NBA Matchups, Lineups and Injury News 4/2/19

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.

Hawks: John Collins (load management), Taurean Prince (foot), and Dewayne Dedmon doubtful.

Kings: None

Lakers: LeBron James (groin) and Josh Hart (knee) are done for the year. Reggie Bullock (foot) is probable. Kyle Kuzma (foot) is questionable. Tyson Chandler (illness) is out.

Nuggets: Jamal Murray (ankle) is probable.

Rockets: None

Spurs: None

Thunder: None

Warriors: Andre Iguodala (toe) is questionable.

Today’s NBA Matchups

Atlanta Hawks (28-49) at San Antonio Spurs (43-32)

Line: Spurs -10.5, O/U: 229

Spurs: 112 ppg, below average defense, very slow pace

Hawks: 112 ppg, bottom ten defense, fastest pace in the NBA

Notes:

• The Spurs have gone just 2-4 since winning nine in a row. They clinched a playoff berth with Sacramento’s loss to Cleveland, then lost to the Kings the next night.
• LaMarcus Aldridge started at center and dropped 27 points and 18 rebounds, and DeMar DeRozan added 16 points and 7 assists.
• Rudy Gay started that game against his former team and had 18 points and 9 boards.
• Derrick White defends the point of attack for the Spurs and can contribute as a do-it-all guy on the other end, but he’s only scored in double figures once in this 2-4 stretch. When these teams played in Atlanta, he had 18 points, 9 assists and 6 blocks while blanketing Trae Young.
• The Hawks have won four of their last five, including an overtime win 136-135 over the Giannis-less Bucks.
• Trae Young shot just 5-19 in that game, but dished out 16 assists and ended it in the extra period with a floater for the win.
• John Collins has led the team all season with 19 points and 10 rebounds per game, and he’s out tonight for load management. Former Spur Dewayne Dedmon is done for the year, and Baylor product Taurean Prince is not expected to play.

Denver Nuggets (51-25) at Golden State Warriors (52-24)

Line: Warriors -8.5, O/U: 220

Warriors: 119 ppg, average defense, faster than average pace

Nuggets: 112 ppg, above average defense, bottom five pace.

Notes:

• The Warriors have blown the Nuggets out by a combined 49 points in their last two matchups, one of them involving a 50-point first quarter.
• The Splash Bros combined for 49 points in a 137-90 drubbing of Charlotte. Steph and Klay  shot 11-17 from deep, and Quinn Cook hit 5-6 as the team shot 64% from deep.
• Kevin Durant had just 11 points on 5-5 shooting, but he dropped 9 dimes.
• DeMarcus Cousins got ejected for a flagrant 2 elbow to the face of Willy Hernangomez in that game.
• The Nuggets had been rolling, but inexplicably shot just 38% from the floor and 19% from deep in a 95-90 home loss to the Wizards.
• Nikola Jokic had 23 points, 14 rebounds and 4 assists on 11-14 shooting, but the other starters shot just 15-58 combined.
• Jamal Murray twisted his ankle in that game, and he’s probable tonight.

Houston Rockets (49-28) at Sacramento Kings (38-39) 

Line: Rockets -5.5, O/U: 226

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

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

Notes:

• The Kings have a chance to exact some revenge on the Rockets team that officially eliminated them from the playoffs a few nights ago.
• James Harden dropped 50 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in that one. He shot 13-31 from the floor and 17-18 from the free throw line.
• Chris Paul added 22 points, 5 assists and 4 steals while Clint Capela kicked in 24 points, 15 boards and 2 blocks.
• The Kings look like they’re going to play the season out, and the night after getting mathematically eliminated they won 113-106 in San Antonio.
• Buddy Hield scored 26 in that game, one of seven Kings to score in double figures.

Los Angeles Lakers (35-42) at Oklahoma City Thunder (44-33)

Line: Thunder -13, O/U: 225

Thunder: 114 ppg, top five defense in the NBA, top five pace

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

Notes:

• The Thunder have lost three of their last four, coming off an embarrassing one 106-103 against the Mavs with Luka Doncic out.
• Paul George had 27 points and 11 boards, Russell Westbrook put up 25, 11 and 11, and Steven Adams added 20 points, 15 rebounds and 2 blocks, but OKC got just 14 points from the bench.
• The Lakers have basically shut it all down for the year, so of course they’ve won four of their last five.
• LeBron‘s season ended in late March, ending streaks of 8 Finals appearances and 13 playoff runs in a row. He’ll finish the year with averages of 27 points, 8.5 rebounds and 8 assists in 55 games.
• Josh Hart, Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram are all done for the year as well, and Kyle Kuzma is questionable tonight with a foot injury.
• Now it’s time for the actually unguardable Rajon Rondo/JaVale McGee pick and roll. Rondo had 24 points and 12 assists while JaVale added 23 points and 16 boards in a 130-102 win over the Pelicans.
• Alex Caruso got buckets in that game, finishing with 23 points, 6 assists and 4 steals off the bench.