Be sure to check the injury reports and any new information close to game time as these picks are subject to change!
Indiana Pacers at Detroit Pistons
The Pacers are on a four-game losing streak and are struggling on both sides of the ball. They are now sub .500 with a record of 12-13 and are now 3-7 in their last 10 games. They are certainly missing Warren and LeVert.
They are slipping in nearly every category. They are now 17th in offensive rating category and 11th in defensive rating category. Despite ranking 6th in assists, they are only 9th in field goal percentage and ranked 14th from deep. Most of these offensive issues are coming from their bench. Lamb is the only double-digit scorer on the bench and the rest of the bench is struggling to score causing them to lose the lead when the starters are off to court.
They are still getting excellent play from Brogdon, Turner, and Sabonis. Brogdon and Sabonis are both scoring 20+ points averaging 21.4 PPG, 6.6 APG, 4.0 RPG, and 20.9 PPG, 5.4 APG, and 11.6 RPG, respectively. Sabonis has followed the lead of Jokic in respect to being a big man that also acts as a point guard. Their play should increase dramatically once they get healthy.
Like the Pacers, the Pistons are also 3-7 in their last 10 games with a record of 6-18 overall. They recently traded Rose to the Knicks as they appear to go all out in tanking for a chance at the first overall pick in the draft.
The only star left on the roster is Grant, who is seeing a boost in play due to a lack of talent on the roster. Griffin has been stripped of his star status after having an abysmal start to the season. He is no longer the star power forward we are used to seeing, most likely due to his injuries in past years. Grant is averaging 24.3 PPG, 3.0 APG, and 5.5 RPG. No one else on the roster is scoring more than 13.0 PPG.
They are towards the back of the pack in nearly every category. They won their last game and winning back to back games is extremely unlikely.
The Pacers are the -3.0 favorite on the road despite the 4 game losing streak. They are clearly the better team and the ML and -3.0 are the play as the Pacers should roll the Pistons looking to get back on track.
Philadelphia 76ers at Portland Trailblazers
The 76ers are the top dog in the East with a record of 18-7 and are 8-2 in their last 10 games. They tout a two-game winning streak as they head on the road.
The 76ers appear to be a new team under Doc Rivers’s first year as head coach. Rivers has always seen success as head coach during the regular season. The true test for this team will come in the post season.
The 76ers will be without Scott and possibly Milton. The 76ers are one the best shooting, rebounding, and defensive teams in the league making them almost impossible to beat. Their offense is lead by Harris and Embiid who are averaging 20.3 PPG, 2.9 APG, 7.5 RPG and 29.1 PPG, 2.9 APG, and 11.0 RPG. Simmons has proved to be an excellent facilitator for this team almost averaging a triple-double behind his numbers of 13.5 PPG, 8.0 APG, and 8.2 RPG. Their top players are effective on the boards and defense which will provide a challenge for the Trailblazers to overcome.
The Trailblazers are 5-5 in their last 10 games with a record of 13-10, which is good for 5th place in the heavily competitive Western Conference.
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The Trailblazers will be without Mccollum and Nurkic once again which will provide another barrier to defeating the 76ers. If the Trailblazers stand a chance to win, Lillard will need to come play and light up the top-rated defense for close to 40 points.
The Trailblazers are getting excellent play from Trent who has stepped up in the wake of the injuries. Through 8 games this season, he is averaging 14.1 PPG. Anthony has also shown that despite his age, he can provide some scoring relief behind 12.5 PPG. All will need to come out swinging this game.
The 76ers are the -5.5 favorite on the road, they are much better at home and vulnerable on the road. The 76ers should be able to take advantage of the injury-plagued Trailblazers and get the win. I do believe Portland will play well enough at home to cover the spread of +5.5.
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