The Los Angeles Lakers were rolling in Game 2 of their first-round series against the Denver Nuggets. With a 20-point third-quarter lead, it looked like they were heading for their first win over the Nuggets in 10 tries, and if they’d done so, they would have stolen home-court advantage in a suddenly competitive first-round series.
Instead, the Nuggets adjusted. Michael Malone tweaked his defense to allow Aaron Gordon to guard Anthony Davis, disarming the Davis-LeBron James pick-and-roll and leaving the Lakers completely disoriented on offense for a significant stretch of the late-third and early-fourth quarter. Their defense collapsed in the cyclone that is the Nikola Jokic-Jamal Murray pick-and-roll, with Ham’s decision to open late possessions with James guarding Murray leading to the Nuggets scoring on three consecutive possessions to win the game.
It was as frustrating a loss as the Lakers have suffered all season, and Davis himself voiced a frustration that extended well beyond a single game. “We have stretches where we don’t know what we’re doing on both ends of the floor,” he said after Game 2. Though Davis did not directly take a shot at the coaching staff, it would be hard to read this quote as anything else. Ham has drawn a significant amount of criticism this season, and in January, The Athletic reported that there was a “deepening disconnect between coach Darvin Ham and the Lakers locker room.”
Ham addressed what Davis said after a film session on Wednesday and defended the Laker coaching staff. “I mean, I just think sometimes when plays don’t turn out the way you think they should, then the frustration sets in a little bit,” Ham said. “But I don’t think it’s [from] us not being organized. I think I have incredibly talented coaches all along my staff. We pride ourselves, whether it’s a practice, a shootaround, a film session, a game or whatever, we pride ourselves on being highly efficient and organized. I just chalk that up to being frustrated. It’s an emotional game, the way it ended and all of that. But I’ll agree to disagree on that one.”
Going home should make life a bit easier for the Lakers in the next two games. They went 28-14 in home games this season, and if the Lakers can turn things around in Thursday night’s Game 3, there’s still time for them to make this a competitive series.
But the Nuggets beat the Lakers twice in Los Angeles in last year’s series. They’ve now beaten them 10 times in a row as a whole. If that streak reaches 12, it’s going to be hard to defend Ham or his staff’s track record against the Nuggets. If your team doesn’t know what it’s doing by its 10th attempt against a single opponent, your coaching staff is doing something wrong.
So far the Cavaliers have been in full control in their first-round playoff series against the Magic. Orlando has even held Cleveland below 100 points in both games, but the Magic haven’t been able to find the offensive firepower to put a tally in the win column. The series continues Thursday night with the Magic hosting Game 3 and trying to climb out of an 0-2 deficit.
Orlando star Paolo Banchero said after Game 2 how he hopes the fans in Orlando show out in full support for Game 3, so perhaps that’ll give them the boost they need to not fall behind any further in this series.
“Our defense is what we thought it was, but it ain’t going to win us a game,” Banchero told reporters after Game 2. “We’ve got to be better on the other end.”
As we prepare for Game 3 of this Cavaliers and Magic matchup, here’s what you need to know.
Cavaliers at Magic — Game 3 Date: Thursday, April 25 | Time: 7 p.m. ET Location: Kia Center — Orlando TV channel: NBATV | Live stream: fubo (try for free) Odds: Magic -2.5; O/U 201.5 Storylines Magic: Orlando is struggling to get anything going in the paint, which is a reversal from what the Magic were able to do in the regular season, where they ranked eighth in the league in points in the paint at 51.8 points per game. So far, they’re getting just 34 points down low, which ranks second-to-last in the postseason. That’s to be expected as scoring decreases in the playoffs, and with Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley manning the frontcourt for Cleveland, it’s far more difficult to generate buckets around the rim. Still, the Magic need to unlock that piece of their offensive game, because if they do that, it will lead to better opportunities from 3-point range, which will force Cleveland defenders to be more honest and not crowd the paint.
Cavaliers: Everything’s going right for the Cavs so far, if there were one thing to improve it would be to get Max Strus going a bit. He shot 35.1% from deep during the regular season, and through the two playoff games he’s only mustering up 20% from downtown. If the Magic are able to close the gap in this series, Cleveland will need someone like Strus to start knocking down those shots. Donovan Mitchell, meanwhile, has led the charge with 26.5 points per game.
Prediction I think Orlando gets it done at home. With the crowd behind the Magic — who are searching for their first playoff series victory since 2010 — and one of the best defenses this postseason, I think they’ll manage to make enough shots to get a win and get back in the series. The Pick: Magic -2.5
The Milwaukee Bucks have some concern about Khris Middleton’s’s status for Game 3 of their first-round playoff series against the Pacers on Friday. While speaking to reporters after practice on Thursday, Bucks coach Doc Rivers said that Middleton didn’t practice after spraining his ankle during Milwaukee’s 125-108 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday.
When asked if there was concern about Middleton’s status for Game 3, Rivers said “yeah, a little,” while also saying, “It’s another holding our breath situation, so honestly, I don’t know.”
Middleton exited Tuesday’s game in the first quarter after rolling his right ankle trying to plant his foot while trying to get past Pacers forward Pascal Siakam. He walked back to the locker room, but soon returned back to Milwaukee’s bench and proceeded to play the rest of the game.
Khris Middleton went to the locker room momentarily after an apparent ankle injury, per the Bucks.
He’s back on the bench but has yet to return to the game. pic.twitter.com/2ZZEIf0yyQ
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) April 24, 2024 After the game, Middleton said “I’ll be all right,” in regards to his ankle, but despite playing for the rest of the game on Tuesday, it appears as though the injury has worsened. With Middleton’s status suddenly in question for Friday, it delivers another blow for the Bucks who are still without star Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Rivers said on Thursday that Giannis — who injured his calf earlier this month — did the most work that he’s seen since being out, including shooting and moving around, however he didn’t participate in any live drills. That doesn’t sound like he’ll be ready to return in Game 3, and adding in Middleton’s status that means the Bucks could find themselves extremely short staffed against a Pacers team that had no difficulty scoring in Game 2.
Without Antetokounmpo and potentially Middleton, that means more responsibility will fall on the shoulders of Damian Lillard, who has had two solid back-to-back performances for Milwaukee. It will also mean the Bucks will need to lean a bit more on Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis to score in the starting unit, and will require guys like Jae Crowder and Pat Connaughton to knock down some shots. Perhaps Middleton will be able to play in Game 3 and this is just all precautionary, but from the sounds of Rivers comments, his status is something to monitor before Game 3.
The Golden State Warriors will face off against the Charlotte Hornets at 10 p.m. ET on Friday at Chase Center. Golden State is 28-26 overall and 15-14 at home, while Charlotte is 14-41 overall and 6-20 on the road. Golden State currently sits 10th in the Western Conference standings, while Charlotte is 13th in the East. Both teams played on Thursday and haven’t revealed official injury lists, though Chris Paul (hand) is still out for Golden State. LaMelo Ball (ankle) missed Thursday’s game and is day-to-day going forward.
Golden State is favored by 13 points in the latest Warriors vs. Hornets odds via SportsLine consensus, and the over/under is 228.5 points. Before entering any Warriors vs. Hornets picks, you’ll want to see the NBA predictions from the model at SportsLine.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters Week 18 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a sizzling 60-36 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning nearly $2,300. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
The model has set its sights on Warriors vs. Hornets You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA betting lines for the game:
Warriors vs. Hornets spread: Warriors -13 Warriors vs. Hornets over/under: 228.5 points Warriors vs. Hornets money line: Warriors -920, Hornets +608 Warriors vs. Hornets picks: See picks here What you need to know about the Warriors Even though the Warriors had only won two of their prior 10 matchups against the Lakers, they reversed that trends on Thursday and got past Los Angeles with points to spare, taking that game 128-110. Stephen Curry was the offensive standout of the game as he scored 32 points along with eight assists and three steals.
Golden State has won seven of its last eight overall now. The Warriors can’t afford to overlook an improving Charlotte squad on Friday since they are in a precarious spot in terms of playoff positioning. Golden State has generally handled back-to-backs well this season, going 7-4 against the spread in the second game. See picks at SportsLine.
What you need to know about the Hornets Meanwhile, the Hornets have caught fire, winning four straight, including knocking off the Jazz on the road on Thursday 115-107. The Hornets were underdogs in all four games during this stretch and they cashed as big +340 underdogs on the money line against the Jazz, so they are certainly capable of pulling off another stunner, or at least keeping it within the double-digit spread.
Grant Williams has helped galvanize this team after coming over from the Mavericks at the deadline. He’s averaged 18.8 and 5.5 rebounds per game and is shooting 42.9% from 3-point territory in his four games. Miles Bridges is playing extremely well also, recording two double-doubles in the last three games. See picks at SportsLine.
How to make Warriors vs. Hornets picks The model has simulated Warriors vs. Hornets 10,000 times and the results are in. The model is leaning Over, and it’s also generated a point-spread pick that has all the value. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
The Milwaukee Bucks will face off against the Minnesota Timberwolves in an interconference matchup on Friday. Minnesota is 39-16 overall and 19-5 at home, while Milwaukee is 35-21 overall and 12-14 on the road. The Timberwolves defeated the Bucks, 129-105, in Milwaukee on Feb. 8 in their first meeting of the season.
Tip-off is set for 10 p.m. ET on Friday at the Target Center in Minneapolis. Minnesota is a 4-point favorite in the latest Bucks vs. Timberwolves odds, according to the SportsLine consensus, and the over/under is 225.5 points. Before entering any Timberwolves vs. Bucks picks, you need to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s advanced computer simulation model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters Week 18 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a sizzling 60-36 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning nearly $2,300. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
The model has set its sights on Milwaukee vs. Minnesota. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Bucks vs. Timberwolves:
Timberwolves vs. Bucks spread: Timberwolves -4 Timberwolves vs. Bucks over/under: 225.5 points Timberwolves vs. Bucks money line: Timberwolves: -173, Bucks: +146 MIL: The Bucks are 2-2 ATS over their last four games MIN: The Timberwolves are 4-0 ATS over their last four games Timberwolves vs. Bucks picks: See picks at SportsLine What to know about the Bucks The Bucks are playing their first game since the All-Star break, and they may have needed the time off as much as anybody. Things haven’t gone great in the win/loss column since Doc Rivers took over as head coach. The Bucks are 3-7 under Rivers, including dropping back-to-back contests before the All-Star break. A Friday matchup against the Timberwolves, who have the second-best record in the NBA, won’t make things any easier.
Milwaukee still has one of the best duos in the NBA in Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard and those two alone can take over a game at a moment’s notice. Antetokounmpo is averaging 30.8 points, 11.2 rebounds and 6.4 assists with Lillard scoring 24.6 points with 6.7 assists. Although it hasn’t often translated into wins, the Bucks’ defense has played better since Rivers became head coach, allowing 113 ppg over his 10 games compared to 120.1 ppg before Rivers took over. Khris Middleton (ankle) is out for Milwaukee. See which team to pick here.
What to know about the Timberwolves The Timberwolves, however, probably had no interest in suspending their season when the All-Star break arrived. Minnesota entered its week off on a four-game winning streak to expand its lead atop of the Western Conference. This will also be the Timberwolves’ first game back since the break as they’ve had one of the strongest and most surprising starts to the 2023-24 NBA campaign.
Defensive dominance has been the key to Minnesota’s success as it’s allowing the fewest points per game (106.7) and lowest field goal percentage (44.6%) in the NBA this year. Opposing teams have the lowest 2-point field goal percentage against the Timberwolves in part due to the size and paint presence of Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns, while allowing the sixth lowest 3-point percentage. The Timberwolves allow the second-fewest points in the paint and rebounds per game as the Bucks will have to find ways to control Minnesota’s size if they want to pull out a victory on Friday. See which team to pick here.
How to make Timberwolves vs. Bucks picks The model has simulated Bucks vs. Timberwolves 10,000 times and the results are in. We can tell you that the model is leaning Over, and it also says one side of the spread hits over 60% of the time. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
The Phoenix Suns and Houston Rockets look to rebound from double-digit road losses on Thursday as they go head-to-head on Friday night. The Suns (33-23) fell to the Mavericks, 123-113, while the Rockets (24-31) lost to the Pelicans, 127-105. Phoenix won the teams’ only game against one another this season, 129-113 in December. The Suns are 24-31-1 against the spread, while the Rockets are 27-26-2 ATS in 2023-24.
Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. ET at the Toyota Center in Houston. Phoenix is favored by 3.5 points in the latest Suns vs. Rockets odds, per SportsLine consensus, and the over/under is 233.5 points. Before entering any Rockets vs. Suns picks, you’ll want to see the NBA predictions from the model at SportsLine.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters Week 18 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a sizzling 60-36 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning nearly $2,300. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
The model has set its sights on Phoenix vs. Houston. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Suns vs. Rockets:
Rockets vs. Suns spread: Suns -3.5 Rockets vs. Suns over/under: 233.5 points Rockets vs. Suns money line: Suns -169, Rockets +143 Rockets vs. Suns picks: See picks at SportsLine Why the Suns can cover Playing without star guard Bradley Beal in the team’s first game following the All-Star Break, Phoenix fell in Dallas last night and likely won’t have Beal’s services against the Rockets either. Devin Booker’s 35 points, eight assists, and five rebounds weren’t enough for the Suns to open this crucial stretch of their season on a winning note. Booker is now averaging 27.7 points, 7.0 assists, and 4.6 rebounds, and along with Kevin Durant, must lead the Suns in scoring most nights for the team to have an optimal chance at success.
Durant had a slow Thursday, hitting 9 of 22 shots for only 23 points, below his season average of 28.1 points per game. Forward Royce O’Neale, acquired at the trade deadline, played 30 minutes and added 10 points and nine rebounds off the bench against Dallas. Former Rockets guard Eric Gordon, now thrust in the starting lineup with Beal out, scored 27 points against his old team in this matchup earlier this season and will be relied on heavily again tonight. See which team to pick here.
Why the Rockets can cover Houston was thoroughly outplayed by New Orleans on Thursday and got its second half of the season off on the wrong foot in a 22-point loss. The Rockets were led in scoring by rookie Amen Thompson, who scored 22 points on 9 of 13 shooting off the bench. Houston’s emerging star, center Alperen Sengun, scored 20 points and grabbed nine rebounds in the loss. Sengun has taken his game to another level this season, averaging 21.1 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 5.0 assists nightly.
The Rockets’ second leading scorer, guard Jalen Green, failed to produce against the Pelicans, scoring 10 points on a poor 3 of 14 shooting. Averaging 17.9 PPG, Green will be expected to carry a heavier load in what should be another high-scoring game against Phoenix. Point guard Fred VanVleet, who averages 16.3 points and 8.1 assists, only had seven points and six assists last night, and will also need to make a more significant impact if Houston is to pull the slight home upset. See which team to pick here.
How to make Suns vs. Rockets picks The model has simulated Phoenix vs. Houston 10,000 times and the results are in. We can tell you that the model is leaning Under, and it’s also generated a point-spread pick where one side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
The Memphis Grizzlies (20-36) will try to record their first three-game winning streak since the end of January when they face the Los Angeles Clippers (36-18) on Friday night. Memphis had lost nine straight games, but it has bounced back with wins over Houston and Milwaukee. Los Angeles has lost two of its last three games, including a 129-107 setback at Oklahoma City on Thursday. This is the final game of a three-game road trip for the Clippers.
Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. ET on Friday at FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn. Los Angeles is favored by 9 points in the latest Grizzlies vs. Clippers odds, while the over/under is 222.5 points, per SportsLine consensus. Before entering any Clippers vs. Grizzlies picks, you’ll want to see the NBA predictions from the model at SportsLine.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters Week 18 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a sizzling 60-36 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning nearly $2,300. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
The model has set its sights on Los Angeles vs. Memphis. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Clippers vs. Grizzlies:
Grizzlies vs. Clippers spread: Grizzlies +9 Grizzlies vs. Clippers over/under: 222.5 points Grizzlies vs. Clippers money line: Grizzlies: +321, Clippers: -411 Grizzlies vs. Clippers picks: See picks at SportsLine Why the Grizzlies can cover Memphis had lost nine straight games before picking up consecutive home wins before the All-Star Break. The Grizzlies notched a 121-113 win over the Rockets and followed it up with a 113-110 win over the Bucks the following night. They were 14.5-point underdogs in their shocking win over Milwaukee, as rookie Gregory Jackson and small forward Ziaire Williams both scored 27 points.
The Grizzlies have been dealing with injuries throughout the season, but Jaren Jackson Jr. (probable; quad) is expected to return to the lineup on Friday after missing the final game before the All-Star break. Los Angeles is playing the second leg of a back-to-back on the road after getting blown out by Oklahoma City on Thursday. Memphis has covered the spread in 10 of its last 14 games, including seven of its last nine home games. See which team to pick here.
Why the Clippers can cover Los Angeles had won 28 of its past 35 games prior to its loss to the Thunder on Thursday after returning from the All-Star break. However, the Clippers had a chance to get their legs underneath them after the break, while Memphis is getting set for its first game in eight days. The Clippers have already picked up two wins over the Grizzlies, including a 128-119 win in Memphis on Jan. 12.
Paul George poured in 37 points in that win, while Kawhi Leonard added 22 points. The Clippers have no current injury issues, while the Grizzlies are playing without Desmond Bane (ankle), Marcus Smart (finger) and Ja Morant (shoulder). Los Angeles has won five of its last six road games, and Memphis has only won three of its last 11 games against Pacific Division opponents. See which team to pick here.
How to make Grizzlies vs. Clippers picks The model has simulated Clippers vs. Grizzlies 10,000 times and the results are in. We can tell you that the model is leaning Over, and it’s also generated a point-spread pick that is hitting in over 50% of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
The New Orleans Pelicans will face off against the Miami Heat in an interconference matchup on Friday. New Orleans is 34-22 overall and 17-10 at home, while Miami is 30-25 overall and 15-12 on the road. The Heat have won six straight meetings against the Pelicans but this is the first time they are meeting this season.
Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. ET on Friday at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. The Pelicans are 3.5-point favorites in the latest Heat vs. Pelicans odds, according to the SportsLine consensus, and the over/under is 220 points. Before entering any Pelicans vs. Heat picks, you need to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s advanced computer simulation model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters Week 18 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a sizzling 60-36 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning nearly $2,300. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
The model has set its sights on Miami vs. New Orleans. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Heat vs. Pelicans:
Pelicans vs. Heat spread: Pelicans -3.5 Pelicans vs. Heat over/under: 220 points Pelicans vs. Heat money line: Pelicans: -158, Heat: +133 MIA: The Heat are 5-0 ATS over their last five games NO: The Pelicans are 16-11 ATS at home this season Pelicans vs. Heat picks: See picks at SportsLine What to know about the Heat The Heat are playing their first game since the All-Star break and are expected to have Jimmy Butler back. The six-time All-Star missed the final three games before the break due to a death in the family. The Heat did win two of those three contests, but they’ll be happy to have one of their leaders back as Butler leads the team in scoring (21.4 points per game) and assists (4.6 per game).
Tyler Herro (questionable, foot) is averaging 21 ppg with Bam Adebayo adding 20.2 points and 10.6 rebounds per contest. Miami has traditionally had one of the best defenses in the NBA yearly, and the 2023-24 season is no exception. The Heat rank fourth in scoring defense (110.4 ppg) while holding opponents to the second-fewest field goal attempts per game. Miami allows the second-fewest offensive rebounds in the league, which is a huge reason it has been effective at keeping opponents off the scoreboard. Terry Rozier (knee) is out for Miami. See which team to pick here.
What to know about the Pelicans The Pelicans won’t have to worry about any after All-Star break rust as New Orleans defeated the Rockets, 127-105, on Thursday. New Orleans had contributions throughout its lineup with six different players scoring double-digit points, led by 28 points, six rebounds and six assists from CJ McCollum. Zion Williamson added 27 points and nine assists, while Jonas Valanciunas had 20 points and 14 rebounds.
Brandon Ingram (illness) was out Thursday and is questionable for Friday. The 26-year-old small forward ranks second on the team in scoring (21.4 ppg) and leads in assists (5.8 per game). The Pelicans are one of the best ATS teams in the NBA, going 31-24-1 against the number. They have covered the spread in 56.4% of games, which is tied for the third-best clip in the league. New Orleans has the best 3-point defense in the NBA, holding opponents to 34.6% from deep, and that will be tested against shooters such as Herro and Duncan Robinson on Friday. See which team to pick here.
How to make Pelicans vs. Heat picks The model has simulated Heat vs. Pelicans 10,000 times and the results are in. We can tell you that the model is leaning Over, and it also says one side of the spread hits 60% of the time. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
The Oklahoma City Thunder (38-17) will try to extend their three-game winning streak when they host the Washington Wizards (9-46) on Friday night. Oklahoma City returned from the All-Star Break with a 129-107 win over the Clippers on Thursday. Washington has not won a game since beating the Pistons and Spurs in back-to-back games at the end of January. The Thunder are in second place in the Western Conference standings, while the Wizards have the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference.
Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. ET at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Okla. The Thunder are favored by 16 points in the latest Wizards vs. Thunder odds, while the over/under is 241 points, per SportsLine consensus. Before entering any Thunder vs. Wizards picks, you’ll want to see the NBA predictions from the model at SportsLine.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters Week 18 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a sizzling 60-36 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning nearly $2,300. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
The model has set its sights on Washington vs. Oklahoma City. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Wizards vs. Thunder:
Thunder vs. Wizards spread: Thunder -16 Thunder vs. Wizards over/under: 241 points Thunder vs. Wizards money line: Thunder: -1540, Wizards: +871 Thunder vs. Wizards picks: See picks at SportsLine Why the Thunder can cover Oklahoma City closed the first half of the season with a pair of wins over the Kings and Magic, covering the spread as small favorites in both of those games. It returned from the All-Star Break with a fantastic showing on Thursday night, cruising to a 129-107 win over the Clippers as 1-point favorites. Los Angeles did not outscore Oklahoma City in any quarter of that contest.
Shooting guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 points, dished out eight assists and grabbed four rebounds, shooting 12 of 19 from the floor. All five OKC starters scored in double figures, including a double-double from rookie center Chet Holmgren. The Thunder are riding a five-game home winning streak and are 11-4 in their last 15 home games against the Wizards. See which team to pick here.
Why the Wizards can cover Washington has been a valuable team to back on the road in recent weeks, covering the spread in seven of its last eight road games. The Wizards are wrapping up a four-game road trip, and they covered the spread against the Mavericks and Pelicans to open that stretch. They have already played one close game against the Thunder this season, losing by eight points last month.
Power forward Kyle Kuzma leads Washington with 22.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game, while Jordan Poole is scoring 15.7 points and dishing out 3.6 assists. Poole came off the bench for the first time this season on Thursday, finishing with 18 points at Denver. The Wizards have covered the spread in four of their last six games. See which team to pick here.
How to make Thunder vs. Wizards picks The model has simulated Wizards vs. Thunder 10,000 times and the results are in. We can tell you that the model is leaning Under, and it’s also generated a point-spread pick that is hitting in well over 60% of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
Joel Embiid and Karl-Anthony Towns made a bunch of history on Monday night. Embiid scored a career and franchise high 70 points in the 76ers’ win over the Spurs, and Towns followed that with 62 points — also a career and franchise high — in the Timberwolves’ loss to the Hornets.
Embiid’s final line: 70 points, 18 rebounds, five assists on 24-for-41 shooting, including 1 of 2 from 3-point land and 21 of 23 from the free-throw line. Towns’ final line: 62 points, eight rebounds, two assists, seven turnovers on 21-of-35 shooting, including 10 of 15 from 3 and 10 of 14 from the free-throw line. Here’s a look at how the night breaks down by the numbers:
1 Embiid is the one and only player to score 70 points in a Sixers uniform, supplanting Wilt Chamberlain’s previous franchise high of 68. Chamberlain previously set the record Dec. 16, 1967.
historic night in South Philly. pic.twitter.com/lCU12aTM2H
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) January 23, 2024 Towns was already the only player in Timberwolves history to score 60 in a game, and now, obviously, his 62 is the new franchise record. The highest single-game total for a Timberwolves player not named Towns is the 52 points Mo Williams put up in 2015.
A NEW CAREER-HIGH 👏👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/I8rWvuGaXa
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) January 23, 2024 2 Towns joins Chamberlain as the second center in history to record multiple 60-point games. Chamberlain did it a hilarious 32 times. Towns’ previous career and franchise high was 60 against the Spurs in 2022.
KAT left it all on the floor, including scoring 44 1H PTS and knocking down 10 triples on way to a new career high of 62.
Towns becomes the first player in NBA history with 10+ 3PM, 10+ 2PM, and 10+ FTM in a game. pic.twitter.com/o6EoQtnpSg
— NBA (@NBA) January 23, 2024 Towns is also the second player in history to record 60 points and 10 made 3-pointers in the same game, joining Damian Lillard, who did it twice (71 with 13 3s vs. Houston last season, and 61 with 11 3s vs. the Warriors in 2020).
3 Towns now has the three highest-scoring games in Timberwolves history: 62 on Monday, 60, as mentioned above, in 2022 against the Spurs, and 56 in 2018 against the Hawks.
Towns is also the third player to commit at least seven turnovers in a 60-point game, joining Kemba Walker (9) and David Robinson (8).
4 The number of times in NBA history that two players have surpassed 60 points on the same night.
This is the 4th instance in NBA history in which 2 players have recorded 60+ points on the same night:
01/22/2024 – Joel Embiid (70) & Karl-Anthony Towns (62) 04/09/1978 – David Thompson (73) & George Gervin (63) 01/17/1962 – Jerry West (63) & Wilt Chamberlain (62) 12/08/1961… pic.twitter.com/eS2rAXfGO0
— NBA History (@NBAHistory) January 23, 2024 5 Embiid’s five assists on Monday set him apart from any other player in history. Two guys have gone for at least 70 points and 18 rebounds (Chamberlain did it five times, and Elgin Baylor, who went for 71 and 25 in 1960, once), but Chamberlain’s assist high was two and Baylor only carded one dime.
Lower the standard to 65 points and 15 rebounds, and Michael Jordan is the only other player to put up five assists with those first two numbers.
“Wilt never did this?” 😂
Embiid couldn’t believe only him and MJ had 65 PTS, 15 REB, 5 AST in a game
(via @NBCSPhilly) pic.twitter.com/3y1FPNhbgR
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 23, 2024 6 The number of games that Embiid can miss over the remainder of the season and still remain eligible to win a second MVP. The league’s new rule mandates a 65-game minimum of at least 20 minutes played. That means you can miss 17 games and still be eligible. Embiid has already missed 11. The Sixers have 40 games left.
7 Number of players who have recorded multiple 60-point games in their career: Chamberlain (32) Kobe Bryant (6) Lillard (5) Jordan (4) James Harden (4) Baylor (3), and now Towns (2).
9 Number of players to reach 70 points in an NBA game: Chamberlain, Baylor, David Robinson, David Thompson, Bryant, Devin Booker, Donovan Mitchell, Lillard, and now Embiid.
10 Towns is the first player in NBA history to record at least 10 made 2-pointers, 10 made 3-pointers and 10 made free throws in a single game. He is also the first center in history to make at least 10 3-pointers in a game.
18 Remarkably, Monday night marked the 18-year anniversary of Bryant’s 81-point game against the Raptors on January 22, 2006. Embiid and Towns certainly did the late legend proud.
History for KAT and Embiid on the anniversary of Kobe’s iconic 81-point game 🔥 pic.twitter.com/IlNLucAclL
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 23, 2024 Embiid took time in his post-game press conference to pay homage to the late Hall of Famer. “Even though I started playing late, from the time I started playing, Kobe was my guy,” Embiid said. “He’s the reason why I started playing basketball.”
Shortly after, Embiid took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to post a tribute:
KOBE!!! 70 Piece pic.twitter.com/1qnYwTfhsB
— Joel Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) January 23, 2024 21 Minnesota became the 21st team in history to lose a game in which one of its players scored at least 60 points. It happened to Chamberlain 11 times and Jordan twice. And one time each to Gervin, Bernard King, Thompson, Booker, Kemba Walker, Bradley Beal, Lillard and now Towns.
Most Points in a Loss in Last 50 Years:
73 — David Thompson 70 — Devin Booker 64 — Michael Jordan 63 — George Gervin 62 — Karl Anthony-Towns
Tough Loss 💔 pic.twitter.com/MP0rpv5Iio
— Hoop Muse (@HoopMuse) January 23, 2024 44 Towns now holds the NBA record (play-by-play era, dating back to 1997) for first-half points with 44, two more than the 42 that Kobe Bryant scored in 2003 against Jordan’s Wizards (he wound up with 55 total).
All told, five players have scored at least 40 points in a first half: Towns, Bryant, Kyrie Irving and Lillard (41) and Klay Thompson (40).
Open it up to either half, and Towns is fourth all-time behind Bryant (55), Booker (51) and Brandon Jennings (45), all of whom did their work in the second half.
59 Embiid’s previous career high, which came against the Jazz in 2022. Embiid had 59 by the end of the third quarter on Monday.
