Betting news, trends, odds and predictions for Tuesday, March 20, 2018 from various handicappers and websites
Tuesday’s NBA
Toronto won seven of last ten games with the Magic; they’re 2-4 vs spread in last six visits to Orlando. Under is 7-3 in last ten series games. Raptors won nine of their last 10 games; they’re 7-1 in last eight games as road favorites. Under is 3-2 in their last five road games. Magic lost six of their last seven games; they’re 8-4 in last dozen games as home underdogs. Under is 6-2 in their last eight games.
Pelicans won three of last four games with Dallas; over is 4-2 in last six series games. Mavericks are 3-2 vs spread in last five visits to Bourbon Street. Dallas lost six of its last nine games; they are 2-4 in last six games as road underdogs. Over is 6-4 in their last ten games. New Orleans lost four of its last six games; they’re 4-9 in last 13 games as home favorites. Five of their last seven games stayed under total.
Minnesota won its last five games with the Clippers; road team won seven of last nine series games. Last three series games went over the total. Clippers lost their last three games; they’re 9-4 in last 13 games as road underdogs. six of their last nine games went over total. Minnesota lost five of its last seven games; they’re 9-2 in last 11 games as home favorites. Seven of their last nine games went over.
Thunder won eight of last ten games with the Celtics; they covered their last four visits to Boston, three of which went over the total. Oklahoma City won its last six games; they covered three of last four road games. Thunder’s last three games went over total. Celtics lost three of their last four games; they’re 6-2 vs spread in their last eight games. Three of last four Boston games stayed under.
Hawks won seven of last ten games with the Jazz; they’re 3-2 vs spread in last five visits to SLC. Five of last seven series games stayed under total. Atlanta lost its last six games; they’re 4-5 in last nine games as road underdogs. Hawks’ last four games went over the total. Utah won its last nine games, covered six of last seven; they’re 5-3 vs spread in last eight home games. Six of their last eight games stayed under.
Pistons won five of last six games with Phoenix; they covered three of last four visits to the desert. Three of last four series games went over total. Detroit lost seven of its last nine games; they’re 3-5 as road favorites this season. Six of last eight series games stayed under total. Suns lost their last eight games; they’re 2-9 in last 11 games as home underdogs. Three of their last four games went over total.
Rockets won five of last six games with Portland; they’re 2-4 vs spread in last six visits here. Six of last seven games went over the total. Houston won 22 of its last 23 games; they’re 8-2 vs spread in last ten road games. Six of their last seven games stayed under. Trailblazers won their last 13 games; they’re 4-3 as home underdogs this season. Under is 8-4 in their last twelve games.
Game of the Night - Denver at Miami, Altitude, 7:35 ET
The Miami Heat would have to be a major college basketball power in the city of Cincinnati to fumble away their place in the Eastern Conference playoffs. After missing out last season due to a tiebreaker, the Heat will be part of the postseason picture despite entering the week as the No. 8 seed.
Miami is up 6. 5 games on Detroit and seven on Charlotte with just 12 games left, so the goal now is to earn the No. 3 seed. Toronto and Boston will be the top two in the conference, but the remaining six teams enter the week separated by just 3.5 games.
In the Western Conference, the margin between earning the No. 3 seed and finishing out of the mix in ninth and 10th is 6.5 games. Teams 5-through-7 currently have 40 wins and 30 losses, while the Timberwolves have slipped to No. 8 at 40-31.
With March Madness living up to billing through one of the craziest NCAA Tournaments ever, the NBA is set to follow suit by delivering a competitive final few weeks as teams jockey for playoff seeding. We may see some deft strategic tanking over the final few days, but for the most part, we’re going to see playoff contenders going at it to provide some excellent drama between now and April 11.
Tonight’s schedule also features the Cavs hosting the Bucks in a Central Division clash and the depleted Warriors looking to help keep San Antonio out of the West’s top eight, but this interconference matchup best captures what we’re likely to see going forward as teams play a desperate 48 minutes before moving on to the next city.
Denver is joined by the Clippers on the outside looking in at the moment in the Western Conference, just 1.5 games back of Minnesota. The Nuggets opened a defining seven-game road trip, by far their longest of the season, by taking a 101-94 loss in Memphis. Only one other team on the docket (Chicago) won’t make the playoffs, so Denver really got off poorly in losing to the Grizzlies.
Although there are no back-to-backs, Denver will visit the Bulls, Wizards, 76ers, Raptors and Thunder after departing South Florida, so it will fall behind the pace and become a Western Conference afterthought if it can’t put together a better effort than it managed on Saturday night.
The Grizzlies snapped a 19-game losing streak by holding the Nuggets to 36.8 percent shooting, taking advantage of the absence of shooting guard Gary Harris. Paul Millsap has largely struggled in his return to the lineup, which also led to a bad loss against the Lakers last week. Michael Malone has to figure out what the right buttons are with some urgency or his franchise will soon face the reality that they’ve wasted an opportunity to grow a talented, young conference via some playoff experience.
Miami just wrapped up a three-game road trip, salvaging it on Friday night with a 92-91 win over the Lakers. After losses in Portland and Sacramento, the Heat were underdogs at Staples but rallied in an ugly game when Goran Dragic took matters into his hands and hit a clutch runner and Isaiah Thomas’ subsequent game-winning fadeaway fell short.
Since trading for the currently injured Dwyane Wade, the Heat is 8-7 straight up but 10-3-1 against the number. Miami gets to finish the season with six of eight games at home, as stretch that begins tonight without Hassan Whiteside available either. He’s still nursing a hip issue and was downgraded to out on Sunday night. Denver’s Harris also remains out.
Rookie center Bam Adebayo and reserve power forward Kelly Olynyk have become major factors for the Heat with Whiteside out and will be tasked with attempting to slow Denver standout Nikola Jokic. He missed 10 of 15 shots against Marc Gasol and Memphis’ defense, but has been the driving force for his team, racking up triple-doubles over the past few months.
Denver won the only meeting between these teams 95-94 way back on Nov. 3 in what was only Miami’s second road game of the season. Millsap won it late after being fouled by James Johnson, but Dion Waiters missed a jumper to win it. He’s currently out for the season. Jokic got the better of Whiteside in that matchup, so we’ll see how he fares against Miami’s backup options.
As the Cavs turn
The Westgate LV Superbook has moved on to Toronto (6/5) as the new Eastern Conference favorite, just ahead of Cleveland (2/1) and Boston (5/2). We'll see how the numbers look when an update is released later today, but they couldn't improve much given that last week's wins came against the Suns and Bulls and they fell in Portland in the lone game against a playoff contender.
Larry Nance, Jr. (hamstring), Kyle Korver (foot) and Rodney Hood (back) are all unlikely to play, though Korver hasn't been ruled out. Meanwhile, Kevin Love's return from a broken hand is imminent and may come as soon as tonight. It will be interesting to see whether oddsmakers make the Raptors a slight favorite at the Q on Wednesday given all the injuries on the Cavs' roster - I would - but I suppose some of that hinges on who plays tonight and how well they perform against Milwaukee.
Tristan Thompson stepped on a heel and ended up with a significant ankle sprain that continues to keep him out, but the Cavs were installed as a 3-point favorite against Giannis Antetokounmpo's Bucks, who they are hoping to beat for the third time in four meetings. This could be a great spot for the visitors to make a statement by gaining a split of the season series, closing the gap in a tightly-contested Central Division now that Jabari Parker is back and emerging as a factor.
Indiana dropped out of first in the Central with consecutive losses and are now a half-game back, 2.5 up on the Bucks. The Pacers host the Lakers on Monday night and hope to welcome back forward Myles Turner from an ankle injury. Key backup Domantas Sabonis remains out with his ankle sprain, but Thaddeus Young is probable after being ill.
Injury Report
Most Spurs-Warriors meetings would lead any NBA preview, but tonight's clash is decidedly muted. Stephen Curry (ankle), Kevin Durant (ribs) and Klay Thompson (thumb) are all out for the defending champs, while Kawhi Leonard remains sidelined for San Antonio. We'll likely learn more this week about whether to expect Leonard for the postseason, but his team of doctors still haven't cleared his return even though San Antonio's medical staff has. The Spurs are a 6.5-point favorite against Draymond Green-led Golden State, which is currently featuring Quinn Cook and Nick Young in Splash Brother roles.
Charlotte suffered an embarrassing loss in New York on Saturday night, getting outscored 42-17 in the third quarter. It also lost Nicolas Batum to an achilles injury set to sideline him at Philadelphia. Batum couldn't physically get right for most of the season, which is one reason the Hornets will miss the playoffs. Cody Zeller is doubtful due to knee soreness.
The Bulls visit Madison Square Garden without their three largest building blocks, taking the cautious approach with Zach LaVine's knee, Lauri Markkanen's sore back and Kris Dunn's sprained toe. Courtney Lee missed the Hornets win to attend a funeral but is likely to return for the Knicks.
By Tony Mejia
Toronto Raptors vs. Orlando Magic Preview and Predictions 03-20-2018
19th March 2018 by Gracenote
The Toronto Raptors watched their 11-game winning streak come to an end in a testy affair against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday that featured a trio of ejections. The Raptors will try to keep their emotions under control and get back in the win column when they begin a two-game trip by visiting the Orlando Magic on Tuesday.
Toronto coach Dwane Casey, All-Star shooting guard DeMar DeRozan and power forward Serge Ibaka were all sent to the locker room in the final minute on Saturday for complaining to the officials about calls, particularly when DeRozan appeared to be fouled on a layup attempt but did not draw a whistle. "He smacked the (stuff) out of me," DeRozan told reporters of Oklahoma City forward Corey Brewer. "He smacked me. He tried to smack me because I had a layup. Period. I got fouled." The Raptors should have an easier time against the Magic, who are losers of six of their last seven games and followed up a 126-117 win over Milwaukee to begin the homestand with a 92-83 loss to Boston on Friday. "That's one of the main things in this league -- you have to be consistent if you want to win," Orlando center Nikola Vucevic told reporters. "Not every game is going to be great. Some games are going to be not good or great, but you have to find something that you do well each game that can give you a chance every game. We've got to figure that out."
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Florida (Orlando), TSN2 (Toronto)
ABOUT THE MAGIC (21-49): Orlando whiplashed offensively from 72 points in a loss at San Antonio last Tuesday to 126 against the Bucks and 83 against the Celtics. "It's a little puzzling," Magic coach Frank Vogel told reporters. "You come back from the (10-day, five-game) trip that we had with that type of sleep adjustment, it takes a couple of days. To our credit, we mustered up a lot of energy on the first day back. Clearly, we didn't have the legs to make shots (Friday). That was evident both with our finishing at the rim and our perimeter shooting." Small forward Jonathon Simmons went 7-of-12 from 3-point range against Milwaukee but combined to go 2-of-11 against Boston and San Antonio.
ABOUT THE RAPTORS (52-18): The good thing to come out of Sunday's loss was that the team got another chance to experience a playoff-like atmosphere against a top-eight team from the Western Conference. "This is the intensity that the playoffs are going to be," Casey told reporters. "We've got to make sure we keep our composure. It's one game, it doesn't make or break our season. We knew we (weren't) going to run the table the rest of the season." The Raptors head to Cleveland on Wednesday before returning home and will play six of their final 10 games in Toronto, where they own an NBA-best 29-6 home record.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Raptors reserve PG Delon Wright totaled 30 points and 14 assists in the last two games.
2. Magic PF Aaron Gordon (concussion) sat out the last five games and hopes to return on Tuesday.
3. DeRozan led the way with 21 points in a 117-104 win at Orlando on Feb. 28.
PREDICTION: Raptors 119, Magic 106
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Boston Celtics Preview and Predictions 03-20-2018
19th March 2018 by Gracenote
The Oklahoma City Thunder welcomed the challenge of facing the top two teams in the Eastern Conference in back-to-back games and already knocked off one with a 132-125 win at the Toronto Raptors on Sunday. The Thunder will try to make it a 2-0 trip and run their overall winning streak to seven in a row when they visit the Boston Celtics on Tuesday.
Reigning MVP Russell Westbrook notched his fifth straight triple-double with 37 points, 14 assists and 13 rebounds on Sunday and scored 17 of his team's final 19 points. "They were trying to shade me one way. That's fine," Westbrook told reporters. "It doesn't really matter which way I go. So, whichever way, I just take what the defense gives me." The Celtics have their own All-Star point guard capable of putting up big numbers but Kyrie Irving (knee) sat out his third straight game on Sunday as Boston fell at the New Orleans Pelicans 108-89 -- its third setback in the last four games. Irving, who leads the Celtics in scoring (24.4 points), assists (5.1) and field-goal percentage (.491), has already been ruled out for Tuesday.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, TNT, FS Oklahoma
ABOUT THE THUNDER (43-29): Oklahoma City is sitting in fourth place in the West and had all five starters score in double figures on Sunday, including 25 points on 10-of-13 shooting from center Steven Adams. "(Adams) does so many things and (scoring's) a part of his game obviously that people overlook because of all the other great things he does," Westbrook told reporters. "His success rate is very, very high when he gets the ball where he wants, and he can get to any spot, move anybody. I'm just lucky and happy he's on our team." The 25 points matched a season high for Adams, who added eight rebounds and four assists in the win.
ABOUT THE CELTICS (47-23): Irving isn't the only player on a growing injury list for Boston, and second-leading scorer Jaylen Brown (14.1 points) missed the last four games while going through the league's concussion protocol and is also not expected to be in the lineup on Tuesday. The Celtics averaged 90.5 points in the last two games without Brown and Irving and shot 40.2 percent from the floor in Sunday's setback at New Orleans. "We're going to have to figure out how to score as long as Jaylen and Kyrie are out," coach Brad Stevens told reporters.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Thunder PF Carmelo Anthony is 16-of-29 from 3-point range over the last four games.
2. Celtics PG Terry Rozier is starting in place of Irving and is averaging 17 points in the last three games.
3. Boston got 25 points from Irving in a 101-94 win at Oklahoma City on Nov. 3.
PREDICTION: Thunder 108, Celtics 101
Dallas Mavericks vs. New Orleans Pelicans Preview and Predictions 03-20-2018
19th March 2018 by Gracenote
The New Orleans Pelicans are planning on making the playoffs this spring, and performances like their 108-89 win over the Boston Celtics on Sunday give them hope that they can hold their position. The Pelicans will try to stay with the pack in a crowded Western Conference when they host the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday.
Sunday's win came on the heels of a stretch of four losses in five games to postseason contenders, capped by a 107-101 home setback to NBA-best Houston on Saturday. "I think it is good for us because it was a good bounce-back game for us," New Orleans All-Star power forward Anthony Davis told reporters after beating the Celtics. "You know, it was a tough one last night and then come in, number one defensive team, and score on them and then hold them to what they had, under a hundred. So, it was good for us to kind of bounce back from last night and get this win." The Pelicans can't afford to look too far ahead with another East power coming to town on Wednesday in the Indiana Pacers, though it might be tempting to overlook the Mavericks. Dallas is one of four West teams already eliminated from playoff contention and it is wrapping up a four-game road trip in New Orleans.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FS Southwest (Dallas), FS New Orleans
ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (22-48): One of the few bright spots in an otherwise down season for Dallas is rookie point guard Dennis Smith Jr., who suffered a sprained ankle during Saturday's loss to the Brooklyn Nets. Smith, who is averaging 15 points and 4.9 assists, had X-rays come back negative and is expected to return soon but will not play on Tuesday. "I'm feeling better," Smith told reporters on Monday. "We're doing a good job of just staying on top of everything and making sure we're taking care of everything, so it won't be long (before I'm playing again). I'm out of the boot. I had it for two days. I'm just a little tender right now, but it's going pretty well."
ABOUT THE PELICANS (40-30): New Orleans continues to search for contributions from players other than Davis and Jrue Holiday and got some on Sunday from power forward Cheick Diallo. The 21-year-old Kansas product delivered a season-high 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting in 24 minutes off the bench and added six rebounds. "It's a work in progress, like I always say," Diallo told reporters. "It's a great opportunity for me every time I step on the court. Every game matters for us right now. Every position matters, so every time I play, basically we've just got to play hard. I came from the bench so that's what I do, just bring energy every single night."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Pelicans PF Nikola Mirotic is 2-of-12 from 3-point range over the last three games.
2. Mavericks PG J.J. Barea (rib) sat out Saturday and is day-to-day.
3. New Orleans earned a 126-109 win at Dallas on March 4 behind 30 points from Holiday.
PREDICTION: Pelicans 108, Mavericks 95
Dallas Mavericks vs. New Orleans Pelicans Preview and Predictions 03-20-2018
19th March 2018 by Gracenote
The New Orleans Pelicans are planning on making the playoffs this spring, and performances like their 108-89 win over the Boston Celtics on Sunday give them hope that they can hold their position. The Pelicans will try to stay with the pack in a crowded Western Conference when they host the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday.
Sunday's win came on the heels of a stretch of four losses in five games to postseason contenders, capped by a 107-101 home setback to NBA-best Houston on Saturday. "I think it is good for us because it was a good bounce-back game for us," New Orleans All-Star power forward Anthony Davis told reporters after beating the Celtics. "You know, it was a tough one last night and then come in, number one defensive team, and score on them and then hold them to what they had, under a hundred. So, it was good for us to kind of bounce back from last night and get this win." The Pelicans can't afford to look too far ahead with another East power coming to town on Wednesday in the Indiana Pacers, though it might be tempting to overlook the Mavericks. Dallas is one of four West teams already eliminated from playoff contention and it is wrapping up a four-game road trip in New Orleans.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FS Southwest (Dallas), FS New Orleans
ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (22-48): One of the few bright spots in an otherwise down season for Dallas is rookie point guard Dennis Smith Jr., who suffered a sprained ankle during Saturday's loss to the Brooklyn Nets. Smith, who is averaging 15 points and 4.9 assists, had X-rays come back negative and is expected to return soon but will not play on Tuesday. "I'm feeling better," Smith told reporters on Monday. "We're doing a good job of just staying on top of everything and making sure we're taking care of everything, so it won't be long (before I'm playing again). I'm out of the boot. I had it for two days. I'm just a little tender right now, but it's going pretty well."
ABOUT THE PELICANS (40-30): New Orleans continues to search for contributions from players other than Davis and Jrue Holiday and got some on Sunday from power forward Cheick Diallo. The 21-year-old Kansas product delivered a season-high 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting in 24 minutes off the bench and added six rebounds. "It's a work in progress, like I always say," Diallo told reporters. "It's a great opportunity for me every time I step on the court. Every game matters for us right now. Every position matters, so every time I play, basically we've just got to play hard. I came from the bench so that's what I do, just bring energy every single night."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Pelicans PF Nikola Mirotic is 2-of-12 from 3-point range over the last three games.
2. Mavericks PG J.J. Barea (rib) sat out Saturday and is day-to-day.
3. New Orleans earned a 126-109 win at Dallas on March 4 behind 30 points from Holiday.
PREDICTION: Pelicans 108, Mavericks 95
Los Angeles Clippers vs. Minnesota Timberwolves Preview and Predictions 03-20-2018
19th March 2018 by Gracenote
The battle in the Western Conference is close enough that the Minnesota Timberwolves can be in eighth place on Monday but potentially move all the way up to fifth by the end of play on Tuesday. The Timberwolves will try to knock off one of the other competitors for a top eight slot when they host the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday.
Minnesota enters play on Monday in the No. 8 spot but is just a half-game behind a trio of teams occupying the Nos. 5-7 slots and just 2 1/2 games behind the fourth-place Oklahoma City Thunder. The Timberwolves didn't do themselves any favors by falling to a pair of teams in front of them over the weekend while allowing an average of 123 points in losses to the San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets. "I don't look at that," Minnesota guard Jamal Crawford told the Minneapolis Star Tribune of the standings. "It will change 10 more times before the season is over with. If we do what we have to do, we won't have to worry about what everyone else is doing." The Clippers need to worry about everyone else after dropping three in a row to teams ahead of them in the standings and dropping two games behind the Timberwolves.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FS Prime Ticket (Los Angeles), FS North (Minnesota)
ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (37-32): Los Angeles played three games in four nights against Houston, Oklahoma City and Portland and dropped all three, but the team wasn't ready to use fatigue as an excuse. "I don't care how many games we have played in how many nights," guard Austin Rivers told the Los Angeles Times. "At this point, man, we just got to win games. I don't care if we got to play five games in five nights. We just got to win games. Everybody is tired right now. Everybody is bruised. Everybody is trying to play catch up. ... We've dropped a couple of games in a row. We've got to get it back going. That's it." The schedule isn't letting up for the Clippers, who play six of their next seven on the road with a pair of back-to-backs, including a date at Milwaukee on Wednesday.
ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (40-31): Minnesota allowed a season-high 77 points in the first half on Sunday against Houston and didn't have quite enough left to finish off a comeback in a 129-120 loss. "Too deep a hole," Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters. "We can't do that, where we are right now. The fight has to be greater. ... I know we're capable of doing better." Minnesota center Karl-Anthony Towns is doing his part to lead the team to the postseason for the first time since 2004 and delivered 20 points and 18 rebounds on Sunday -- the fourth time in the last eight games that he recorded at least 20 points and 16 boards.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Timberwolves PG Derrick Rose scored 14 points on Sunday -- his highest total in four games since joining the team.
2. Clippers C DeAndre Jordan is averaging 18.8 rebounds in nine games this month.
3. Minnesota took the last five in the series, most recently a 126-118 triumph at Los Angeles on Jan. 22.
PREDICTION: Timberwolves 113, Clippers 107
Atlanta Hawks vs. Utah Jazz Preview and Predictions 03-20-2018
19th March 2018 by Gracenote
The streaking Utah Jazz look to register their 10th consecutive victory when they close a four-game homestand against the woeful Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday. The Jazz were once struggling at nine games below .500 but won 21 of their last 23 games as they chase a Western Conference playoff spot.
Utah's rise began shortly after standout center Rudy Gobert returned to full health after two different leg injuries and coach Quin Snyder said "it's an empirical fact" that Gobert is the most dominant defensive player in the NBA. Gobert, who is averaging 21 points and 13.5 rebounds while posting four straight double-doubles, takes it a step further than his coach and said he has no peers anywhere. "I don't like to make my own case, but there's nobody that impacts the game defensively like I do in the whole world," Gobert told reporters after Saturday's 103-97 victory over the Sacramento Kings. "I watch other games and I don't see anyone." Atlanta is experiencing a dreadful campaign and suffered six straight setbacks after falling 122-117 to the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday in the opener of a six-game road excursion.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, FS Southeast (Atlanta), AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain (Utah)
ABOUT THE HAWKS (20-50): Second-year small forward Taurean Prince is on a roll by scoring a career-best 38 points twice in the past four games while averaging 30.8 points during the stretch. Prince knocked down 20-of-46 3-point attempts during the hot streak and made 146 this season while continuing to expand his shooting range after sinking 33 as a rookie. The 23-year-old topped 20 points in each of the last four games and five times overall while averaging 21.5 points in March.
ABOUT THE JAZZ (40-30): Small forward Joe Ingles lead the NBA by making 45 percent of his 3-point shots and he is the new franchise record holder with 179 treys in a season after passing Randy Foye (178 in 2012-13) on Saturday. "It's an honor to be a part of this franchise and now, to hold something," Ingles told reporters. "There's a few untouchables, but I found one I can get." Ingles inherited a larger role when Gordon Hayward left as a free agent in the offseason and he is averaging 16.8 points over the past five games while making 17-of-34 3-point shots during the stretch.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. PG Dennis Schroder scored 20 points as the Hawks posted a 104-90 home victory over the Jazz on Jan. 22.
2. Utah rookie SG Donovan Mitchell scored 28 points against Sacramento and tallied 25 or more points on 23 occasions.
3. Atlanta rookie PF John Collins (sprained left ankle) is questionable after being injured on Saturday.
PREDICTION: Jazz 102, Hawks 86
Detroit Pistons vs. Phoenix Suns Preview and Predictions 03-20-2018
20th March 2018 by Gracenote
The Detroit Pistons maintain hope of getting back in the Eastern Conference playoff race but time is running out. Detroit visits the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday and stands six games behind the eighth-place Milwaukee Bucks with 12 games remaining.
The Pistons won for only the fourth time in a 17-game span Monday when they went 14-of-29 from 3-point range in a 106-90 road victory over the Sacramento Kings. Detroit is 10-25 on the road and the win in Sacramento halted a stretch of 12 straight road losses dating back to a win over the Brooklyn Nets on Jan. 10. The Suns are experiencing a dreadful stretch with eight consecutive setbacks and 23 in their past 25 games. Standout shooting guard Devin Booker (hand) is in danger of missing his second straight game after only being able to participate in a limited portion of Monday's practice.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, FS Detroit, FS Arizona (Phoenix)
ABOUT THE PISTONS (31-39): Forward Blake Griffin recorded 26 points, nine rebounds and seven assists against Sacramento and has scored 25 or more points in six of the past eight games. Griffin's productivity could be enhanced when point guard Reggie Jackson (ankle) returns later this week after being sidelined for nearly three months and Jackson said he is eager to see how he blends with the player recently acquired from the Los Angeles Clippers. "I don't expect it to be hard," Jackson told reporters. "It's hard to get some chemistry and gel, but it's just basketball. ... It's something a lot of us have been doing since we've been five so basketball is basketball."
ABOUT THE SUNS (19-52): Swingman Josh Jackson showed off his potential with Booker sidelined during Saturday's 124-109 loss to the Golden State Warriors by scoring 36 points on 14-of-23 shooting, the most points scored by a Phoenix rookie since Amar'e Stoudemire in 2002. Jackson, who scored 20 points in a 131-107 loss to the Pistons on Nov. 19, is averaging 24 points over the past three games after his explosion against the Warriors. "He was great," Suns coach Jay Triano told reporters. "Josh played aggressive and was able to attack. And not only that, we gave him a tough defensive assignment. I thought he did a pretty good job."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Suns have won seven of their last nine home games against the Pistons.
2. Detroit PG Ish Smith scored 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting against the Kings for his top scoring output since having 20 against the Boston Celtics on Feb. 23.
3. Phoenix SF TJ Warren (knee) is listed as doubtful after departing Saturday's game against the Warriors.
PREDICTION: Pistons 107, Suns 102
Houston Rockets vs. Portland Trail Blazers Preview and Predictions 03-20-2018
19th March 2018 by Gracenote
Two of the hotter teams in the NBA get together for an expected shootout when the NBA-best Houston Rockets visit the streaking Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday. Houston has won five straight games and 26 of its last 28 while the Trail Blazers have ripped off 13 straight triumphs.
Portland matched the second-best winning streak in franchise history with Sunday's 122-109 win over the Los Angeles Clippers and is three victories away from the club record set during the 1990-91 campaign. "You get ready for the next game. You don't want to get comfortable," Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts told reporters after Sunday's win. "I think that's been one of our strengths as a team, coaches and players. We understand what time of year it is, and what has to be done, and that's been the priority." Houston defeated the New Orleans Pelicans and Minnesota Timberwolves to begin a three-game road trip and Sunday's victory over Minnesota surpassed last season's win total of 55. The Rockets are two wins shy of the franchise victory mark set by the Hakeem Olajuwon-led 1993-94 squad, which won the first of back-to-back NBA titles.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT
ABOUT THE ROCKETS (56-14): All-Star guard James Harden scored 48 points in a victory over Portland earlier this season and tallied 30 or more in 10 of his last 12 appearances against the Trail Blazers. Harden is averaging 33 points and 10 assists in the first two games of the road trip and topped 20 points in 18 of his past 19 outings. Point guard Chris Paul is averaging 31.5 points in two meetings against Portland this season, including 37 to go with 11 assists in a 121-112 victory on Jan. 10, when Harden was sidelined with a hamstring injury.
ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (44-26): Small forward Maurice Harkless has suddenly gone on a hot streak and is averaging 16 points on 18-of-27 shooting over the past three games after scoring 21 on 8-of-11 shooting against the Clippers. "My teammates were just finding me," Harkless explained to reporters. "I was being aggressive when I had opportunities, my teammates were finding me and I was just making shots." All-Star point guard Damian Lillard, who is averaging 30.5 points in his last four games against Houston, scored 23 points on Sunday to match his career best of 15 consecutive 20-point outings.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Rockets are 2-0 against the Trail Blazers this season and won five of the past six meetings.
2. Houston backup SG Eric Gordon scored five or fewer points in three of the last four games - he made seven 3-pointers and scored 23 points in the other outing.
3. Stotts (267 wins) became the third-winningest coach in franchise history with Sunday's victory, snapping a tie with Nate McMillan (2006-12), the coach he replaced.
PREDICTION: Trail Blazers 125, Rockets 122
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