NBA Matchups, Lineups and Injury News 3/17/19

You can find all today’s starting lineups here. Follow live updates on Twitter.

For live betting information on all games, click here.

Injury News

For the most up to date injury information, click here.

Bucks: Malcolm Brogdon (plantar fascia) and Sterling Brown (wrist) are out. Pat Connaughton (ankle) is probable. Donte DiVincenzo (heel) is questionable.

Bulls: None

Clippers: Danilo Gallinari (ankle) is questionable. Luc Mbah a Moute (knee) is out.

Hawks: None

Heat: Dwyane Wade (hip) and Justise Winslow (thigh) are questionable.

Hornets: Cody Zeller (knee) is doubtful.

Kings: None

Knicks: Dennis Smith Jr. (back), Frank Ntilikina (groin), and Noah Vonleh (ankle) are out.

Lakers: Brandon Ingram (shoulder), and Lonzo Ball (ankle) are done for the year.

Magic: Terrence Ross (achilles) is questionable.

Nets: Allen Crabbe (knee) is out. Shabazz Napier (hamstring) is day to day.

Raptors: Kyle Lowry (ankle), Danny Green (ankle), and Fred VanVleet (thumb) are questionable.

Rockets: James Harden (cervical strain) is questionable.

76ers: None

Timberwolves: None

Today’s NBA Matchups

Contents

Atlanta Hawks (24-46) at Orlando Magic (32-38)

Line: Magic -7.5, O/U: 225

Magic: 106 ppg, average defense, slow pace

Hawks: 113 ppg, bottom ten defense, fastest pace in the NBA

Notes:

• Magic are .500 in the last ten as they fight for a playoff spot, coming off a 120-91 win over the Cavs.
• Aaron Gordon, Nikola Vucevic and DJ Augustin combined for 60 points, 19 rebounds, 13 assists and 5 steals. Four others scored in double figures.
• The Hawks look like a decent team now, but they lost 129-120 in Boston yesterday.
• Trae Young had 26 in that game, but he coughed it up 6 times
• John Collins added 20 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists in the loss. He’s leading the team with 20 points and 10 rebounds per game this year, up to 25 and 12 in his last ten.

Brooklyn Nets (36-35) at Los Angeles Clippers (40-30)

Line: Clippers -6, O/U: 232

Clippers: 114 ppg, below average defense, fast pace

Nets: 112 ppg, below average defense, below average pace

Notes:

• The Clippers have won four of their last five, and they haven’t lost to the Nets in four years.
• Danilo Gallinari dropped 27 points and 7 rebounds in a 128-121 win over the Bulls.
• Lou Williams is averaging 27 points in his last five, but shooting just 33% in the last two.
• The Nets had won four in a row before losing two in a row in Oklahoma City and then in Utah yesterday.
• Spencer Dinwiddie has led Brooklyn in scoring each of the last five games, averaging 23 per.
• D’Angelo Russell is shooting just 34% from the floor and 32% from deep in his last five.
• Allen Crabbe is out again tonight, averaging 10 a game this year.

Charlotte Hornets (31-37) at Miami Heat (32-36)

Line: Heat -3, O/U: 209

Heat: 105 ppg, top ten defense, slower than average pace

Hornets: 111 ppg, below average defense, average pace.

Notes:

• The Heat looked really hot before the Bucks came down to South Beach and smacked them up by 15.
• Hassan Whiteside and Goran Dragic are both coming off the bench right now, playing around 20 minutes per game.
• Dwyane Wade and Justise Winslow are both questionable tonight, two key pieces of the rotation.
• The Hornets picked up a much-needed win over the Wizards, and if they win tonight they’ll secure the tiebreaker over Miami and slide into the eighth seed.
• Kemba Walker followed up 40 points, 7 assists and 10 boards with 28, 4 and 5 on 11-30 shooting.
• Charlotte won on the night he played worse because of the supporting cast. Five other Hornets scored in double figures

Chicago Bulls (19-51) at Sacramento Kings (33-35) 

Line: Kings -7, O/U: 231

Kings: 113 ppg, bottom-third defense, second-fastest pace

Bulls: 104 ppg, bottom ten defense, slower than average pace

Notes:

• The Kings have lost four of five, all but guaranteeing they’ll miss the playoffs.
• Buddy Hield‘s shooting splits have been down in the last five, but De’Aaron Fox has taken his scoring up a notch.
• Rookie Marvin Bagley III is averaging 15 points and 5 rebounds in two games since returning from a scary knee sprain.
• The Bulls have lost four in a row, just when it looked like they had started to figure some things out.
• Zach LaVine put up 31 7 and 7 in a loss to the Clippers. He’s averaging 28, 5 and 5 in the last ten.
• Lauri Markkanen has hit a tough skid recently, averaging 5 points per game fewer than his season average and shooting just 38% in his last five games.

Los Angeles Lakers (31-38) at New York Knicks (13-56)

Line: Lakers -5, O/U: 221

Knicks: 105 ppg, second-worst defense in the NBA, average pace

Lakers: 112 ppg, top ten defense, top five pace

Notes:

• The Knicks have lost eight games in a row, most recently 109-83 in San Antonio.
• DeAndre Jordan was an assist away from a triple-double in that game, averaging 11 points and 13 rebounds this season.
• Dennis Smith Jr. missed that game with a sore back, and he’s out again tonight.
• Both of these historic franchises have lost eight of ten, and they’re both about to miss the playoffs for the sixth year in a row.
• LeBron didn’t play in a 111-97 loss to the Pistons, and he’ll probably miss more games as this season gets more and more meaningless.
• JaVale McGee was LA’s best player with 20 points, 13 boards, and 3 blocks.
• Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram are both done for the year. It’s the Kyle Kuzma and Alex Caruso show now.

Minnesota Timberwolves (32-37) at Houston Rockets (43-26)

Line: -7.5, O/U: 225

Rockets: 113 ppg, bottom five defense, bottom five pace

Timberwolves: 112 ppg, below average defense, faster than average pace

Notes:

• The Rockets had won nine in a row,  lost a close one to the Warriors and bounced back with a 108-102 win over Phoenix.
• James Harden is questionable for this one, averaging 36 a game and coming off 41, 11 assists and 9 rebounds against the Suns.
• Chris Paul will need to shoulder the ball-handling responsibilities if Harden is out, and Clint Capela will be tasked with guarding the league’s leading scorer since the All-Star break.
• Minnesota’s season is essentially over, but don’t tell Karl-Anthony Towns. He’s averaging 34 points and 13 rebounds in since the All-Star break.
• Andrew Wiggins missed three games in a row, came back and had just 14 points on 6-17 shooting.

Toronto Raptors (49-20) at Detroit Pistons (35-33)

Line: Raptors -1.5, O/U: 216

Pistons: 107 ppg, above average defense, average pace

Raptors: 114 ppg, above average defense, average pace

Notes:

• The Pistons had won 12 of 14, got blown out by Brooklyn and Miami, and bounced back with a 111-97 win over the Lakers.
• Andre Drummond put up 19 points and 23 boards in that one, and he’s averaging 17 and 17 in his last ten.
• Blake Griffin has shot a combined 8-31 from the floor in his last three games, averaging 13 points, 6 assists, and 4 rebounds.
• Toronto is cooling off a bit, and they could be thin at guard tonight with Kyle Lowry, Danny Green and Fred VanVleet.
• Kawhi Leonard put up 25 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals in a 111-98 win over the Lakers.
• Pascal Siakam is averaging 18 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists in his last ten.
• Marc Gasol is the starting center as Serge Ibaka remains out after being suspended. Gasol had 15 and 7 as a starter against LA.

Marquee Matchup

Philadelphia 76ers (44-25) at Milwaukee Bucks (52-17)

Line: Bucks -6, O/U: 230

Bucks: 117 ppg, best defense in the NBA, very fast pace

76ers: 116 ppg, above average defense, faster than average pace

Notes:

• Giannis Antetokounmpo put up 33 points, 16 boards, 9 assists, 3 blocks and 2 steals to lead Milwaukee to a 113-98 win in Miami.
• Fellow All-Star Khris Middleton kicked in 21 points, 8 assists and 5 boards.
• Malcolm Brogdon went down with a minor plantar fascia tear, and it’s unclear when or if he’ll be back this year. He’s averaging 16 points and 4.5 boards this season, and his length and versatility on D is valuable.
• Pau Gasol hasn’t played in three of the last four games, and he probably won’t play much. He’s more of a veteran leader in the locker room for the Bucks at this point.
• The Sixers won three straight at home, coming off a 123-114 win over a desperate Kings team.
• Joel Embiid had 21 points, 17 rebounds and 4 blocks in that one, averaging 24, 16 and 3 in three games since returning from a sore knee.
• Jimmy Butler had 22 points, 7 assists, and 6 boards in the win.
• The Sixers’ starting lineup with those two, Ben Simmons, Tobias Harris, and JJ Redick has a net rating of +22.8 points per 100 possessions in 97 total minutes.