Be sure to check the injury report as these picks may change! Only two spreads out now, so I will cap both of them!
Los Angeles Clippers at New York Knicks
The Clippers come into Madison Square Garden scorching hot. They carry a record of 15-5 and are 9-1 in their last 10 games.
The Clippers like to play a slower defensive game and focus on limiting the other player’s talented scorers behind the defensive tandem of George and Leonard. They are 26th in the league in pace but are the best shooting team from range and the best team in free throw percentage. This makes for a nasty recipe that leads to wins, especially against other top tier teams in close games. They are also 5th in field goal percentage.
Not only do George and Leonard bring their high upside defensive skills that can lock down almost anyone in the league, but they also lead the charge on the offensive side as well. So far this season, they are averaging 24.0 PPG, 5.4 APG, and 6.4 RPG and 25.8 PPG, 5.6 APG, and 5.3 APG, respectively. Another offensive advantage is their ability to score up and down the lineup. Everyone contributes allowing them to keep the lead when their bench is in the game.
The Knicks sit at a record of 9-11 and are 4-6 in their last games. They have earned the respect of the rest of the league by their good start by Knicks standards. They have the capability of upsetting tough opponents by giving maximum effort every night. They always seem to have someone go off for 20+ points and take turns doing so, giving them upset potential every game.
Randle has carried this team on his back posting a double-double season on averages of 22.2 PPG, 6.0 PPG, and 11.1 RPG. He’s certainly plowed his way onto the national stage and earned the respect of Knicks fans for bringing it every night.
RJ Barrett has also proved that he is an effective player on the floor and developed some chemistry with Randle. Barrett is averaging 17.8 PPG, 3.4 APG, and 6.7 RPG while getting almost 37 MPG.
The Clippers are the big favorite on the road with a spread of -8.0. A spread that they can easily cover because the Knicks do not have the talent to match up positionally against the Clippers. The Clippers have the defensive capability to keep the random player on the Knicks from going off even though Ibaka will have his hands full containing Randle down low.
Cleveland Cavaliers at Minnesota Timberwolves
The Cavaliers come into Minneapolis after dropping their last game to the Knicks on the road by almost 20 points. They have a record of 9-10 on the season and are 4-6 in their last 10 games.
Drummond has commanded the attention of the league with his dominance down low commanding 18.1 PPG and 14.7 RPG. If a ball goes in the air, there is a good chance that Drummond comes down with it.
Drummond dominating down low isn’t anything new, the surprising part of this post-Lebron and Kyrie era Cavaliers team is the emergence of Sexland who have both shown the capability of going off against anyone. It looks like Sexton is going to get his first all-star nod averaging 24.6 PPG, 4.3 APG, and 2.6 RPG. Garland has also shown to be a capable scorer averaging 15.2 PPG. When these two sync up, they can take down anyone in the league.
The Cavaliers are boom or bust and are due for a boom after an embarrassing loss last game. The Cavaliers still have a lot of work to do if they want to make it to the playoffs. They sit towards the back of the back in nearly every category except offensive rebounds, relying on second-chance points is not a winning strategy.
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The Timberwolves are one of the worst teams in the league and Towns missing games certainly doesn’t help their cause. They are 4-14 on the season and are 2-8 in their last 10 games. They get a home game that will hopefully avoid a four-game losing streak.
The injuries put the Timberwolves at a severe disadvantage. They might possibly be without their two top players with Towns listed as out and Russell listed as a game-time decision. Hernangomez and Culver are also listed as out. Coaches will look to rookie Edwards to step up his game. Edwards is averaging 13.1 PPG, 1.7 APG, and 2.9 RPG. Not terrible, but he was expected to be a lot better which shows not everyone is superstar ready even if they are drafted high in the draft.
Beasley, who is having a fantastic season and is the possible target of several trades by other team’s who are looking to load up for the playoffs. Beasley is averaging 20.0 PPG, 2.2 APG, and 4.9 RPG.
The Cavaliers are the favorite on the road at -3.5. A spread that they can easily cover, especially if Towns and Russell both sit. The Timberwolves will have to stop Sexlamd from going off if they want a chance to win.
Clippers -8.0
Cavaliers -3.5
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