NBA Basketball Picks

I’ll be the first to admit that I was dubious about the prospects of Kawhi Leonard returning to his MVP-level form after going through the weirdest non-Markelle Fultz story in NBA history. It seems as though Kawhi’s quad may not have been as big of a hindrance as his out-of-nowhere contempt for Coach Popp. He’s still working his way back to full health by picking and choosing which games he plays, but he’s still in the conversation for MVP. What better way to show you deserve the hardware than taking down the champs…while covering the spread of course.

The Knicks have been playing decent ball as of late, covering 5 in a row and six of their last seven. Even more impressive, most of these games have been vs. formidable opponents including the Blazers, Celtics, Pelicans and at Memphis. Statistically speaking, it appears that the team is putting forth more effort on the defensive end as they haven’t allowed an opponent to shoot over 50% from the field in their past 5 games. Kevin West looks at if this trend is enough to take the Knicks and the points.

Stop me if you’ve heard this story before: The Sixers limp out of the gate and look disjointed on the defensive end, but thanks to MVP-level play from Embiid and Simmons, they manage to stay afloat. Meanwhile, the consensus 1st overall pick looks lost on the court while shooting like Phillip Seymour Hoffman in Along Came Polly, then gets shut down to see a specialist for a mysterious injury. No, this isn’t Groundhog Day – it’s the 2017-18 season all over again. Also familiar? Playing a lottery-bound Knicks team as double digit favorites!

The Lakers lineup looks a little bit different than in their meeting with the Nuggets earlier this year. Brandon Ingram was suspended last time, and it was Josh Hart and Kyle Kuzma filling in his minutes that made the difference in the game. The jury is still out on Brandon Ingram’s potential, but he’s not really a guy that Denver has an answer for defensively; he’s too quick for Millsap and too long for Gary Harris. Do the Lakers have the matchup advantage if not the better team? KC breaks down this game and offers his NBA pick.

The situation on the court is nearly as bad as the one off of it. Washington sits at 18th in Offensive Rating and 29th in Defensive Rating with a 7-12 record and 11th in the Eastern Conference – and we’re not even sure those numbers are a poor enough representation of the team. One thing to note is that slotting Kelly Oubre Jr. into the starting lineup to allow Otto Porter to play the power forward position has done wonders for Porter. Can the Wizards moves help them stay within 4 points? KC has his NBA prediction.

After a searing start that left people second-guessing their pre-season predictions, the Spurs crashed back down to Earth. Winning only 3 of their last 10 games, it’s about time for Popp’s team to get back on track. Ten days ago, San Antonio was in position for home-court advantage for the first round of the playoffs; now, they’re in position for a seat in between Atlanta and Phoenix at the NBA Draft Lottery presentation. When was the last time sportsbooks had given the Spurs 10 points? KC breaks down the Spurs chances with his NBA pick.

Over the course of their win streak, the Rockets have been able to get back to their old ways. Harden is averaging 33 points per game, Clint Capela has been a two-way monster, and the rest of the system is running beautifully. Against Detroit, Houston is going to do what they always do: shoot a lot of threes, and get to the line as much as possible. But can they keep the Pistons off the boards enough to cover the bookmaker’s line of -4.5? KC has today’s NBA prediction.

It’s been a – shall we say – uneven start to the season for LA Lakers. Between on-court fights, chemistry issues, Magic-Luke Walton tension and Carmelo-to-LA rumors, it’s a tumultuous time for the King in his new home. I’m not sure what is more amazing to me: the fact that the Lakers have fought their way back to 9-7 with a +1.2 point differential, or that LaVar Ball has managed to keep his mouth shut. Despite all that, LA has Lebron and Cleveland doesn’t. Sportsbooks essentially have Lebron as worth 9 points. Kyle Cash has his own numbers.

NBA players love to compete in Madison Square Garden. There is an undeniable energy that permeates through the building, and it’s many guys’ dream to create and feel the buzz that comes with lighting up the scoreboard there. Something tells me that Damian Lillard is one of those guys, and with Emmanuel Mudiay guarding him, I think it’s safe to suggest that he might have his way on Tuesday night. The rest of the Knicks roster is hard to predict game to game, but we don’t need a roster rotation to know that the Knicks are the 27th ranked defensive unit. Can they do enough to stay within 7 to help us beat our sportsbook? Kyle Cash has your NBA prediction.