss. Paul had 10 assists but scored just seven points while being outplayed by counterpart Ricky Rubio (15 points & 12 assists). Sixth-man Jamal Crawford (12.3) had scored 44 points in his previous two games (both wins) but was 2 of 9 (0-3 on threes) with just seven points.

Memphis. The Grizzlies come in on a three-game slide, hitting 'rock bottom' the last time out in a 122-109 home loss to the Brooklyn Nets, the NBA's worst team. Memphis head coach David Fizdale shook up the starting lineup against the Nets by inserting guard Andrew Harrison and forward Brandan Wright in favor of standout defensive guard Tony Allen and forward JaMychal Green. It sure didn't work but Fizdale indicated he would give the lineup a couple of games to see how it fares because he feels the squad has been "a mediocre basketball team" since Jan. 1. "We're stale. Right now, we're 14-14 since January 1," Fizdale told reporters. Fizdale sure can't blame PG Mike Conley (20.1 & 6.2 APG), who is averaging 29 points over the last five games and has four 30-point outings in the past eight contests.

The pick: Neither team is playing well but the belief here is that Memphis almost HAS to rebound off that 'ugly' home loss to the Nets. Make Memphis a 10* play.

The pick: The Wizards are 22-6 over their last 28 games but this marks the second game (in a back-to-back situation) of a five-game road trip, one of two tough five-game trips in March. The Nuggets are playing for their playoff 'lives' (own the 8th spot but have a modest 1 1/2 game lead) and have won 10 of their past 13 home contests against the Wizards. Make Denver an 8* play.

The set-up: The 25-38 Sacramento Kings visit San Antonio to face the 49-13 Spurs. What's the likelihood that the Kings will stand in the way of San Antonio reaching the 50-win plateau for the 18th consecutive season? Here's hint. It's a rhetorical question. FYI...The Spurs have had just one losing season (20-62 in 1996-97) in 28 years, while over that same 28-year span, Sacramento has had just eight winning seasons, all in an eight-year run from 1998-99 to 2005-06.

The pick: The Spurs win tonight but it should not go unnoticed that while the Spurs have won four straight since K.D.'s injury, those four wins have come by one and two points plus in two OT games. The Spurs haven't come close to covering! Make Sacramento an 8* play.

The set-up: The 37-24 Washington Wizards have moved four games ahead of the Hawks in the Southeast Division and currently hold down the No. 3 seed in the East, plus are actually tied in the loss column with the second-seeded Celtics (Boston has played three more games than Washington, owning 40 wins to the Wizards' 37). The Wizards are in Phoenix tonight to take on the 21-42 Suns, who unlike the Lakers, seem to be 'sprinting to the finish line,' as opposed to 'tanking,' as long as we are "telling like it is!"

Washington: The Wizards were the NBA's hottest team entering the All Star break, winning 18 of 21 prior to the break. Washington lost its first two games coming out of the break but ha gone 3-1 since. The Wizards own a starting-five in which all players average in double digits. Guards Beal (22.9) and Wall (22.6-4.6-10.8) lead the way, while forwards Morris (14.6 & 6.7) and Porter (14.1 & 6.6) nicely complement center Gortat (11.7 & 11.2). However, reserve scoring was a major issue and Washington addressed that in acquiring Brooklyn's Bojan Bogdanovic, who was the leading scorer at the Rio Olympics. Bogdanovic exploded for 15 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter of Sunday's 115-114 win over the Magic and he's now averaging 15.5 PPG in his six games with Washington.

Phoenix: While Bogdanovic is the only real change for Washington, the changes in Phoenix have been dramatic. The Suns seemed to be "mailing it in" after trading away P.J. Tucker and benching veterans Tyson Chandler (8.4 & 11.4) and Brandon Knight (11.0) in favor of younger players. However, it's turned out that the exact opposite has come to pass. The younger players are stepping up and proving they belong. Rookie PG Tyler Ulis, whose recent uptick in playing time has come at the expense of Knight, scored a season-high 20 points on Sunday and buried the winning three-pointer at the buzzer after a steal. 6-7 power forward Alan Williams has posted a double-double in three straight and four of the last five contests (he's averaging 13.8 & 11.6 in that span). Then there is 6-11 rookie Marquese Chriss, who recorded a season-high five blocks on Sunday and has averaged 12.1 PPG his last seven.

The pick: The Wizards have an excellent backcourt but let's not dismiss the Suns' backcourt duo too quickly. Most NBA teams would love to send out guys like Bledsoe (21.2-4.9-6.4) and Booker (20.7) night-in and night-out. This game begins a brutal stretch for the Wizards, who have two five-game trips remaining. They also play five sets of back-to-backs in March, the first of which concludes tomorrow night at Denver. Meanwhile, the Suns have already beaten two Eastern clubs -- Charlotte and Boston -- on their current homestand and they are 13-9 against Eastern opponents on the season. Phoenix is an 8* play.

The set-up: The Pacers are 32-30 after Sunday's 97-96 win at Atlanta, leaving them with the No. 6 seed in the East. They travel to Charlotte tonight, to face a Hornets team which will be playing its first home game since Feb. 13, after going 3-4 on their longest trip of the season. Charlotte enters a stretch in which it will play nine of 12 at home. The Hornets are currently three games behind Detroit for the eighth and final playoff spot in the East.

Indiana: Paul George (21.7 & 6.1) is the Pacers' main man but the All Star forward had averaged only 14.3 PPG (on 28.6 percent shooting) in a six-game span before breaking out against the Hawks on Sunday. George was 12-for-19 from the floor, en route to 34 points, his best total since Dec. 28. PG Jeff Teague, in his return to Atlanta where he spent seven seasons, added 16 points and six assists. Teague (15.3 & 8.0 APG) and 6-11 center Center Myles Turner (15.4 & 7.1) have been Indianas top-two supporting players all season but Turner had a string of 22 straight double-digit scoring efforts snapped when he was held to a season low-tying five points in 30 minutes (also just five rebounds).

Charlotte: The Hornets' 112-102 win in Denver on Saturday, allowed them to return 3-4 (not 2-5) from their recent road trip. The win also came in the team's first game since losing red-hot center Frank Kaminsky III to a shoulder injury two nights earlier. Forward Johnny O'Bryant III stepped up with a career-high 15 points on 7-of-9 from the from, as he reportedly earned a second 10-day contract. "Johnny O'Bryant was great," head coach Steve Clifford told reporters. "It's a little bit difficult because he hasn't been here very long, but he hit a big shot and we were fairly organized when he was on the floor. He gave us a big lift."

The pick: The Hornets had lost 12 times in a span of 13 games (Jan. 23-Feb. 23), averaging only 101.7 PPG. However, in the last five games (3-2), the Hornets are averaging 108.8 PPG. Seven points per game more is nothing to sneeze about, as Indiana improved to 4-1 in games decided by three points or fewer with Sunday's win. Charlotte last won consecutive games Jan. 18-21 when it posted three straight home wins. Those wins gave the Hornets a 23-21 record, but since then Charlotte is 4-14 and returns home in 11th place and three games out of the final playoff spot. However, the Pacers are off a one-point win on Sunday, which was just the team's third in 11 games. More importantly, Indiana is only 11-20 SU on teh road this season and isn't getting nearly enough points to back them here playing on consecutive nights. Charlotte is an 8* play.

The set-up; The 31-30 Indiana Pacers have lost eight of 10 and currently own the No. 6 seed in the East but are just a half-game ahead of the Bulls and 1 1/2 up on the Pistons. They visit Atlanta this afternoon to take on the 34-27 Hawks, who have slipped to fifth in the East, three games ahead of the Pacers.

Indiana: There was talk around the trade deadline that the Pacers would move their best player, but Paul George (21.7 & 6.1) is still around. However, maybe all the distractions surrounding that talk has contributed to his slump, which has become very real. George is mired in a shooting slump that's lasted five games, as he's connecting on only 31.4 percent of his FG attempts while averaging just 13.6 points in that span, 8.1 points below his season average! Former Atlanta Hawks PG Jeff Teague will return to Philips Arena for the first time as a member of the Indiana Pacers on Sunday. The Hawks saw Teague as expendable and sent him to Indiana in a three-team deal that sent George Hill to Utah. Teague's had an very good season (15.3-4.2-8.1), joining George and the 6-11 Turner (15.5 & 7.2) as the 'heart' of this Indiana team in 2016-17.

Atlanta:The Hawks had snapped a three-game losing streak with wins over Boston and Dallas but were ripped for 135 points and an NBA single-game record 25 three-pointers in a five-point loss at home to the Cavs on Friday. The Hawks have been getting much improved play recently from Tim Hardaway Jr. (13.4) plus the pickup of veteran forward Ersan Ilyasova (9.8 & 5.0 in about 21 minutes over five games) has also been a plus. Atlanta also will probably have a new backup PG for the game. The Hawks were expected to sign veteran Jose Calderon to a free-agent deal, as he has obtained a buyout from the Lakers and has changed his mind about going to Golden State. Millsap (18.0 & 7.8) and Howard (13.4 & 12.8) have been steady all season up front and the Hawks were right about Schroder (17.4 & 6.3 APG), who has replaced Teague without missing a beat.

The pick: Atlanta has not done much at home this season, as the Hawks are is just slightly better at home (17-13) than they are on the road (17-14), something few teams can say (or want to say). It's hard to see George's shooting slump continuing much longer and I want the points. Indiana is a play.

The set-up: The 29-32 Detroit Pistons are still holding onto the No. 8 seed in the East but they are just 1 1/2 games up on both the Heat and Bucks. They will be in Philadelphia tonight to take on the 23-38 76ers, who recently announced that Joel Embiid's season is over and that the team's top draft pick, Ben Simmons (league's overall No. 1 pick), would also be held out until next season (Simmons has not played at all this season).

Detroit: The Pistons have been on a roller coaster as of late, following a 114-108 OT win against the Hornets bu scoring just 98 points in their next game, in a loss to the Celtics. The Pistons then scored 120 points (again in OT) in beating the Trail Blazers but once again 'crapped out' by scoring 86 points in a 23-point loss at New Orleans this past Wednesday. PG Reggie Jackson's (14.7 & 5.5 APG) struggles continued in the loss to New Orleans, as he was 4-of-16 overall in an eight-point effort. Backup Ish Smith (8.3 & 5.0 APG) also had eight points but in just 19 minutes off the bench. Head coach Stan Van Gundy has indicated he may give Smith the start over Jackson. "We haven't ruled it out -- I'm still thinking," Van Gundy said. "We've got to get better energy off the start of games." Smith started the first 21 games while Jackson was recovering from tendinitis in his left knee. He moved into a reserve role when Jackson returned, but outplayed Jackson in February. The Pistons have talent, as outside of Jackson and Smith, five other Detroit players average between 11.1 and 16.2 PPG.

Philadelphia: The 76ers have not only lost Embiid (20.2 & 7.8) for the season but they've traded Nerlens Noel and Ersan Ilyasova. Stepping up has been rookie Dario Saric (11.4 & 6.2), who has averaged 18 points and 10 rebounds a game since the All-Star break. His nine double-doubles match Embiid's total for the most among first-year players.Justin Anderson, a second-year forward who was acquired from Dallas as part of a deal that cost the Sixers center/forward Nerlens Noel, made his first seven shots en route to an 8-of-12 performance against the Knicks,matching a career high with 19 points. The 105-102 home win snapped Philadelphia's three-game slide.

The pick: The Pistons are a woeful 10-20 SU (11-119 ATS) on the road and all season have underachieved considering the team's talent (Van Gundy's fault?). Anyway, just why should they be laying points at Philly, where the 76ers are a money-making 23-9 ATS on the season? Philadelphia is a 10* play.

The set-up: The 35-26 Oklahoma City Thunder lost 114-109 last night in Portland and now visit the 19-42 Phoenix Suns, who scored 120 points last night at home in beating the Hornets by 17 points. The Thunder are battling the Jazz for first-place in the Northwest Division (OKC currently trails by two games), while the Suns are going head-to-head with the Lakers (also 19-42), to see which team finishes with the West's worst record (will the loser actually WIN in that race?).

Oklahoma City: Russell Westbrook (31.4-10.6-10.1) just may match the Big O's triple-double season of 196-62 but his 45-point effort Thursday wasn't enough as the Thunder suffered a 114-109 road loss at Portland. He's now scored 40-plus in seven of the past 15 games. However, for OKC to seriously threaten in the postseason, the Thunder will need more than Westbrook. The team's second-leading scorer, Victor Oladipo (16.1), will sit out his fifth consecutive game tonight with a back issue, which is NOT good news. Center Kanter (14.4 & 6.9) did not miss as much time as was feared and returned four games ago. He's averaged 17.7 & 9.3 the last three, which is great news. The 'wild card' for OKC's playoff hopes could be the Chicago duo of Gibson and McDermott, which OKC recently acquired. Gibson's averaged 10.0 & 4.5 and McDermott 8.8 & 4.5 in their four games.

Phoenix: The Suns ended a three-game slide by shooting a season-high 59.7 percent from the floor in Thursday's 120-103 victory over the Charlotte Hornets. Six different players scored 14 or more points in a well-balanced offensive effort that also featured a defensive charge that held the Hornets to 12 fourth-quarter points. Defense is not something we see often from the Suns, who allow 112.6 PPG, ranking 29 of 30 NBA teams. The youthful but very talented backcourt duo of Bledsoe (21.2-5.0-6.4) and Booker (20.8) remain the Suns' core but center Tyson (8.4 & 11.4) and Knight (11.0), who was the first guard off the bench for most of the season, have both been benched. Neither has played at all in the last four games and the standout recently has been the 6-7 Williams, who in just under 24 minutes per game, has averaged 15.0 points and 8.3 rebounds in these last four. Also, rookie power forward Marquese Chriss scored a team-best 17 points last night and has now reached double digits in four of the past five contests. Backup PG Tyler Ulis played 23 minutes last night, handing out a season-high eight assists wile scoring eight points.

The pick: The Suns are playing loose and while I like the additions of Gibson and McDermott, I've never been much on either Westebrook or OKC. The Thunder are a poor road team (12-18 SU), so why play them as a road favorite? Make Phoenix an 8* play.

The set-up: The 35-25 OKC Thunder are trying to catch the Utah Jazz in the Northwest and just beat the Jazz 109-106 Tuesday night at home, closing to within 1 1/2 games of Utah. They head to Portland tonight to take on the 24-35 Trail Blazers, who find themselves in a virtual three-way tie with the Kings and T-wolves (both are 25-36), 2 1/2 games back of the No. 8-seeded Denver Nuggets.

The pick: There was a time when opposing teams dreaded coming to Portland but no longer. The blazers are just 14-13 SU & 12-15 ATS at home this season. OKC is a 10* play.

The set-up: The 31-29 Indiana Pacers are in San Antonio Wednesday night to face the 45-13 Spurs. The Pacers limped into the All-Star break on a six-game losing skid but have won two of three since getting back on the court, beating the Grizzlies and Rockets. The Spurs are finally back home after the annual Rodeo Road Trip, during which they went 6-2. “It was a good trip,” San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich told reporters. “We had one bad night out of 11 or 12 days. I thought they maintained their focus really well, especially coming back off the break and playing the last couple of games. I thought we did a good job."

The pick: There's an advantage to being on the road for most of February (San Antonio's annual Rodeo Road Trip), as the Spurs will play 12 of their 17 games in March at home and 16 of their final 24 regular-season games will be contested at the AT&T Center. However, the Spurs are a modest 14-11 ATS at home this season and the Pacers should expect George to break out of his current slump, anytime. How about tonight? Make the Pacers an 8* play.

The set-up: The 24-36 Knicks are off back-to-back one-point games (a win and a loss) as they travel to Orlando to take on the 22-28 Magic. The Knicks have lost seven of nine overall, while the Magic have lost six of eight.

New York: Carmelo Anthony nailed a jumper with 0.3 seconds left in Saturday's 110-109 triumph over the Philadelphia 76ers but could not knock down an open three-pointer at the buzzer on Monday, as the Knicks dropped a 92-91 decision to the Toronto Raptors. It's been a uneasy time for Anthony (23.5 & 6.0) as of late and a season of frustration. However, but he is still playing heavy minutes (an average of 38.7 in three games since the All-Star break). The Knicks are promising they are not trying to lose and get a better draft position, something head coach Jeff Hornacek addressed before Monday's game.r New York is hoping Kristaps Porzingis (18.1 & 7.1), who has missed the last two games with an ankle injury, will return soon, taking some of the scoring burden off of 'Melo.

Orlando: Like New York, Orlando is not looking ahead to a playoff berth and signaled its intention to play small by trading away power forward Serge Ibaka for athletic wing Terrence Ross before the All-Star break. Ross, who is starting for Orlando after coming off the bench in Toronto, scored a team-high 24 points on 10-of-15 shooting in the team's 105-86 Saturday home win over the Hawks.

The pick: The Magic have played more energetic basketball since the All-Star break, while the Knicks are a woeful 9-20 SU on the road this year. At this price, this is an excellent spot for the home team. Make Orlando an 8* play.

The set-up: Washington had positioned itself for a run at Kevin Durant a few years ago, hoping he would look to "return home" as a free agent. It turns out, the Wizards never had a chance, as Durant spurned the Wizards and his former OKC coach (Scott Brooks) during his free-agency situation last July. Durant now returns to D.C. with the 50-9 Golden State Warriors to take on the 34-23 Washington Wizards on Tuesday night.

Golden State: Durant (left pinkie) returned from a one-game absence to score 27 points in Monday's 119-108 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers, a game in which Steph Curry shot 0 for 11 from three-point range."I forgot to adjust to the thickness of the air," Curry joked to reporters after the contest. "It happens but you have to find other ways to impact the game." It shows just how dominant this Warriors team is, as despite Curry's misfires, Golden St. won by double digits. The Warriors come to Washington having won 19 of their last 22 games. Golden St. ranks first in scoring (118.2 PPG) and in FG percentage (48.9%) plus third in three-point percentage (38.6). The Warriors allow 105.4 PPG ( to rank 13th but rank first in both opponents' FG (43.6) nd three-point (32.5) percentage!

Washington: Th Wizards won 18 of 21 games prior to the All-Star break but are 0-2 since play resumed. They lost 120-112 at Philly on Friday and then had a streak of 23 consecutive games of 100 or more points halted by Utah, when the Jazz beat them 102-95 in Washington on Sunday. The loss to the Jazz was only the team's second in its last 21 home games. Washington owns a terrific starting-five (all five average in double figures), led by guards Wall (22.9-4.5-10.7) and Beal (22.6), but needs more production off the bench. The team is hoping the addition of Bogdanovic, who averaged 14.2 PPG in 55 games for the Nets, will add that needed bench scoring.

The pick: Bogdanovic has averaged a modest 8.5 PPG in his two games with Washington but he is a proven scorer (it will take time). However, after a great run heading into the break, all of a sudden the Wizards need to beat the NBA's best team in order to avoid their first three-game losing streak since Nov. 11-16, when they fell to 2-8. I don't like their chances, as the Warriors have won six consecutive visits to Washington and have won 10 of their last 11 overall meetings with the Wizards. What's more, the Wizards are catching Curry off that 0 for 11 three-point performance last night. The last time he shoot so poorly was when he missed all 10 three-point attempts against the LA Lakers back on Nov. 4 and then set an NBA record with 13 three-pointers against the New Orleans Pelicans in Golden State's next game. In Golden State's win at Washington last year, he had 51 points and 11 three-pointers. OUCH! Golden St. is a 10* play.

The set-up: The 35-24 Toronto Raptors opened February 2-5 but have put together three straight wins (over Charlotte, Boston and Portland) as they head to Madison Square Garden tonight, to take on the 24-35 NY Knicks. The Knicks are coming off a 110-109 win over Philadelphia on Saturday, when Anthony bailed them out with a game-winning jumper with under one second to go, after the Knicks had blown a double digit lead.

Toronto: The Raptors have won the last two of their three-game winning streak without the services of PG Kyle Lowry (22.8 & 6.9 APG), who has a sore wrist. All-Star guard DeMar DeRozan (27.7) has totaled of 76 points in those two games, while newly acquired forward Serge Ibaka has fit right in by averaging 16.5 and 8.5 rebounds in his first two contests with the team. DeRozan ws quicjk to add that there is little doubt that the defensive presence of Serge Ibaka and P.J. Tucker is making a difference. "I think it's obvious," he said in his postgame on-court interview with Sportsnet after Sunday's 112-106 win over the Trail Blazers. "What P.J. brings and what Serge brings, it makes a big difference."

New York: 'Melo is hitting on all cylinders lately, averaging 28.4 points over his last seven games to push his season mark to 23.5 PPG (adds 6.0 RPG). However, the Knicks could be without second-leading scorer Kristaps Porzingis (18.1 & 7.1) for a second straight game, as he sat out the Philly win with an ankle injury. Despite all of New York's woes, the Knicks are still just four games out of a playoff spot. Derrick Rose, who like Anthony had trade rumors surrounding his name, has shot 53.4 percent over his last six games and is averaging 17.6 PPG and 4.4 APG on the season.

The pick: Toronto is on a five-game winning streak against the Knicks, with four of those wins coming by double digits, but it's my belief that with the trade deadline passed, the Knicks will be a 'tough out' down the stretch, especially at MSG. Make the Knicks a 10* play.

The set-up: The 18-40 Phoenix Suns come off a 128-121 OT loss Friday at Chicago and continue to own the West's worst overall record (Lakers barely edge them out at 19-30). As for the 25-31 Milwaukee Bucks, they entered the All Star break on a three-game winning streak but saw that end Friday at home against the Jazz, falling 109-95

Phoenix; The Suns allowed 108 points in regulation to Chicago (a whopping 128 for the entire game) and only the woeful Nets allow more points game in and game out than Phoenix (112.7 PPG ranks 29th). The Suns own a terrific backcourt duo in PG Bledsoe (21.5-5.0-6.3) and Booker (21.2) plus the first guard off the bench is Brandon Knight (11.0), who was once a solid starter in this league. The 20-year-old Booker scored 27 points vs. the Bulls and has now scored 20 or more in 21 of his last 23 games but Knight was held out of Friday's game to give Tyler Ulis (3.2) more minutes. Ulis is auditioning to be the team’s backup PG and had six points to go along with four assists in 13 minutes. Center Tyson Chandler (8.4 & 11.4) also sat out to give Alex Len (7.5 & 6.4) extra time but the ex-Maryland player struggled in scoring four points and and grabbing seven rebounds in 35 minutes.

Milwaukee: The Bucks took a huge hit when Jabari Parker (20.1 & 6.1) was lost for up to 12 months right before the All Star break with a torn ACL. Milwaukee is not out of the postseason discussion just yet, sitting two games back of No. 8 Detroit, although the red-hot Heat are a half-game in front of them, as well. However, Milwaukee badly needs to find some consistent scoring help from players other than Giannis Antetokounmpo (23.5-8.7-5.4), who is a true All Star. Michael Beasley (9.5 & 3.6) has come through by averaging 19.7 PPG in Milwaukee's last three contests but Greg Monroe (11.5 & 6.8) has been a season-long underachiever and Khris Middleton, last year's leading scorer at 18.2 PPG, has just returned to the court to average a modest 10.2 PPG in five games (hamstring injury had kept him all season).

The pick: With all the Suns' problems, it's hard to trust Milwaukee as any kind of a favorite when only Antetokounmpo can be counted on to produce regularly. Yes, the Bucks won easily in Phoenix earlier this season (137-112) but the Suns have won 14 of the last 21 games against Bucks. Take the points and make Phoenix a 10* play.

The set-up: The Anthony Davis-DeMarcus Cousins era opened with a thud, as the two stars combined for 56 points and 23 rebounds in their first game together, yet the 23-35 New Orleans Pelicans lost by 30 points in Thursday's home game with the Rockets. Adding insult to injury, the Rockets toyed with the Pelicans despite James Harden scoring just 13 points on 3 of 9shooting. The Pelicans look to regroup Saturday night in Dallas, where they will take on the 22-35 Mavericks.

New Orleans: No one was predicting the Pelicans were ready to challenge the Warriors after they traded for Cousins but Thursday's result represented a cold reminder of just how much work New Orleans has in front of themselves. Cousins put it best. "For some reason, I guess people expected a championship," he told reporters afterward. "I know the reality of it. We've had one practice and a shootaround. This isn't something that is just going to happen overnight. Do we look good on paper? Yes. But being good on paper doesn't win games."

Dallas: The Mavs returned frrom the break last night and lost 97-84 at Minnesota, their third straight loss and fifth in seven games. Dallas acquired center Nerlens Noel from the Philadelphia 76ers prior to Thursday's trading deadline and the expectation is that he will be available for Saturday's contest. The Mavericks expect Noel to be the starting center in the very near future, which would allow veteran Dirk Nowitzki to move back to his natural position of power forward. We'll see. To be sure, the 22 year-old Noel adds to a young nucleus that includes Harrison Barnes (24), Seth Curry (26) and rookie sensation Yogi Ferrell (23).

The pick: New Orleans gave up three guards (Buddy Hield, Tyreke Evans and Langston Galloway) in the deal for Cousins and the lack of backcourt players contributed to 20 turnovers against the Rockets. Expect things to improve greatly in this one. New Orleans won 111-104 win over the Mavericks back on Dec. 26 and I expect the first "W" of the Davis-Cousins era to come tonight. New Orleans is an 8* play.

The set-up: The 32-25 Atlanta Hawks have fallen 2 1/2 games back of the surging Washington Wizards in the Southeast and currently own the No. 5 seed in the East. They lost for the third time in four games Friday, shooting just 38 percent in a 108-90 home loss to the Heat. The 21-38 Orlando Magic were quiet on trade deadline day and continued their free fall that night by coughing up a lead in Thursday’s 112-103 home loss against Portland, their sixth loss in seven games.

Atlanta: Dennis Schroder (17.5 & 6.3 APG) has replaced the traded Jeff Teague at PG without missing a beat but was suspended one game for being late in returning back from the break. He should be back in the lineup tonight, joining PF Millsap (18.0 & 7.8) and center Howard (13.4 & 12.8). Glenn Robinson Jr. (13.0) has really come on lately plus the Hawks added Ersan Ilyasova in a trade with the 76ers. He scored nine points in 16 minutes last night but has averaged 14.2 & 5.8 on the season and will help this team down the stretch.

Orlando: The Magic traded Serge Ibaka to the Toronto Raptors for Terrence Ross but that surely didn't improve a team which is going nowhere, fast. Swingman Evan Fournier leads the team ins coring at 16.8 PPG and center Nikola Vucevic (14.1 & 10.0) is a solid player but the Magic's home record speaks for itself. Orlando is 9-19 SU in Amway Arena and 7-20-1 ATS.

The pick: Schroder gets back in the lineup and the Hawks cruise past Orlando, just kike they have in two earlier meetings, winning 131-120 and 111-92. Atlanta is an 8* play.

incorrectly entered play....NOT a play!

The set-up: The 34-21 Washington Wizards opened the season 2-8 but slowly got things turned around. They then 'sprinted' to the All Star break on an 18-3 run, taking over the top spot in the Southeast Division and climbing to the East's No. 3 seed, just two back of the Celtics. Washington gets back on te heourt tonight in Philadelphia against the 21-35 76ers. Philly's record may not look very good but when one considers this team won just TEN times all of last season, it's been quite a turnaround for this franchise.

Washington: The Wizards own a terrific starting-five, led by guards Wall (22.8-4.6-10.6) and Beal (22.2). Up front, center Gortat (11.9 & 11.4) is surrounded by forwards Morris (14.9 & 6.8) and Porter (14.6 & 6.7). However, an anemic bench has been the team's Achilles heel. Washington surely helped themselves on Wednesday, acquiring veteran shooting guard Bojan Bogdanovic (14.2 PPG) from the Brooklyn Nets to spread the floor and give the bench a proven scorer. "Bojan is a very good shooter and a talented overall scorer whose versatility gives us an added dimension as we gear up for the stretch run," Washington president Ernie Grunfeld said in a statement. "He is a proven starter that will provide us an added boost off the bench and allow us to be creative with our lineups."

 Philadelphia: Center Jahlil Okafor (11.4 & 4.8) seemed to be rumored to be going to a different team every day over the last few weeks but in the end remained in a 76ers uniform while fellow center Nerlens Noel (8.9 & 5.0 in just under 20 minutes) was sent to Dallas in exchange for center Andrew Bogut, who is expected to be waived. The 76ers also sent PF Ersan Ilyasova (14.8 & 5.9) to Atlanta in an effort to open up minutes for promising rookie Dario Saric, who will likely move into the starting lineup in the spot vacated by Ilyasova. Saric has averaged 10.8 & 5.9 in just over 24 minutes.

The pick: Of course, rookie center Joel Embiid (20.2 & 7.8) has been the key to the team's turnaround but he sat out the last 11 games with a knee injury. He made it through a full practice on Wednesday but has yet to be cleared and likely will sit out the next two contests. However, the 76ers closed the first half of the season going 3-2 SU and 5-0 ATS heading into the break, all without Embiid. Note that Saric averaged 20.6 points on 52.6 percent shooting in those last five games, giving a window into why the 76ers moved Ilyasova. Love the way Washington is playing and picking up Bogdanovic is "just what the doctor ordered" but the 76ers are a money-making 20-9 ATS at home. Philly is a 10* play.

The set-up: The 24-33 Sacramento Kings begin life without DeMarcus Cousins when they return from the All Star break to host the 25-31 Denver Nuggets. Cousins was traded to New Orleans with the Kings getting Buddy Hield (sixth overall pick of the 2016 draft) and Tyreke Evans (played his first four NBA seasons in Sacramento), Langston Galloway and a 2017 first-round draft pick.

Denver: The Nuggets currently hold down the eighth and final Western Conference playoff spot but five teams return from the break within 3 1/2 games of Denver, including the Kings and Pelicans. Injuries have left Denver shorthanded during parts of (most of?) February but the Nuggets were on an 11-8 run heading into the break and just may be getting healthy. Leading scorer Danilo Gallinari (17.2 points, groin injury), fellow forward Kenneth Faried (ankle) and point guard Emmanuel Mudiay (back) may return after missing the final four games before the break plus forward Wilson Chandler (illness) also should be back. Faried averages 9.9 & 8.0, Mudiay 11.8-3.5-4.2 and Chandler 15.6 & 6.7. 6-10 center Jokic (16.3 & 8.9) is quickly becoming the team's MVP, as he averaged 23.4 & 14.4 in the five games prior to the break. Speaking of the All Star break, second-year player Jamal Murray (8.9) scored 236points in the Rising Stars Challenge to earn MVP honors.

Sacramento: The Kings can't replace Cousins' 27.8 points and 10.7 rebounds per game but they won't miss his NBA-leading 17 technical fouls. Rudy Gay (18.7) has been lost for the season so that means PG Darren Collison leads Sacramento in scoring (13.7 PPG) and center Kosta Koufos is its leading rebounder (5.4 RPG). Cauley-Stein (5.8 & 2.7 in about 13 MPG) figures to get a heavy share of the 34 minutes per game Cousins averaged and Sacramento GM Vlade Divac has always loved Buddy Hield saying, "His work ethic is exactly what we want here."

The pick: The Kings had won four straight before getting blasted 109-86 by the Warriors to close the first half and also own four straight wins over the Nuggets.The Nuggets are 10-18 SU on the road and now they come in at about a 'TD' favorite on the road?? I think not. Make Sacramento a 10* play.

The set-up: The NBA's All Star weekend concludes with tonight's East vs. West All Star game from New Orleans. Brad Stevens (East) and Steve Kerr (West) are the coaches but as they noted, coaching is not an integral part of this game (exhibition?). Kerr will have the unique opportunity to put four of his players on the court at the same time, PG Curry, SG Thompson plus forwards Durant and Green. However, as most likely know, the 'drama' will be not if Kerr chooses to play his four Warriors at the same time but whether Kerr will put OKC's Russell Westbrook on the court with Durant. I think all know the history.

The pick: The West won 196-173 last year and 163-158 the year before, as Westbrook walked away with MVP honors both times. In a game loaded with stars, the West stars will shine brighter again tonight and maybe Russell will once again walk away with that 'cherished' MVP trophy. The West is an 8* play.

The set-up: Two All Stars square off Thursday night as Isaiah Thomas (29.9 & 6.3 APG) leads the 37-19 Boston Celtics into Chicago to take on Jimmy Butler (24.4-6.3-4.9) and the 27-29 Bulls. Boston's PG looks to record a team-record 41st consecutive 20-point performance, as last night he scored 33 points in a 116-108 home win over Philly to match John Havlicek's franchise mark of 40 set back in 1971-72. Chicago swingman Butler, who had missed four of five games, scored 19 points and matched his season best of 12 assists in Tuesday's 105-94 victory over Toronto. Adding a little more suspense to the mix, the Celtics have been linked to Butler in trade speculation.

Boston: Thomas' backcourt partner Avery Bradley (17.7 & 6.9) has been sidelined by an Achilles problem, missing 19 of Boston's last 20 games. He's out again tonight but led by Thomas' superb play, Boston has won 14 of the 19 games Bradley has missed, with the Celtics surging to a 4 1/2-game lead over Toronto in the Atlantic Division plus currently own the East's No. 2 seed, just 2 1/2 games back of the Cavs. Thomas has topped 25 points in 10 consecutive contests (averaging 33.9 PPG during that span) and has scored 35 or more on 14 occasions this season. After some early season injury issues, center Horford (14.8-6.7-5.0) and SF Crowder (14.0 & 5.7) have settled in to deliver Boston consistent efforts in support of Thomas' outstanding play.

Chicago: The Bulls shook things up after missing last year's playoffs with Rose and Noah going to the Knicks and Gasol to the Spurs. However, the "new-look" Bulls (Wade and Rondo were the big additions) are sub-.500 and while they currently own the East's 7th-seed, they are uncomfortably only 1 1/2 games inside the playoff 'cut line.' Wade has averaged 19.1-5.2-3.8 and Rondo a very disappointing 6.6-5.2-6.5. Wade's wrist has kept him out of the last two games (three of the last four) and his availability for tonight's contest will be determined after Thursday's shootaround. Forward Nikola Mirotic (9.0 & 5.1) also has missed the last two contests with a back issue and appears unlikely to play on Thursday.

The pick: The Bulls are barely hanging onto one of the last two playoff spots in the East plus find themselves surrounded by trade rumors involving not just Butler (the team's lone All Star) but power forward Taj Gibson and center Robin Lopez, as well. Meanwhile, the Celtics have won four straight and 11 of their last 12 games. Boston is a 10* play.

The set-up: The 32-23 Toronto Raptors head to Chicago having lost 10 of their last 14 games. Meanwhile, the Bulls return home off a 2-4 road trip in which they lost the final three games by an average of 25.7 PPG. The final loss of that trip, 117-89 at Minnesota on Sunday, leaves them at 26-29 and with the East No. 7 seed. However, the Bulls are just 1 1/2 games inside the playoff 'cut line!'

Toronto: The Raptors were last in action on Sunday and hadn't played since the previous Wednesday, the team's first three-day break of the season. Toronto seemingly had its game with the Pistons in hand but somehow let a 16-point fourth-quarter lead disappear in a 102-101 loss. It wasn't all that long ago that Toronto was putting pressure on the Cleveland Cavaliers atop the East but the team's recent slump has seen them fall four games behind the Celtics in the Atlantic Division and currently, the Raptors hold the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference. "We can (get back to our previous form) but it has to be quick," All-Star shooting guard DeMar DeRozan told reporters. "Like I said, 27 more games and that's going to fly by. We haven't got much time. When it comes to practice time, we have to be able to take things on the go and run with it." DeRozan is averaging 27.9 PPG on the season and 29.0 PPG in three games since returning from an ankle injury but missed the potential game-winning jumper in the final seconds on Sunday. His backcourt partner Lowry (22.8-4.7-7.0), is in another one of his shooting slumps, connecting of just 35.5% from the floor the past five games.

Chicago: When the Bulls lost Sunday at Minnesota, they played without Jimmy Butler, Dwyane Wade, Paul Zipser and Nikola Mirotic. Wade (wrist) and Zipser (ankle) are questionable to return for Tuesday's game, Butler (heel and head contusion) will be evaluated after Tuesday morning's team shootaround and Mirotic continues to deal with back spasms. Jimmy Butler (24.5-6.4-4.9) has sat out four of the last five games coach Fred Hoiberg told reporters after Sunday's loss that he isn't certain if shutting Butler down for games this week against the Raptors and Boston Celtics is the solution.Future Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade (19.1 & 4.5) missed two of the last three and role players Nikola Mirotic (9.0 & 5.1) and Paul Zipser (4.1 & 2.3) are day-to-day as well.

The pick: Chicago looks like a M*A*S*H unit but here's the rub. The Raptors seem to have lost all confidence and here, as a fairly sizeable road favorite, will be looking to snap a 10-game losing streak to the Bulls. Maybe they will break that streak but I'll make the home dog an 8* play.

The pick: The 76ers roll into Charlotte off back-to-back wins but without their best player and with trade rumors swirling. As for the Hornets, despite the team's poor play in 2017, a playoff spot is still there for the taking. The 76ers won 102-93 over the Hornets back on Jan. 13 in Philly but that victory snapped a six-game losing streak for t Shes in this series. Hornets repay the favor here at home. Charlotte is a 10* play.

The set-up: The 25-29 Detroit Pistons are in Canada tonight to take on the 32-22 Toronto Raptors. The Pistons are off a 103-92 Friday home loss to the Spurs, after having started to trend in the right direction with four wins in the team's previous five games. In contrast, not much has gone right for the Raptors, who enter this contest off a 112-109 Wednesday loss at Minnesota, the team's ninth in its last 13 games.

Detroit: Despite the loss to the Spurs, the Pistons are back to playing well at home with seven wins in their last nine contests at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Center Andre Drummond (14.7 & 13.8) posted his 35th double-double of season in Friday's loss and is surrounded up front by the trio of Harris (16.4 & 5.1), Morris (14.2 & 4.5) and Leuer (11.1& 5.6). Harris is the team's leading scorer but recently, Van Gundy has been starting Leuer. The starting backcourt is PG Jackson (15.5 & 5.6 APG) and SG Caldwell-Pope (14.1), with Ish Smith (8.4 & 4.9 APG) coming off the bench. Despite some recent problems, the Pistons still rank 5th in points allowed (101.5 per) but note that Detroit ranks 20th in opponents' FG percentage (45.9%)

Toronto: The Raptors made it to the Eastern Conference Finals last season and were tied at 2-all with the Cavs but then got blown out in Games 5 & 6. They opened this season 22-8 (thru Dec. 26) but have since been a sub-.500 team, falling behind both Boston and Washington into the 4th-seed in the East. The backcourt of DeRozan (27.9 & 5.3) and Lowry (23.0-4.7-7.0) can be deadly but DeRozan has had nagging injuries and Lowry is capable of going into prolonged shooting slumps. Other than center Valanciunas (12.3 & 9.9), steady contributions by the remaining roster have been few and far between.

The pick: The Pistons' starters were outscored 82-54 and outrebounded 39-27 by Spurs' and you know that's bad news with Detroit's lack of depth. Yes, Detroit has six double digit scorers plus Smith just misses, but the Pistons rank only 24th in points scored (101.5 PPG) and that's not good enough against the Raptors, who rank 5th at 109.2 PPG. Toronto averages 112.7 PPG at home, while the Pistons are just 9-18 SU and 10-17 ATS on the road this season. A key component to this YUGE play on the Raptors is that Toronto has been off since Wednesday, the team's first three-day break of the season. 10* on Toronto.

The pick: The Heat just keep winning but as noted above, they also are dealing with a number of key injuries. The 76ers were off last night while the Heat travel from Brooklyn, setting up a very live home dog. Make Philly a 10* play.

The set-up: The 40-12 San Antonio Spurs are in the midst of their annual annual "Rodeo Road Trip," which this year takes them on an eight-game trek. They lost at Memphis on Monday on the first leg of the journey, then bounced back with a 111-103 victory at Philadelphia on Wednesday. The 25-28 Detroit Pistons come in off lopsided home wins over the 76ers and the Lakers but will not be able to get away with making just 9 of 38  or 23.7% of their triples (as they did in those two wins) against the Spurs and expect to win.

San Antonio: SF Kawhi Leonard (25.5 & 5.9) sat out the Spurs' loss at Memphis due to a quadriceps injury but returned at Philadelphia to score 32 points. He has now scored in double digits in 81 consecutive games, the longest streak by a San Antonio player since Tim Duncan had a 91-game stretch over 2002-03." Leonard stands out as the team's best player these days, although PF Aldridge (17.4 & 7.9) is a solid No. 2. Then there is that San Antonio depth, with seven players chipping in between 6.5 and 11.7 PPG. It must be noted that Gasol (11.7 & 7.9) is the biggest contributor of that group and is currently sidelined after undergoing surgery to fix the fourth metacarpal in his left hand. He hasn't played since Jan. 17 (is expected to be back in late-Feb.) but the team is 8-3 in the 11 games he's missed. As expected, the 7-0 Dedmon is getting more time and in three of his last four games (averaging 25 minutes per in those contests), he's topped double digits in rebounds.

Detroit: The Pistons are back to playing well at home, with seven wins in their last eight contests at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Center Andre Drummond (14.8 & 13.8) posted his 34th double-double of season in Wednesday's win over the Lakers with 24 points, 17 rebounds, four blocked shots and three steals. Harris (16.4 & 5.1) and Morris (14.2 & 4.5) start in the frontcourt with Drummond, while PG Jackson (15.6 & 5.6 APG) and Pope (14.2) are the starting guards. The 6-10 Leuer (11.1 & 5.7( is a part-time starter and makes it six double digit scorers for Detroit, plus backup PG Ish Smith (8.2 & 5.0 APG) is a quality contributor.

The pick: Despite some recent problems, the Pistons still rank 5th in points allowed (101.9 per) but they are not quite in San Antonio's class, as the Spurs allow 98.8 PPG (2nd) on 44.2% shooting (4th). Note that Detroit ranks 20th in opponents' FG percentage. The Spurs are 21-6 SU on the road this year and have won four straight in the series, including 109-99 and 104-87 wins in their last two visits to Detroit. Make San Antonio a 10* play.

complete analysis soon

The pick: The Clippers are struggling but it's hard to make the case the Knicks even care.The Clippers have won their last eight meetings with the Knicks, including four straight here in MSG. What changes tonight? Nothing. Make LA a 10* play.

The set-up: The 22-30 Portland Trail Blazers will be in Dallas tonight to take on the 20-31 Dallas Mavericks. Both teams are chasing Denver, which at 23-28, currently owns the eighth and final playoff spot in the West.

Dallas: The Mavs lost 110-87 last night in Denver but had won four straight and six of seven, prior to that. Recently, the insertion of PG Yogi Ferrell, an undrafted FA signed to a 10-day contract, into the starting lineup has sparked Dallas. Monday's game was Ferrell's fifth consecutive start (team is 4-1), as starting PG Deron Williams is out with a toe sprain. He had 15 points and five assists against the Nuggets and is averaging 17.2 PPG and 5.0 APG since joining Dallas. Ferrell had 32 points and nine three-pointers in Dallas' 108-104 victory in Portland on Friday. The owrd is that the Mavericks plan to sign him to a two-year contract.

The pick: The Mavs are playing better ball than the Blazers recently (have won nine of 13) but are playing on back-to-back nights while the Blazers are looking for a some "instant revenge" from their Friday home loss to this team. I'm taking the points and making Portland a 10* play.

The pick: The bad news for Indiana is that the Pacers are just 3-7 in the second night of back-to-back games but the good news is that they have won their last two such games and OKC comes in 3-7 in the second half of back-to-back sets. I had taking OKC over Portland on Sunday and note that the are now 14-2 SU at home vs. Western Conference foes but they are just 11-9 in all venues against East teams so far this season. As for the Pacers, they are 19-6 SU at home and the price is right here to make Indiana a 10* play.

The pick: Defense has not been an OKC strength this season but they held to Grizzlies to just one basket in the final 3 1/2 minutes of Friday's game, turning a three-point deficit into a 12-point win by closing on a 15-0 run! Friday's win ended a three-game slide for OKC and the Thunder get a Portland team here playing its first road contest since Jan. 21.  Portland is just 7-15 against winning opponents and will likely want to get this game out of the way quickly, to watch the Super Bowl. Make OKC a 10* play.

The set-up: The 23-27 Charlotte Hornets wrap up a three-game road trip tonight in Salt Lake City, taking on the 31-19 Utah Jazz. The Hornets have dropped the first two games of their trip (at Portland and Golden State) and hope to snap a six-game overall slide. For the Jazz, they are looking to wrap up a four-game homestand at 3-1, after beating the Bucks 104-88 on Wednesday.

The pick: The Jazz have made a real name for themselves this season but along with that comes 'heavier' prices. The Hornets own an outstanding backcourt duo in Walker (22.9 & 5.5 APG) and Batum (14.9-7.3-6.0 plus own a host of credible role players. The Hornets are still "right in" the battle for that final playoff spot in the East. Take the points and make Charlotte a 10* play.

The pick: While LaVine has struggled lately for Minnesota, the other two members of the team's "Big 3" have have had no such problems. Center Towns (23.0 & 11.9) and SF Wiggins (22.1 & 4.2) are the envy of most teams. However, Towns has not beaten the Pistons in his short NBA career in large part because Pistons center Andre Drummond has won the matchup of the talented young big men. The Pistons have defeated Minnesota in their last three meetings with Drummond averaging 22 points and 17 rebounds, while Towns has posted averages of 18 points and 9.3 rebounds in those games. I expect that to change here and will make Minnesota an 8* play.

The pick: Here's the bottom line. The Clippers haven't defeated the Warriors since recording a 100-86 decision back on Christmas Day in 2014. Since then, it's been nothing but misery for them, as the Warriors own eight straight wins over the Clippers, including the past four meetings at Staples. Golden State has an average margin of victory of more than 13 points in the past eight contests against the Clippers, averaging 117.5 PPG and shooting 49.9 percent during that stretch. Golden State rolled to a 144-98 romp at Oracle Arena in the teams' most recent meeting, this past Saturday. The Warriors shot 62 percent from the floor and made 17 three-pointers, with Curry scoring 43 points (in three quarters!). It was the most points allowed by the Clippers this season. The Warriors have won 11 of their last 12 contests overall and they are 8-1 against division opponents this season. Make Golden State an 8* play.

The pick: The Spurs and Thunder will meet for the first time this season, with the last "get together" being when the teams faced off in the 2016 playoffs, where the Thunder beat the Spurs twice in San Antonio to capture that Western Conference semifinal series (of course, KD was on OKC then!). However, it's hard to ignore that after matching the league record with a 40-1 SU home mark last season,  the Spurs are "just" 16-6 SU at home this season, going 12-10 ATS. Take the points and make OKC a 10* play.

The set-up: The 28-21 Memphis Grizzlies will make the third stop on their current six-game road trip Monday night in Phoenix, to face the 15-32 Suns. Memphis will try to make it back-to-back triumphs in tonight's game, something it has done just once this month. the Grizzlies haven't won as many as three in a row since a six-game winning streak to open December. The Suns come the losers of three in a row, as defensed continue sto be an issue. The Suns rank 29th in points allowed (112.0 PPG) and have not held an opponent under 100 points in any of their last 10 contests.

Memphis: The Grizzlies could not stop Damian Lillard in the fourth quarter of a 112-109 loss at Portland (Friday) to begin the trip but were able to win 102-95 in Utah on Saturday, aaginst the up-and-coming Jazz. PF Zach Randolph (14.1 & 8.4) has a season-high 28 points and added nine rebounds. "He was really disappointed with the loss the night before," Grizzlies head coach David Fizdale told reporters of Randolph. "He really wanted that game in Portland. I saw it on his face after the game and the things he said after the game. He was really upset. I expected him to come out and play really well (Saturday)." Randolph, center Marc Gasol (20.8 & 6.1) and PG Mike Conley (18.7-3.8-6.2) combined to score 69 points on 28-of-46 shooting in the win at Utah. "We really did a good job of moving the basketball tonight," Conley told reporters. "Really playing off one another, especially when one guy has it going. We didn’t go away from that. (Randolph) had so many opportunities down low early and just kept trying to exploit that as long as we could, and when they took that away we went to Marc and when they took that away we went to me. We were just trying to go down the line and find different areas to try and attack them."

Phoenix: PG Bledsoe (21.4-5.0-6.3) scored a career-high 41 points on Saturday against Denver (besting his previous best of 40 set six days earlier) and is averaging 31.8 points in the last four contests. His backcourt mate, second-year Devin Booker (20.8) of Kentucky, is thriving on the offensive end as well and added points. He has now scored at least 20 points in each of his last 12 contests, averaging 26.7 PPG in that span. Let's also not forget center Tyson Chandler, who earlier this month broke the Phoenix franchise record with seven consecutive games with 15 or more rebounds. His current average (12.2) is his highest in 10 years and is well above the full-season record for a 16th-year NBA player. That mark is held by Moses Malone at 10.0 per game.

The pick: One has to love the guard combo of Bledsoe and Booker plus Chandler's numbers speak for themselves but "oh those defensive woes." Phoenix surrendered an average of 125.0 PPG in back-to-back losses to the Denver Nuggets in the team's last two games, Thursday in Denver and back at home on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Grizzlies rank 3rd in the NBA in points allowed ((99.6), opponents' FG percentage (43.7) and opponents' three-point shooting (34.1). Make Memphis an 8* play.

Philadelphia: The 76ers won 10 of 13 games from Dec. 30 through Jan. 25 but lost 123-118 at home to teh Rockets and Sunday lost 121-108 in Chicago, the team's 12th straight defeat against the Bulls. Joel Embiid (knee) has missed four of the last five games, including not even making the trip to Chicago. However, the 76ers hope to have their star center back in the lineup when then they host the Kings. Embiid leads the team in scoring (20.2), rebounding (7.8) and blocked shots (2.45). Sixers backup center Jahlil Okafor (11.2 & 4.8) dressed but did not play Sunday against Chicago. He has been held out of 10 of the last 14 games, most recently because of a sore right knee. However, all five starters for Philadelphia scored at least 12 points in Sunday's loss, led by Ersan Ilyasova's 31. He's averaging 15.5 & 6.1 on the season. PG McConnell (5.6 & 6.0 APG) continued his impressive play with12 assists, giving him an average of 10.8 over the past five games.

The pick: The insertion of McConnell into the starting lineup at PG back on Dec. 30 is what has sparked Philly's recent run. Yes, the 7ers have lost back-to-back games but this is the Kings' seventh game in 11 nights. Make Philly a 10* play.

The pick: Curry showed no ill effects of a quad injury by piling up 43 points in just three quarters of action in last night's rout of the Clippers.The 144-point total is the second-highest of the season for Golden State. The Warriors have won the first three meetings this season against Portland and five straight overall, by an average of 25.3 points. The Warriors were able to rest their starters down the stretch in last night's rout of Clippers, so what changes here? Nothing. The Warriors are a 10* play.

The pick: Obviously, I'd prefer the 76ers to have had Embiid for this one but Philly's playing with confidence while the Bulls are riddled with in-fighting and several players criticizing one another. Take the points with Philly and make them an 8* play.

The set-up: The 27-21 Memphis Grizzlies will be in Salt Lake City to face the 30-18 Utah Jazz. The Grizzlies are 10 games out in the Southwest and the Jazz lead the Northwest by 1 1/2 games. The Jazz currently own the West's no. 5 seed and while the Grizzlies are 7th, they are well inside the playoff 'cut line,' six games clear of the 9th-place Blazers.

The pick: Indiana is 23-22 on the season but one thing which has been fairly consistent has been the team's play here at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. While the Pacers are 7-16 SU on the road, they are 16-6 SU at home. Yes, it's a back-to-back situation for Indiana but they catch the inconsistent Kings off their Wednesday upset of the Cavs. The Pacers just won in Sacramento (106-100 on Jan 18) and this time around a win should come more easily. Make Indiana at 10* play.

The set-up: The 20-26 New York Knicks are in Dallas on Wednesday night to face the 15-29 Mavericks. The Mavericks just routed the Lakers by 49 points last Sunday, simultaneously setting a Dallas franchise record for the largest margin of victory and worst loss ever by the Lakers. The Mavs haven't played since while the Knicks come in after almost blowing another late lead Monday at Indiana. New York had lost three games by a total of six points in the previous week and squandered a 17-point lead against the Pacers, before Carmelo Anthony knocked down a go-ahead jumper and the defense held in the final seconds of a 109-103 triumph over the Pacers.

The pick: The Mavericks are just 15-29 but they are 9-9 over their last 18. split their last 18 games overall. "Right now we are in a spot where we have to dig ourselves out a hole that we dug ourselves in earlier in the season," PG Deron Williams said. "We have to be more aggressive on both sides of the floor and get some more wins." They are hoping momentum from Sunday carries over into the finale of a three-game homestand in this one and I'm 'biting.' Make Dallas a 10* play

The pick: The Suns are on a 5-4 run, a big deal for a team that's 14 games under .500 but the Timberwolves beat the Suns 98-85 in Phoenix in November and repeated the result in a 115-108 victory in Minneapolis on Dec. 19th. I'm not ready to give up on Minnesota's playoff chances just yet, as the T-wolves are just 2 1/2 games back of the eighth spot with just less than a half-season remaining. For Minnesota to catch Denver (or any of the handful of teams slightly ahead of them at the moment), winning on the road against a team like the Suns is a must. Make Minnesota a 10* play.

The set-up: the 25-19 OKC Thunder find themselves trailing the Utah Jazz by 3 1/2 games in the Northwest Division and also own just the West's No. 6 seed, tied with Memphis. The Thunder have a chance to make up some ground Monday night when they travel to Salt Lake City to face the 29-16 Utah Jazz.

Oklahoma City: Russell Westbrook did not claim a starting spot in the upcoming NBA All-Star game, That, despite leading the NBA in scoring (30.6 PPG), ranking second in assists (10.4) and 11th in rebounds (10.6). He has posted 21 triple-doubles so far this season and is the first player to average a triple-double this late into a season since 1963-64. Westbrook says he won't be looking to make any special statement over being denied a starting spot. "I don't play for All-Star bids," Westbrook told reporters on Friday. "I play to win championships, and every night I compete at a high level, and it'll work out. I just continue doing what I'm doing and play the game the right way, and everything else will work out." I guess the follow up question should have been, "Just how many championships have you won?" The again, that would be journalism!

Utah: The Jazz are riding a season-best six game winning streak after beating Indiana 109-100 on Saturday. The Jazz led the Pacers wire-to-wire behind a season-high 30 points from George Hill (18.4-3.8-4.1). Meanwhile, teammates Gordon Hayward and Rudy Gobert both added more evidence to build their respective all-star cases. Hayward finished with 27 points, a career-best 16th straight game with 16 or more points. He is averaging career highs in points (22.2), rebounds (5.7) and free-throw shooting percentage (87.1). Gobert scored 19 points and had 11 rebounds for his 31st double-double of the season and his 30th consecutive game with 10 or more rebounds. He is averaging 14.1 points, 15.1 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in January and 12.9 & 12.7 on the season. Gobert leads the league in blocked shots per game (2.51), ranks second in field-goal percentage (66.9) and fifth in rebounds (12.7).

The pick: Westbrook's "I play for championships" quote was a classic and it's my belief he will be highly motivated here, as will his teammates, as the Jazz have proven to be one of this season's "breakout teams!" Oklahoma City swept all four meetings with Utah last season (of course that was with Durant) but I'm taking the points. Make OKC a 10* play.

The pick: "We just have to find our way out of this slump," Parker said after Milwaukee's loss on Friday. "We'll find our way out of it. We need more enthusiasm. After the first quarter, we didn't have any momentum. We need to move on and win the next game." That sounds good but the Bucks are struggling. Meanwhile, Miami has shown some signs of life this week by beating the Houston Rockets 109-103 and the Dallas Mavericks 99-95 here at home. Let's also note that in two games against Miami this season, Antetokounmpo is averaging just 16.0 points. In 12 career games against Miami, his numbers are even more modest at 14.2 PPG. Miami is a 10* play.

Minnesota: As for the Timberwolves, it seems as if this year's team just isn't going to jell under Tom Thibodeau, the former Chicago head coach. The Timberwolves were expected to be one of the up-and-coming clubs this season with their array of young talent and the addition of the defensive-minded Thibodeau but instead, the team has struggled playing .333 basketball! This, despite the presence of Towns (22.0 & 12.0), Wiggins (21.6 & 4.3) and LaVine (20.1). Inconsistency has plagued them, as they are tied with the Lakers (21st) in turnovers.

LA Clippers: The Clippers lost Blake Griffin 41.2-8.8-4.7) after their Dec. 18 loss  at Washington to right knee surgery and after winning two straight, lost six in a  row. However, LA  has since won seven in a row (), averaging 109.4 PPG. However, PG Chris Paul (17.5-5.3-9.7-2.3 SPG) is expected to miss six to eight weeks after undergoing surgery on Wednesday to repair a torn ligament in his left thumb suffered while trying to defend Oklahoma City star Russell Westbrook in a 120-98 win over the Thunder on Monday. Head coach Doc Rivers, in typical coach-speak, said other players must step up. "We still have new guys -- Alan (Anderson) is new and Raymond (Felton) is new and Mo (Speights) and Brandon (Bass) -- this is a good opportunity for them to learn how to execute together," Rivers told the Los Angeles Times. "When everyone is back, when you get Chris and Blake back, if this group can execute, and then you put those two guys back on the floor, I think it makes us better in the long run. This is not the way you want to do it, but this is the way it's been presented."

The pick: It seems hard to believe that the Clippers will be able to "maintain" with both Griffin and Paul (Clippers went 2-5 without Paul during his last absence) on the sidelines but in this first game without both, I expect emotion to carry them over a Minnesota team which just can't seem to "get it right!' The T-wolves own just five road wins In 20 games), allowing 106.9 PPG and with the pointspread 'deflated,' LA is a 10* play.

The pick: It's hard to argue with Embiid's contributions or Philly's improvement but the fact is, the 76ers have not matched up well against Toronto's 'firepower.' Toronto ranks 3rd in scoring (111.5 PPG) on 47.2% shooting (4th), 39.0% on threes (2nd) and 81.4% from the FT line (3rd). Philly has lost and failed to cover the last six meetings between te theo teams going back to last season, including losing both games this season while allowing 122 and 123 points! Toronto's 123-114 win back on Dec. 14 was its seventh straight in Philadelphia. Make the Raptors a 10* play.

The pick: The Spurs have only lost back-to-back contests just once this season and are 7-1 in games after a loss, winning those seven games by an average of 19.7 PPG. Yes, Minnesota is just  5-14 SU on the road this year but it is only being outscored by an average of 5.1 PPG. "We're still not there," Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters after Sunday's loss to Dallas. "We went into camp with that idea of locking into daily improvement. Studying the team closely in the off-season, I knew there were a lot of areas we were short in. ... I like the direction we're moving in." I agree and will take the big points and make Minnesota a 10* play.

The set-up: The 24-17 OKC Thunder will be in Sacramento tonight to take on the 16-23 Kings. Sacramento seemed to catch the Thunder off guard when they went with a small line-up back on Nov.  23., beating OKC 116-101. However, there was nothing small about DeMarcus Cousins' 36 points and 13 rebounds!

Oklahoma City: The Thunder saw their three-game winning streak end in a 96-86 loss Friday at Minnesota. OKC shot 38.8 percent as a team (including a woeful 3 of 20 on threes!) and it took most (all?) of the luster off Westbrook's 19th triple-double of the season (21-11-12). Those 19 match his total from 80 games last season. No player has surpassed that mark since the NBA absorbed four teams after the ABA collapsed in 1976. Magic had 18 in 1982-83, a record that stood for 32 seasons until Westbrook broke it last year in his 80th game. Wilt had 31 for the Philadelphia 76ers in 1967-68 before the NBA-ABA merger. Westbrook is averaging a triple-double for the season (30.8-10.7-10.5)

Sacramento: Kings had nine TOs Friday in the first quarter and 21 overall, in losing 120-108 to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Kings lost for the fifth time in their past six home games, falling to 1-4 on their current seven-game homestand and to 2-6 since a season-best four-game winning streak last month. Clearly, the Kings are not making the most of a seven-game homestand and against playoff contenders like the Clippers, Warriors and Cavs, they've lost by a combined 31 points.

The pick: The Thunder are a playoff contender (although hardly a real threat to win the NBA title with Durant in Oakland) and should take care of the Kings without too much trouble. Make OKC a 10* play.

The pick: I played against the Pistons last night with the Warriors and will go to the well against them tonight as well. Make Utah an 8* play.

The pick: Detroit handed the Warriors one of their nine regular-season losses in 2015-16 and while Golden State took the first meeting this season 119-113 on Dec. 23, it was a battle. It took 32 points by Kevin Durant, 25 by Stephen Curry and a 12-assist, 10-rebound double-double by Draymond Green for Golden State to scratch out the win. However, Golden State turned the ball over a season-high 23 times in that contest. Don't expect that to happen again and with Detroit struggling offensively, let em add that teh Warriors rank 2nd in defensive FG percentag (43.3%), including 32.6% on threes, which ranks 1st! Make Golden State a 10* play.

The pick: Boston's loss to Toronto means the Celtics still haven't beaten a team with a better record yet this season but the Wizards don't own a better record than Boston in this one. The Celtics will be playing with revenge from a loss back in Washington on Nov. 9, when the Wizards spurted to a 26-point first quarter lead and Otto Porter's career night of 34 points and 14 rebounds led the Wizards to an easy 118-93 win. However, the Celtics played without the injured Al Horford and Jae Crowder that night. Of even more relevance, bothe teams playing the second of back-to-back games and while the Celtics are 5-3, winning five of their last six back ends of back-to-backs, the Wizards are just 1-6. Make Boston a 10* play.

The pick: Sure, the Nets are a mess but Brooklyn found some positives off the bench on Friday, when guards Caris LeVert and Isaiah Whitehead combined for 29 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists. "Caris and Isaiah coming in and playing really important minutes against the world champions is really positive," Atkinson told reporters. "We don’t back down, especially at home." The 76ers are just 3-11 SU on the road this season and with this pointspread, almost have to win to cover. I won't say this very often the rest of 2017 but make the Nets an 8* play.

Denver: A return to full health and a lineup change has been two keys to Denver's recent turnaround. Guard Gary Harris missed 16 games with a foot injury but his insertion into the starting lineup is making a difference (he's scored in double digits in six of Denver's last seven games) and so has the 6-10 Nikola Jokic. In fact, Jokic may be the biggest reason for Denver resurgence, as he's shooting 67 percent since returning from a left wrist sprain Dec. 7 and he has been the Nuggets' do-everything player. Denver is averaging 113.9 points over its last seven games and boasts six players averaging double figures in scoring, including power forward Nikola Jokic (12.0), who owns six double-doubles in his past 11 contests. SFs Gallinari (16.9) and  Chandler (16.4 & 7.0) are the team's best scorers, with guard Barton (14.2) close behind.

The pick: The Nuggets seem to be jelling but this is a pretty 'hefty' pointspread. The 76ers don't often win on te hed (or anywhere for that matter) but in their last visit to Denver (March 23rd of last season), they led the Nuggets by two before Emmanuel Mudiay hit an improbable shot near half-court at the buzzer, as the Nuggets walked off the floor with a 104-103 victory. I'm taking the big points and making Philly a 10* play.

The pick: The Pacers are just 4-11 SU & ATS on the road but this Chicago team is in a funk, going 1-7 its last eight ATS. No reason to lay any amount of points with the Bulls these days. Indiana is an 8* play.

incorrectly entered pick

The pick: Thibodeau is a proven and has that wonderful young trio but something just isn't right. Lay the points and make OKC a 10* play.

The pick: The Knicks will be primed to win here and they are 11-4 SU & ATS at home this year. However, Celtics are a money-making 12-5-1 ATS on the road and have matched up well in this series lately, have won seven of the last eight meetings and three of the past four in Madison Square Garden. Make Boston an 8* play.

NOT A PLAY....ENTERED ACCIDENTALLY!

full analysis by 12 pm et Tuesday

The set-up: The 12-8 Boston Celtics are in Houston tonight up against the 13-7 Rockets. Both teams come in playing well, as Boston has won six of eight and are two games into a stretch of eight of 10 on the road. Speaking of the road, Houston has played a league-high 14 road games thus far, after completing its second five-game road trip of the season with a sparkling 4-1 record. Boston: The Celtics barely squeaked past the Philadelphia 76ers 107-106 to begin their road trip Saturday night behind another stellar performance from PG Isaiah Thomas, whose 37-point effort marked his fifth 30-point game this season. Thomas is averaging 26.3 PPG and 6.3 APG. Avery Bradley (17.7) supported Thomas' effort with 20 points of his own and he hauled in nine rebounds for the second straight game to bump his season average to 7.9, five more than his career mark. Free-agent center Al Horford (14.9-6.5-4.6) is back on the court and has now played in 10 games (Celtics are 7-3). He has averaged 16.7 points in seven wins and 10.7 in three losses. Houston: The Rockets capped their five-game road trip with an impressive 132-127 (2-OT) win at Golden St. on Thursday, followed by a 128-110 win at Denver the very next night. Seven players scored in double figures and Houston was 17-of-37 from three-point range at Denver, hitting their league-leading average in long-range attempts and bumping their percentage to 37.8, good for fifth in the NBA through Saturday. Houston ranks second with 114.4 PPG on 46.6% shooting (3rd). Harden (28.3-7.6-11.8) leads the way but four others are contributing between 12.1 and 16.4 PPG. Also, the return of Patrick Beverley (7.0-4.4-3.9), the team's best defensive player on the perimeter, has been huge. Houston is 7-2 in the games he’s started. The pick: The Celtics have beaten Western Conference foes the likes of the Mavs (4-15) and T-wolves (6-14) but are 0-5 SU & ATS against the other five Western Conference opponents they’ve faced. Boston is stepping way up in class here and Houston is a 10* play.

The set up: Both teams are off wins here as the Pistons beat the Hawks 121-85 and the Magic beat the Sixers 105-88. While it was only the second win in the past seven games for Orlando, Detroit has won three in a row and five of its last six. The Pistons took the season's first meeting 108-82, here in Detroit, but were scant four-point favorites in that one.

Orlando: The Magic are 8-12 on the season, 7-12 against the spread. This despite them averaging only 93.0 points per game, which is the second fewest in the entire NBA, ahead of only Dallas. While it was "only" Philadelphia, Friday marked perhaps one of the finer efforts of the season from this team as six players scored in double figures, led by Aaron Gordon's 20 points. They made 13 of 23 three-pointers for the game.

Detroit: The Pistons are averaging 118 points per game in this three-game win streak of theirs and just beat the Hawks by 36 points. This team managed to sneak into the playoffs as an eight-seed last year and expectations are higher for Stan Van Gundy now. Playing without point guard Reggie Jackson, it was a bit of a slow start. But all Pistons now seem to be firing, so to speak, at least offensively. Jackson could play for the first time tonight.

The pick: As hot as Detroit has been, I can't possibly envision them playing as well as they did against Atlanta. Nor do I see this hot shooting continuing. Orlando might not be much offensively, but defensively they "come to play" more often than not. Just one time in the last 10 games have they allowed 100 points. That makes taking the points attractive in this situation. Orlando is a 10* play

The set-up: The 5-13 Brooklyn Nets and 9-8 Milwaukee Bucks meet at the Bradley Center Saturday afternoon, less than 48 hours after the Bucks won 111-93 over the Nets at Barclays Center. As the two teams meet to play the back end of a home-and-home series Saturday afternoon, Milwaukee has won 13 of the last 17 meetings (dating back to Jan. 9, 2013), including the first two meetings of this season's series. Brooklyn: The Nets committed 17 turnovers in Thursday’s loss to Milwaukee, continuing a season-long problem for Kenny Atkinson’s team, the Nets first-year head coach The Nets are third in the league in turnovers this season, averaging 16.5 per game. The Nets had just suffered a big letdown after a double-overtime triumph over the Los Angeles Clippers in the previous game and Atkinson bemoaned Brooklyn's inability to put points on the board. "We couldn't pierce their defense," Atkinson told reporters. "They kept us in front and they would switch and keep you on the perimeter. ... They were tough to score against (Thursday)." The Nets are averaging 105.4 PPG which ranks 10th but it comes with some p[oor shooting. Brooklyn ranks 24th if FG percentage (43.5%), including 25th on threes (33.0%). The defense is a ‘nightmare,’ ranking last in points allowed (114.3 per) and second-to-last in opponents FG percentage (47.1%). Milwaukee: The Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo had 23 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, four steals and two blocks in 30 minutes on Thursday, before taking a seat for the fourth quarter. The small forward is having a superb season, averaging 22.8-8.5-6.1 but only Jabari Parker (18.8 & 5.8) also scores in double digits for Milwaukee. However, Milwaukee does have a deep bench and against teams like this, it makes a difference. The pick: The problem here for Milwaukee is the big pointspread ,as the Bucks are only outscoring teams at home by about five points per game. In this quick turnaround, I’m “all over” the Nets to bounce back with a strong effort. Upset alert? Take the points and make the Nets an 8* play.

The set-up: The 7-12 Orlando Magic lost 95-94 at Memphis last night, the team's fifth defeat in its last six games. They will look to break out of their slump tonight at Philadelphia. The 76ers are just 4-14 overall (4-8 at home) but come in well-rested, having not played since a 122-95 loss in Toronto this past Monday night. Orlando: The Magic were outscored 24-10 down the stretch by the Grizzlies, who erased an 84-71 deficit. "Everything about this loss is disappointing," head coach Frank Vogel told the Orlando Sentinel. The Magic had now lost  four straight, three of those at home to sub-.500 teams, before winning Tuesday night in San Antonio. However, any momentum thy had from beating the Spurs is gone, after their collapse against Memphis. "It hurts, man," Magic guard/forward Evan Fournier told the Sentinel. "Hurts bad. They just played more aggressive than us the last five minutes. That's how they got back into the game." Fournier (17.9 PPG) has scored at least 25 points in three of the last five games. Center Nikola Vucevic (12.4 & 11.6) is beginning to get his game together after a slow start, averaging 17 points and 13.4 rebounds over the last five games while posting seven double-doubles in the past eight contests. PG Elfrid Payton (10.5-5.3 APG) had strung three solid games together, making 17-of-30 from the floor before scoring three on 1-of-8 shooting Thursday. Ibaka (14.4 & 6.8) makes it four Orlando players averaging in double digits. Philadelphia: The 76ers saw Wednesday's scheduled home game against Sacramento postponed because of moisture on the Wells Fargo Center floor. However, the team got some good news, as it was announced that rookie center Joel Embiid's minutes restriction was being increased from 24 to 28 per game. Embiid, the third overall pick in the 2014 draft, missed two seasons while recovering from a pair of foot surgeries.  He leads the Sixers (and all NBA rookies) in scoring (18.2), rebounding (7.8), blocked shots (2.4) and three-point percentage (.500). Nerlens Noel, who has yet to play this season following minor knee surgery in October, practiced on Wednesday with the Delaware 87ers, Philadelphia's NBA Development League team, then went through drills with the Sixers on Thursday. Philly needs more help, as veteran forward Ersan Ilyasova (13.0) is the only other player scoring more than 11 per game. The pick: It’s not a good sign to blow a lead like the Magic did last night but at this points, Orlando is the better team than Philadelphia and at this price, a win by Orlando ensures a cover. Orlando is a 10* play.

The set-up: The 11-7 Houston Rockets visit Oracle Arena in an attempt to snap the 16-2 Golden State Warriors’ 12-game winning streak. The Rockets and Warriors could be shooting for a record of most three-pointers made in a game. The Rockets enter this contest having made at least 10 three-pointers in 17 straight games. lifting them into a tie with Cleveland for the team lead at 13.8 made three-pointers per game. The Warriors owned the NBA perimeter last year and along the way, combined with Mavericks to set an NBA record for most three-pointers made in a game (39) back on March 25, 2016 (GSt. had 21 & Dal. 18). Could that record be in jeopardy in this one? Houston: The Rockets have increased their three-point attempts from 30.9 per game to 36.6 and their percentage of success from 34.7 to 37.8, under first-year head coach Mike D’Antoni. The team has embraced D'Antoni,’s up-tempo style, with James Harden (55), Eric Gordon (55) and Trevor Ariza (52) all ranking among the top-10 this season in three-pointers made, while Ryan Anderson (45) isn't far outside the group. Gordon, who is shooting more often from downtown (7.9 attempts per game, up from 6.5), Ariza, who has connected on a career-best 39.7 percent so far this season and Anderson is a 42.2 percent career three-point shooter who was signed to a four-year, $80 million deal in July. Of course there is Harden, who checks in with a line of 28.7-7.2-11.9. Golden State: The Warriors have opened the season a bit cold from beyond the arc, at least for them.They have attempted the same number as last season (31.6 per game) but their percentage of success has fallen from a league-best 41.6 percent to 38.4. Klay Thompson is a career 41.7-percent shooter on threes but has made only 36.5 percent this season. However, he began the season 11-for-53 (20.8 percent) through seven games but has since made 39 of 84 (46.4 percent) in his last 11 outings (all Golden St. wins). Durant (27.1-8.4-4.7) and Curry (26.6-4.1-5.9) are the highest scoring pair of teammates in the league, Thompson has his average up to 20.7 PPG and in Green (10.1-7.0-8.1), the Warriors own one of the NBA’s most complete and efficient players. The pick: Golden State took all three regular-season meetings in 2015-16 by an average of 12.3 PPG and the teams meet here for the first time since the Warriors beat the Rockets in five games in the opening round of last year’s playoffs. The Rockets come to Oakland from Salt Lake City, where on Tuesday night they allowed the Jazz, a team averaging 98.7 PPG on the season (to rank 25th), to score 120 points on 55.4 percent shooting. It’s scary to think how many points the well-rested Warriors (last played Monday) will score, as they check in as the NBA’s highest scoring team (117.6 PPG) and its best shooting team (50.2 percent). Golden State is a 10* play. 

The set-up: The 9-9 Indiana Pacers capped a four-game homestand by scoring 118 points in a rout of the Nets and then shocked the Clippers 91-70 in a defensive gem (Clippers were held to 31.4% shooting, including 4 of 24 on threes). They now open a five-game road trip in Portland, which won’t end until Dec. 9 in Dallas. The 9-10 Portland Trail Blazers will be taking the court off a 130-114 drubbing by the Houston Rockets on Sunday. Indiana:  The Pacers’ back-to-back recent home wins were achieved without the services of star forward Paul George (20.8-6.9-3.5), who has missed six of the past seven games and will also sit out Wednesday's contest with ankle and back injuries. The two wins were encouraging to veterans like PG Jeff Teague (14.7  & 7.6 APG) and backup center Al Jefferson (7.0 & 4.4). "For us to be shorthanded and they had their full team, we go out there and do what we did (Sunday), that shows a lot," Jefferson told reporters. "Like I told my teammates, we showed we can do it now, so we can't take a step back. We've got to keep going." Portland: The Rockets scorched the Blazers with 56.1 percent shooting, including 47.2 percent (17 for 36) from three-point range. Portland owns the worst defensive efficiency rating in the NBA (109.80) and is giving up more points (113.7) than any team in the league other than Brooklyn (114.0). The Blazers are tired of talking about getting better at the defensive end. "We keep preaching it, but it's getting old," guard Allen Crabbe said. "At some point, it has to click. We keep telling ourselves we have to get better, but at some point, we have to get it going." Lillard (28.2) and McCollum (22.3) are the second-highest scoring duo in the NBA (next to Durant and Curry) but the team must improve defensively. The pick: The Blazers are one of the better offensive teams in the NBA (rank 3rd at 109.7 PPG) but they have trouble stopping anybody. Cleveland blitzed them for 137 points, Golden State for 127, Houston for 126 and 130, even Phoenix for 121. "We talked about not taking steps back," head coach Nate McMillan said. "We've played some good games, and then you can't recognize the team the next game. We need to build some momentum at this point in the season." I’m not buying into that and I’m taking the points and making the Pacers an 8* play.

The set-up: The Charlotte Hornets followed up a season-worst four-skid (Nov. 19-25) with consecutive victories, 107-102 at home against the Knicks and 104-85 at Memphis to get them to 10-7 on the season. The Pistons come to Charlotte on Tuesday 8-10 overall but struggling badly on the road in the early going at 1-8 SU & ATS. Detroit: The Pistons have relied on a balanced approach this season, with six players averaging in double figures. Harris tops the list at 16.4 PPG, while center Andre Drummond is averaging 14.6 points and 13.4 rebounds. That “group of six” doesn’t include PG Reggie Jackson, although he is getting closer to a return from a knee issue. He participated in Monday's practice and it was Jackson's first 5-on-5 practice since receiving injections of platelet-rich plasma more than a month ago to help promote healing. "I've seen him for a couple weeks — he looks fine playing," head coach Stan Van Gundy said. "Stamina is going to be an issue. I don't think he can play 33 minutes a game right now. Whenever they tell me he's ready to go, and he tells me he's ready to go in his mind, then he'll go." Charlotte: The Hornets’ 19-point victory in Memphis represented the team’s second-largest winning margin of the campaign and the 85 points allowed was their fewest of the season. Elevens are currently wild for Charlotte, which ranks 11th in both points scored (107.2) and points allowed (102.3). Standout guard Kemba Walker (24.3-4.2-4.9) has 14, 20-point outings this season and is joined by five more double digit scorers, plus forwards Williams (9.9) and Kidd-Gilchrist (9.3) just miss that plateau. The pick: As noted above, road games have been a big issue for the Pistons this season and with three road games in the next four days, they must figure out quickly how to collect wins away from The Palace of Auburn Hills. Detroit ranks second overall in the NBA in points allowed (97.1 PPG) but on the road Detroit has allowed 105.0 PPG, one of the mains reasons it’s 1-8 SU & ATS. Meanwhile, Charlotte is 4-2  as a home favorite this year and should have little trouble covering this modest number. The Hornets are a 10* play. 

The set-up: The 10-8 OKC Thunder come to Madison Square Garden Monday night to take on the 8-8 NY Knicks.Oklahoma City comes in after a 106-88 win over the Detroit Pistons on Saturday when Westbrook posted 17 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists for his second consecutive triple-double and seventh this season. It was also his 44th career triple-double, which ties him with Cleveland's LeBron James. The Knicks had a three-game winning streak snapped Saturday night in Charlotte, falling 107-102 to the Hornets but New York enters this game on a six-game winning streak in MSG. Oklahoma City:  Westbrook is humming along in his ninth season with the Thunder, averaging 31.2 points, 9.9 rebounds and 11.1 assist and has at least a few remembering the Big O averaging a triple-double for the entire season back in 1961-62 (30.8-12.5-11.4). However, OKC is far from a complete team with Oladipo (17.3) being its second-best scorer wit that guard duo joining OKC’s two-headed center combo of Kanter (11.9 & 5.8) and Adams (10.7 & 7.8) as the team's core. OKC allows 105.4 PPG (20th) and checks in 8-10 ATS, a reverse of its SU record. NY Knicks: The Knocks are 7-2 SU & ATS at home and come in on a six-game home winning streak. Its top-two scorers are Anthony and Porzingis, who both have played noticeably better at home than on the road. Anthony is averaging 24.4 PPG at home while slumping to 21.1 on the road. Porzingis is suffering through the same inconsistency while averaging 22 points on 51.4 percent shooting at home and 19.6 PPG on 45.9 percent shooting on the road. The team’s new PG, Derrick Rose, is the Knicks’ third double digit scorer at 15.9 PPG (also 4.2 RPG and 5.0 APG). The pick: New York has played well at home but its overall defense is worst than OKC’s, allowing 106.3 PPG (20th) and the Knicks can’t ‘bang’ on the boards up against Kanter and Adams. New York's other big offseason acquisition, center Joakim Noah, who played with Rose in Chicago, has struggled. He missed two games with flu-like symptoms but since his return against the Charlotte Hornets on Friday, Noah hasn't provided much offense with six points to back-to-back games against the Hornets. Noah has scored in double-figures only once this season and checks in averaging 4.1 PPG for the season. At the PG spot, I love Westbrook over Rose. OKC is a 10* play. 

The set-up: Rick Adelman led the Kings to the postseason in all eight of his seasons coaching Sacramento but was fired after the 2005-06 season. The Kings haven’t made the playoffs since, entering this season on a 10-year playoff drought (just three times in that stretch has the team even won as many as 30 games!). Sacramento is currently 6-10, after the Rockets made 21 three-pointers in a 117-104 victory in Sacranto on Friday. The downward spiral of the Brooklyn Nets reached six straight losses on Friday in a 118-97 loss at Indiana. The Nets host the Kings on Sunday at 4-11 (7-7-1 ATS), including 3-4 SU at home (4-3 ATS). Sacramento: The Kings had posted impressive wins over Toronto and Oklahoma City before Friday's letdown and first-year head coach Dave Joerger sees improvement. "We're getting better," Joerger told reporters. "We've played some good teams. We've played better as of late. ... We're starting to find a nice mix of chemistry between guys that are playing together at different times." Center DeMarcus Cousins (27.8 & 9.8) remains the star and he turned in a remarkable stat line on Friday with a career-high five made three-pointers and five blocks to go with 32 points and nine rebounds. However, second-year center Willie Cauley-Stein (4.9 & 1.8 in about 12 1/2 MPG) is drifting out of the rotation and did not see the court in either of the last two games (Stein averaged 7.0 & 5.3 last year in about 21 minutes of PT). Brooklyn: the Nets are still learning to play with the pace and style new head coach Kenny Atkinson prefers on the offensive end and the defensive end remains a work in progress. The Nets are hoisting more three-pointers than ever before and from all positions. However, the Nets rank a modest 13th in scoring at 104.9 PPG and the team ranks 26th in three-point shooting at 32.5 percent. As for the team’s defense, well let’s just pardon the pun. Brooklyn allows the most points of any team in the league (113.5 PPG) and opponents are shooting 47.2 percent against them, the second-worst mark in the NBA. The pick: I am well aware that the Kings entered this season 51-146 (.259) SU on the road the last five seasons but the bottom line is, the Kings have to win some games away from home and the Nets should play the perfect foil. Sacramento is an 8* play.

The set-up; Both the Warriors and Timberwolves played last night, Golden State winning 109-85 at Staples Center over the Lakers with Minnesota rallying from a 10-point, fourth-quarter deficit at Phoenix to overtake the Suns 98-85. "Our best fourth quarter of the year," gushed Timberwolves head coach Tom Thibodeau afterward. "Things weren't going well in that game, but the fight was there and we just kept working the game and the game turned." As for the Warriors, it was just “another day at the office,” as Golden State won its 10th consecutive game. Minnesota: In Wiggins (24.0), Towns (21.3 & 9.4) and LaVine (18.6) the T-wolves own an impressive trio of their own but last night’s comeback may have extracted a toll on the Timberwolves. Wiggins wound up playing 41 of the 48 minutes and three other starters, including Towns, played at least 35. that figures to leave Minnesota in less-than-ideal shape Saturday night on the second night of a back-to-back. The youthful Timberwolves have responded well to the adversity of the NBA schedule this season, winning on the back half of a consecutive-nights sequence both times they have encountered it. However, neither of those wins have come at the expense of a team like the Warriors. Golden State: Durant (27.1-7.9-4.8), Curry (26.3 & 6.1 APG), Thompson (20.6) and Green (10.5-9.0-6.() give the Warriors an incredible “Core Four,” a group which is averaging 84.5 PPG. That group contributed 83 points last night, although none played more than 36 minutes. That said, the Warriors may have an incentive when they take the court Saturday and that is to “play better!” Warriors head coach Steve Kerr insisted to reporters afterward that  "It was one of the worst basketball games I've seen in my life. We were awful, and they were awful. The people who bought tickets should get their money back, honestly." The pick: The Timberwolves won the most recent meeting with the Warriors, handing Golden State one of its nine losses last season, 124-117 in overtime on April 5 in Minnesota. However, the Warriors had won seven straight and 14 of 15 over Minnesota before that April matchup and they come into this one clicking on all cylinders while looking to win an 11th straight game. The Warriors have notched eight double-digit victories during their 10-game winning streak, won their last three games by an average of 34.7 PPG and have won their last five home games by an average of 20.6 PPG. Golden State is an 8* play.  

The set-up: Back on , the Lakers shocked the Warriors 117-97 at Staples Center back on Nov. 4th, with the Golden State responding to that embarrassment by going on a nine-game winning streak. The most recent of those nine wins came this past Wednesday at Oracle Arena, where the Warriors delivered some payback in a 149-106 rout of the short-handed Lakers. LA (8-8) played without starting point guard D'Angelo Russell (16.1-3.4-4.8), who is expected to be out two weeks with a sore left knee, and PF Julius Randle (13.3 & 8.1), who sat with a hip pointer. Golden State: The 149 points the Warriors hung on the Lakers are the most any team has scored so far this season. Stephen Curry (31), Kevin Durant (28) and Thompson (26) combined for 85 points and while Green has just five points, he added nine rebounds and 11 assists. The Warriors recorded a franchise-record 47 assists, for the game and scored 80 points in the first half. "It was a beautiful exhibition that (the Warriors) put on," Lakers head coach Luke Walton said. "As painful as this one was, that's the beauty of the NBA. You always have another chance to redeem yourself one or two days later.” The high-octane Warriors lead the league in scoring (119.2 PPG), shooting percentage (50.2%) and in assist (31.9 per). That’s a pretty sweet ‘trifecta.’

LA Lakers: Los Angeles' season is about the progression of its young players and Russell will need to take a step back after receiving a platelet-rich plasma injection in his sore left knee. As for Randle, he’s listed as questionable, as is SG Nick Young (13.9 PPG) with a toe issue. Veteran Jose Calderon will start for Russell at PG,as Williams and Clarkson will continue to come off the bench. Williams leads the team in scoring (16.6 PPG) and Clarkson averages 14.9 PPG. The pick: Forget the 149-point blowout being a distraction. There is just no way the mega-talented Warriors will be taking the Lakers lightly after losing by 20 points in their last visit to Staples Center. Let’s also not forget that in that Nov. 4th loss, two-time MVP Stephen Curry went 0-of-10 from three-point range, snapping a string of 196 straight games (including the postseason) with at least one three-pointer, Curry was 7-of-12 from beyond the arc in Wednesday's rematch. That sounds more like it. Golden State is a 10* play. 

The set-up: The  San Antonio Spurs are off to a 12-3 start bur get lost in all the hoopla surround the Warriors’ “Super Team” (Golden State has won nine straight to reach 13-2) and the LA Clippers, who have the NBA’s best record at 14-2. However, the spurs do own the NBA’s only perfect road record (they’re 8-0) and will look to keep that alive with a Friday afternoon visit to the TD Garden in Boston to take on the 9-6 Celtics, who are a modest 4-2 at home. San Antonio: The Spurs 8-0 road start this season ties them with 2010-11 team for the best start away from home in franchise history. "It's a weird year," Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich told reporters. "We've lost three in a row at home, and last year we lost one the whole year. Now we're undefeated on the road, so don't ask me. That's why they call it a game because you never know what's going to happen." San Antonio has won seven in a row overall buoyed by shooting 39.7 percent from three-point range and 84.0 percent from the FT line (both figures are No. 1 in the entire NBA). SF Leonard (25.1-6.3) is now unquestionably the team’s best player and Aldridge his No. 1 sidekick, averaging 18.6 & 6.9 playing PF. However, as always, the Spurs’ depth and overall balance is a key to the team's success. Boston: The Celtics return off a perfect 3-0 road trip and have won six of their last eight, the latest being a 111-92 victory at Brooklyn on Wednesday. Isaiah Thomas (team’s leading scorer at 26.2 PPG) scored 23 points and Boston improved to 5-1 with Al Horford, who has missed nine games due to a concussion. Horford has hit the ground running after his absence, averaging 18.3 & 7.3 in his three games back in the lineup, all Boston wins. SF Jae Crowder had his best effort versus the Nets since returning from an ankle injury three games ago, recording 15 points and five rebounds in just 22 minutes (he was Boston’s top frontcourt scorer last year at 14.2 PPG). Thomas has scored at least 20 points in all but one game but also has fallen into a bit of a shooting slump by hitting only 38.5 percent over his last seven contests. Avery Bradley is his backcourt partner (17.9 & 8.0) and he recorded 22 points, seven rebounds and five steals against Brooklyn. The pick: With both Horford (concussion) and Crowder (ankle) rejoining the team for the recently complete 3-0 road trip, spirits are back up in Boston. However, defeating Detroit, Minnesota and Brooklyn on the road is hardly a reason to make plans for the NBA Finals, as those teams are a combined 15-29 (.341). Beating the Spurs would be something to cheer about but the bottom line is that the Spurs are 37-9 against the Celtics since Feb. 11, 1992 and more recently have defeated the Celtics on nine straight occasions, including four in a row at Boston. San Antonio is an 8* play.

The set-up: The Raptors opened 7-2, looking every bit the part of a Eastern Conference title contender but Toronto will enter this game the night before Thanksgiving having lost four of five to fall to 8-6. The Rockets welcome Toronto to Toyota Center 9-5 overall, including owning a 4-1 home mark. Toronto: There was concern that the Raptors would struggle following the loss of center Bismack Biyombo during the offseason, as he helped anchor a team that finished 11th in defensive rating last season, before signing with the Orlando Magic. Well, his loss has been YUGE.  The Raptors are still one of the better offensive teams in the NBA (rank 6th in both scoring at 108.1 PPG and FG percentage at 45.9) but the Raptors are a sieve on the defensive end. Despite averaging 113 points over their last five games, the Raptors lost for the fourth time during that stretch on Monday night when they fell 123-115 to the Clippers in Los Angeles. Toronto is 4-4 over its last eight games, a span in which each opponent has scored at least 102 points. DeRozan was leading the NBA in scoring until going 3-of-15 from the floor and finishing with 12 points in a 102-99 loss at Sacramento on Sunday (he’s now at 30.9 PPG). Fellow guard Lowry (19.9-5.5-7.2) has shot better lately but still makes only 39.3% fomn the floor, including 33.7 on threes. Houston: James Harden is running Mike D'Antoni's system to perfection. The All-Star guard is enjoying his best all-around season (28.6-7.8-12.4) and posted his fourth consecutive double-double with 28 points and 11 assists in a 99-96 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Monday. More good news has come Houston’s way with the return of guard Patrick Beverley. Beverley underwent left knee surgery during the preseason and his impact is so much greater than the 10.1 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game he provided last season. He is the team's best individual perimeter defender and his influence on that end of the court has been sorely missed. Beverley  has played alongside of Harden the last three games (all wins), averaging 25 minutes and is 11-of-21 from the floor since his return (8.3 PPG). The pick: This marks Toronto’s fourth road game in six days (not good) but I am not a fan of teams overly dominated by one player like the Rockets (with Harden) or OKC (with Westbrook). Gordon is Houston’s second-leading scorer at 15.4 PPG and Anderson, now a starter at SF, checks in third at 12.2 PPG. However, Gordon is making just 40.7% from the floor and Anderson 38.4%. The Rockets can be had and I’m making Toronto a 10* play.

The set-up:  Al Horford's return, coupled with Jae Crowder return to the lineup as well, sparked the Boston Celtics on Saturday night. Horford scored 18 points (including the game-winning put-back with 1.3 seconds left) plus had 11 rebounds, five assists, three blocks and two steals for in Saturday's 94-92 victory at Detroit (Crowder added 9 & 4 in 27 minutes). The 7-6 Celtics will visit the 4-8 Minnesota Timberwolves Monday night, who are coming off a 93-71 loss in Memphis victory on Saturday. Minnesota shot just 39.1 percent from the floor and was held below 92 points for the first time this season. Boston: With Horford, who has has been limited to four games because of a concussion and Crowder, who returned after missing seven games with an ankle injury, the Celtics are finally at full strength. Marcus Smart (10.6-4.3-3.3) and Kelly Olynyk (8.1 & 5.0) returned to the bench, which boosts the second unit. Starting guards Thomas (26.2-6.5 APG) and Bradley (17.9-8.5-3.3) will welcome the return of a healthy Horford (13.5-6.8-4.5 in four games TY) and Crowder (he was Boston’s top frontcourt scorer LY at 14.2 PPG). Minnesota: Saturday’s loss in Memphis on Saturday was ‘ugly,’ as Minnesota had 16 turnovers and was outrebounded 46-34. Andrew Wiggins (25.7 PPG), who had sparked the team offensively by averaging 33 points per game in his previous six games, was held to seven points on 2-of-11 shooting from the floor. The NBA’s reigning Rookie of the Year, Karl-Anthony Towns (21.8 & 8.5), was not happy with Minnesota losing and admonished his teammates for laughing and making noise in the showers after Saturday's loss, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune. "I just didn’t like the way we played from a discipline standpoint," head coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters. "The fouling crushed us. It’s hard to win like that." The pick: Minnesota not only has Wiggins and Towns but 3rd-year player Zach LaVine (19.1 PPG) comes close to giving this team three, 20-point scorers. However, in the case of the T-wolves, the whole is NOT equal to the sum of its parts. Boston is a 10* play. 

The set-up: The season began for the Warriors with a shocking 129-120 home loss to the Spurs. Four wins in a row followed but then the upstart Lakers trounced the Warriors at Staple Center, 117-97. The NBA’s new “Super Team” seemed to playing without its ‘cape.’ However, since that loss in LA, the Warriors have won six in a row (are now 10-2), scoring 120.2 PPG and winning on average by 11.5 PPG in that stretch. Meanwhile, Jason Kidd’s Milwaukee team has lost four of its last five contests to fall to 5-6 and comes into the game looking to bounce back after a pair of ugly defeats at Atlanta and Miami earlier this week. Golden State: The Warriors used a 31-9 third quarter last night in Boston to subdue the Celtics 104-88. SG Klay Thompson scored 28 points on 12-of-21 shooting against Boston to raise his scoring average to 19.3 as he recovers from a slow start. It marked the first time this season that he has led the Warriors in scoring for a game. Thompson’s a terrific player but with KD (27.5-8.2-4.3) and Curry (26.9-6.1 APG) playing alongside of him, leading this team in scoring very often will likely not happen all that much. Few doubt that Draymond Green is one of the NBA’s top-15 players (top-10?) but he seems more than happy with his numbers, which are 10.9-9.7-7.0. Milwaukee: Jason Kidd arrived in Milwaukee for the 2014-15 season and led the team to a 41-41 record and a postseason appearance, after the team had won just 15 games the previous year. However, last year's team went only 33-49 and prospects this year are not looking all the bright, either. Other than the play of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jabari Parker, the Bucks don’t have another double digit scorer. Antetokounmpo is averaging career highs in points (21.1), rebounds (8.7), assists (5.4), blocks (2.2) and steals (1.7) per game and is the only player in the NBA averaging over 20.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 2.0 blocks and 1.5 steals per game. Parker is averaging 18.7 & 6.5 on the season, including 20.8 points in eight games this month and is shooting 45 percent from the floor this season. Center Greg Monroe was signed a way from Detroit and while he had a decent season last year (15.3 & 8.8), he’s fallen off this year to 9.7 & 7.4. The pick: The Warriors lead the NBA in scoring (116.2 PPG) and shooting percentage (50.2%) and in going 6-1 SU on the road, see no drop-off in point production, averaging 115.4 PPG. Milwaukee averages only 110.7 PPG (13th) on 44.3% shooting (19th) and I see little hope of them trading points with the Warriors. Golden State is a 10* play.