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Thursday's NBA Essentials
March 30, 2017
Game of the Night - Houston at Portland, (TNT, 10:35 ET)
On the heels of a home loss to Golden State that snapped a four-game losing streak, the Rockets hit the road for the first leg of a back-to-back that's going to test their desire to go all out while other contenders opt to pace themselves.
Houston is paying visits to the two teams that have fared best in March thus far, Portland and Golden State. Although the Warriors have won nine straight entering their final game of the month against the Rockets on Friday night, the Trail Blazers have actually had the fewest losses, coming into this one 12-3 (11-4 ATS).
The Rockets' Tuesday night loss to the Warriors dropped them to 9-4, but the bigger news that came out of that game was that despite recording his 20th triple-double, James Harden's left wrist was an obvious issue. He's admitted feeling pain and not being able to follow through, but is relying on ice and treatment to keep him going. Unless any mandates come down from the front office or head coach Mike D'Antoni, his intent is to play.
Harden has openly talked about what playing every night means to the MVP race and will be aware that Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook recorded the highest-scoring triple-double in league history on Wednesday night, posting 57 points, 13 boards and 11 assists. Teammate Patrick Beverley has talked about sitting out and resting as disrespecting the game. There's no question that the greater goal of winning a title should mean more than any individual awards, but this team clearly wants to do it their way, maintaining their rhythm and pushing through.
"I think it matters, because you aren't leaving your teammates out to dry," Harden told the Houston Chronicle about his desire to play in all 82 games. "I worry about always having my teammates' back. No matter what, I am always going to be out there unless I'm injured."
Harden will look to rebound from shooting 5-for-20 on Tuesday against a Blazers defense that he averaged 32 points, seven rebounds and 12 assists against in a pair of November victories. Although he's had another fantastic month, he's shot 3-for-17 from 3-point range over his last two games and has also posted games shooting 0-for-8 and 1-for-9 since the All-Star break. How he performs tonight will likely dictate whether he participates in Oakland. The Rockets come off a season-worst 5-for-31 3-point shooting night and won't have Ryan Anderson, who is sidelined with an ankle injury.
Portland has lost its last two home games against the Rockets and three in a row overall, last winning in February of 2016. They famously eliminated the favored Rockets in the first round back in 2014 thanks to Damian Lillard's buzzer-beater in Game 6, but only he, Harden and Beverley remain from that series. The Blazers have a different look than they did even a few months ago since they've really taken off since acquiring Jusuf Nurkic from Denver.
Nurkic scored a career-high 33 points and added 16 rebounds on 12-for-15 shooting against the Nuggets in Tuesday's 122-113 home win that helped snap a tie for the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference. CJ McCollum scored 39 points in his most productive season to date, so Portland is definitely rising to the occasion when it matters most.
The Trail Blazers opened as a one-point home underdog, a position they've only been in once since covering as 6-point 'dog against the Warriors in a 113-111 loss on Jan. 29. They defeated Oklahoma City as a plus-1 on March 2 (114-109). Five of the last six meetings between these teams have gone over the posted total, with the figure, 228.5, coming in as the highest in that span. The Nov. 16 game closed at 226.5.
Game of the Night II - Cleveland at Chicago, (TNT, 8:05 ET)
Remember when LeBron James had to save the Cavs from a 3-1 series deficit against the Bulls back in 2015, ultimately closing out those Eastern Conference semis with three straight wins? Cleveland has only one game since that span and has lost three consecutive close ones in Chicago.
The Bulls will look to sweep the season series from Cleveland for the first time since 2012, part of a run off 11 in a row over their Central Division foe while James was continuing his run in Miami. This is definitely a game the Cavs will take personally, which really makes this interesting.
Cleveland is mired in a major slump that has seen them lose four of six by double-digits and guaranteed a second losing month in 2017. They hadn't had a single of those since James returned, but the team isn't overly concerned. Despite being locked in a battle for the No. 1 seed with Boston that it leads by percentage points entering Thursday, Cavs head coach Tyronn Lue has reiterated that resting players who aren't yet at full speed will remain the priority over the regular season's final weeks.
That means some guys could take tomorrow's game against Philadelphia off, but LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love should all be in tonight's lineup. Iman Shumpert, who has missed two games due to a knee, is also expected to return. Kyle Korver won't be back from his foot injury, so J.R. Smith should continue to receive major minutes as he tries to break out of a shooting slump that has haunted him since his return this month. Smith is at a 31 percent clip from the field and has made 19-of-66 (27 pct) from 3-point range, including a 7-for-35 run over the last six.
The Bulls come off an impressive win in Milwaukee, which cooled off the Celtics last night and has been playing great of late. Jimmy Butler dished out 14 assists and has distributed 37 over the past three games while averaging 24 points and six boards. He'll be a tough matchup and is looking to build on averages of 21.3 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists against the Cavs in Chicago's three wins. All those wins featured Dwyane Wade, who remains out with an elbow injury expected to cost him the remainder of the regular season. Rajon Rondo has taken on a greater role in his absence, while streaky forward Nikola Mirotic has averaged 23.7 points over the last three games, hitting 14 of 21 3-pointers.
The over has prevailed in four of five in the series and is 4-0 in Chicago's last four outings. It is 4-1 over Cleveland's last five games since its defense has fallen completely apart, surrendering 120 or more three times. The total of 210 is consistent with what oddsmakers put on their last game (Feb. 25), which the Bulls won 117-99.
Injury Concerns
Devin Booker has only played once since scoring 70 points last Friday night, citing ankle soreness. He didn't play on the last leg of a six-game road trip that extended the Suns' run of losses to nine, but there's a chance he plays at home against the Clippers.
L.A. beat Washington 133-124 on Wednesday night, so it will be interesting to see how Doc Rivers plays his final back-to-back situation of the season out. Guard Austin Rivers left with a sore left hamstring and won't play. J.J. Redick scored a season-high 31 points in his return from an ankle injury, so it could be risky to put him right back out there. The Clips are 3-9 on the second night of a back-to-back, so the Suns could be a live dog if Booker plays and the visitors go deeper into their bench than usual.
The Lakers are in action at Minnesota before returning to Staples for a "road" game with the Clips on April 1. Brandon Ingram remains out with a knee tendinitis and isn't likely to play, while Nick Young remains questionable with a lingering ankle issue that has kept him out of seven of L.A.'s last nine.
Head-to-head Trends
The Pistons could get swept by the Nets this season, something that has only happened once since 1980. They'll look to snap a five-game losing streak and revive their fading playoff hopes by beating Brooklyn in its final visit to Auburn Hills.
The Clippers will try to sweep the Suns for the second time in three seasons and have beaten them in 12 of the last 14 meetings under Doc Rivers. L.A. has scored at least 120 points in five of the last 11.
March 30, 2017
Game of the Night - Houston at Portland, (TNT, 10:35 ET)
On the heels of a home loss to Golden State that snapped a four-game losing streak, the Rockets hit the road for the first leg of a back-to-back that's going to test their desire to go all out while other contenders opt to pace themselves.
Houston is paying visits to the two teams that have fared best in March thus far, Portland and Golden State. Although the Warriors have won nine straight entering their final game of the month against the Rockets on Friday night, the Trail Blazers have actually had the fewest losses, coming into this one 12-3 (11-4 ATS).
The Rockets' Tuesday night loss to the Warriors dropped them to 9-4, but the bigger news that came out of that game was that despite recording his 20th triple-double, James Harden's left wrist was an obvious issue. He's admitted feeling pain and not being able to follow through, but is relying on ice and treatment to keep him going. Unless any mandates come down from the front office or head coach Mike D'Antoni, his intent is to play.
Harden has openly talked about what playing every night means to the MVP race and will be aware that Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook recorded the highest-scoring triple-double in league history on Wednesday night, posting 57 points, 13 boards and 11 assists. Teammate Patrick Beverley has talked about sitting out and resting as disrespecting the game. There's no question that the greater goal of winning a title should mean more than any individual awards, but this team clearly wants to do it their way, maintaining their rhythm and pushing through.
"I think it matters, because you aren't leaving your teammates out to dry," Harden told the Houston Chronicle about his desire to play in all 82 games. "I worry about always having my teammates' back. No matter what, I am always going to be out there unless I'm injured."
Harden will look to rebound from shooting 5-for-20 on Tuesday against a Blazers defense that he averaged 32 points, seven rebounds and 12 assists against in a pair of November victories. Although he's had another fantastic month, he's shot 3-for-17 from 3-point range over his last two games and has also posted games shooting 0-for-8 and 1-for-9 since the All-Star break. How he performs tonight will likely dictate whether he participates in Oakland. The Rockets come off a season-worst 5-for-31 3-point shooting night and won't have Ryan Anderson, who is sidelined with an ankle injury.
Portland has lost its last two home games against the Rockets and three in a row overall, last winning in February of 2016. They famously eliminated the favored Rockets in the first round back in 2014 thanks to Damian Lillard's buzzer-beater in Game 6, but only he, Harden and Beverley remain from that series. The Blazers have a different look than they did even a few months ago since they've really taken off since acquiring Jusuf Nurkic from Denver.
Nurkic scored a career-high 33 points and added 16 rebounds on 12-for-15 shooting against the Nuggets in Tuesday's 122-113 home win that helped snap a tie for the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference. CJ McCollum scored 39 points in his most productive season to date, so Portland is definitely rising to the occasion when it matters most.
The Trail Blazers opened as a one-point home underdog, a position they've only been in once since covering as 6-point 'dog against the Warriors in a 113-111 loss on Jan. 29. They defeated Oklahoma City as a plus-1 on March 2 (114-109). Five of the last six meetings between these teams have gone over the posted total, with the figure, 228.5, coming in as the highest in that span. The Nov. 16 game closed at 226.5.
Game of the Night II - Cleveland at Chicago, (TNT, 8:05 ET)
Remember when LeBron James had to save the Cavs from a 3-1 series deficit against the Bulls back in 2015, ultimately closing out those Eastern Conference semis with three straight wins? Cleveland has only one game since that span and has lost three consecutive close ones in Chicago.
The Bulls will look to sweep the season series from Cleveland for the first time since 2012, part of a run off 11 in a row over their Central Division foe while James was continuing his run in Miami. This is definitely a game the Cavs will take personally, which really makes this interesting.
Cleveland is mired in a major slump that has seen them lose four of six by double-digits and guaranteed a second losing month in 2017. They hadn't had a single of those since James returned, but the team isn't overly concerned. Despite being locked in a battle for the No. 1 seed with Boston that it leads by percentage points entering Thursday, Cavs head coach Tyronn Lue has reiterated that resting players who aren't yet at full speed will remain the priority over the regular season's final weeks.
That means some guys could take tomorrow's game against Philadelphia off, but LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love should all be in tonight's lineup. Iman Shumpert, who has missed two games due to a knee, is also expected to return. Kyle Korver won't be back from his foot injury, so J.R. Smith should continue to receive major minutes as he tries to break out of a shooting slump that has haunted him since his return this month. Smith is at a 31 percent clip from the field and has made 19-of-66 (27 pct) from 3-point range, including a 7-for-35 run over the last six.
The Bulls come off an impressive win in Milwaukee, which cooled off the Celtics last night and has been playing great of late. Jimmy Butler dished out 14 assists and has distributed 37 over the past three games while averaging 24 points and six boards. He'll be a tough matchup and is looking to build on averages of 21.3 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists against the Cavs in Chicago's three wins. All those wins featured Dwyane Wade, who remains out with an elbow injury expected to cost him the remainder of the regular season. Rajon Rondo has taken on a greater role in his absence, while streaky forward Nikola Mirotic has averaged 23.7 points over the last three games, hitting 14 of 21 3-pointers.
The over has prevailed in four of five in the series and is 4-0 in Chicago's last four outings. It is 4-1 over Cleveland's last five games since its defense has fallen completely apart, surrendering 120 or more three times. The total of 210 is consistent with what oddsmakers put on their last game (Feb. 25), which the Bulls won 117-99.
Injury Concerns
Devin Booker has only played once since scoring 70 points last Friday night, citing ankle soreness. He didn't play on the last leg of a six-game road trip that extended the Suns' run of losses to nine, but there's a chance he plays at home against the Clippers.
L.A. beat Washington 133-124 on Wednesday night, so it will be interesting to see how Doc Rivers plays his final back-to-back situation of the season out. Guard Austin Rivers left with a sore left hamstring and won't play. J.J. Redick scored a season-high 31 points in his return from an ankle injury, so it could be risky to put him right back out there. The Clips are 3-9 on the second night of a back-to-back, so the Suns could be a live dog if Booker plays and the visitors go deeper into their bench than usual.
The Lakers are in action at Minnesota before returning to Staples for a "road" game with the Clips on April 1. Brandon Ingram remains out with a knee tendinitis and isn't likely to play, while Nick Young remains questionable with a lingering ankle issue that has kept him out of seven of L.A.'s last nine.
Head-to-head Trends
The Pistons could get swept by the Nets this season, something that has only happened once since 1980. They'll look to snap a five-game losing streak and revive their fading playoff hopes by beating Brooklyn in its final visit to Auburn Hills.
The Clippers will try to sweep the Suns for the second time in three seasons and have beaten them in 12 of the last 14 meetings under Doc Rivers. L.A. has scored at least 120 points in five of the last 11.
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