NBA Projected Starting Lineups, Matchups, Injury News – 1/19/19

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Injury News

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Bucks: Tony Snell (thumb) is day-to-day.

Bulls: Wendell Carter Jr. (thumb) is out for 8-12 weeks. Shaquille Harrison (flu) is day-to-day.

Cavaliers: Tristan Thompson (foot) is day to day.

Celtics: None

Grizzlies: Marc Gasol (back) is questionable. Joakim Noah (personal) is out.

Hawks: Trae Young (illness) and John Collins (illness) are questionable. Dewayne Dedmon (ankle) is probable.

Heat: Wayne Ellington (illness), Josh Richardson (illness), and Tyler Johnson (illness) are questionable.

Hornets: None

Kings: None

Lakers: LeBron James (groin) and Rajon Rondo (hand) remain out.

Magic: Aaron Gordon (back) is day-to-day. Mo Bamba (foot) is good to go.

Mavericks: Dennis Smith Jr. (illness) and Wesley Matthews (wrist) are questionable. JJ Barea (Achilles) is out for the rest of the season.

Nuggets: Will Barton (personal) is day-to-day

Pacers: None

Pistons: Andre Drummond (face) and Ish Smith (groin) are day-to-day. Henry Ellenson (ankle) is out.

Raptors: OG Anunoby (personal) is out. CJ Miles (hip) is day-to-day.

Rockets: Eric Gordon (knee) is probable. Chris Paul (hamstring) is expected back next week. Clint Capela (thumb) is out for the next 4-6 weeks. Brandon Knight (knee) is out.

76ers: Joel Embiid (back) is a gametime decision.

Suns: Jamal Crawford (knee) is questionable.

Thunder: Nerlens Noel (concussion) is good to go. Alex Abrines (personal) is out.

Today’s NBA Matchups

Contents

Phoenix Suns (11-35) at Charlotte Hornets (21-23)

Line: Hornets -7, O/U: 225

Hornets: 112 ppg, average pace, average defense

Suns: 106 ppg, bottom five defense, slower than average pace

Notes:

• Should be a fun point guard matchup between Devin Booker (25 points, 7 assists per game) and Kemba Walker (25 points, 6 assists per game.
• The Suns are 2-8 in their last ten, and just 4-18 on the road this year. They almost beat a Kawhi-less Raptors in Toronto, but lost at the buzzer.
• The Hornets have won two in a row, and they’re 15-8 at home, coming off a 114-95 win over the Kings.

Sacramento Kings (23-22) at Detroit Pistons (20-24)

Line: Pistons +2, O/U: 220

Pistons: 107 ppg, above average defense, average pace

Kings: 115 ppg, bottom-third defense, second-fastest pace

Notes:

• Both teams are 4-6 in their last ten, and that’s an improvement for the Pistons but not for the Kings.
• Detroit is banged up, so check the injury wire closer to tip.
• Buddy Hield is quietly averaging 20 points per game shooting 48% from the floor and 44% from deep.
• These teams last played on January tenth, and Sacramento won 112-102 at home. However, the Pistons were without Blake Griffin for that one, and he’s averaging 29 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists per game in his last ten.

Milwaukee Bucks (32-12) at Orlando Magic (19-26)

Line: Bucks -9.5 -1, O/U: 222

Magic: 104 ppg, average defense, slow pace

Bucks: 118 ppg, best defense in the NBA, very fast pace

Notes:

• These teams are on opposite ends of the Eastern Conference, and the Bucks are surging while the Magic falling further behind.
• The Bucks are 12-8 on the road, and the Magic are just 12-12 at home.
• Giannis Antetokounmpo leads the east in All Star voting, and for good reason. He’s averaging 26 points on 58% shooting, 12.5 rebounds, 6 assists, 1.5 blocks, and 1.5 steals per game.

Dallas Mavericks (20-24) at Indiana Pacers (29-15)

Line: Pacers -6.5, O/U: 215

Pacers: 109 ppg, top five defense, bottom-five pace

Mavericks: 110 ppg, average defense, average pace

Notes:

• The Pacers are 15-6 at home, while the Mavericks are just 4-18 on the road.
• Thaddeus Young and Domontas Sabonis are both averaging 17 points per game and 7 and 10 rebounds respectively in January.
• Luka Doncic in the last five games: 27 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists.
• Dennis Smith Jr. is away from the team for the fifth straight game, reportedly unhappy about his reduced role next to Doncic.

Boston Celtics (27-18) at Atlanta Hawks (14-30)

Line: Celtics -8.5, O/U: 226

Celtics: 112 ppg, top five defense, slower than average pace

Hawks: 110 ppg, bottom ten defense, fastest pace in the NBA

Notes:

• The Celtics have won their last six at home, but lost their last four on the road, most recently to Miami, Orlando, and Brooklyn amid all that Kyrie drama. Since them, they’ve beaten the Raptors and Grizzlies at home.
• Kyrie Irving’s last two games: 27 points and 18 assists, 38 points and 11 assists.
• Two of the most productive young Hawks, Trae Young and John Collins, are questionable with an illness.

Memphis Grizzlies (19-26) at Toronto Raptors (34-13)

Line: Raptors -12, O/U: 212

Grizzlies: 101 ppg, top ten defense, bottom five pace

Raptors: 114 ppg, top ten defense, average pace

Notes:

• The Raptors lost 117-108 in Boston, then rested Kawhi Leonard (28 ppg) the next night against Phoenix. It was a nail biter, but Pascal Siakam delivered a lefty layup at the buzzer to win.
• Kyle Lowry is averaging just 12 points per game on 31% shooting in his last five games.
• Marc Gasol and Mike Conley recently met with the owner of the Grizzlies to discuss the future of the franchise, and Gasol is questionable tonight with a sore back.
• Toronto is 19-4 at home, while the Grizzlies are just 8-16 on the road.
• Memphis has lost nine of their last ten.

Miami Heat (21-20) at Chicago Bulls (10-34)

Line: Heat -3, O/U: 205

Heat: 106 ppg, top ten defense, slower than average pace

Bulls: 101 ppg, below average defense, very slow pace

Notes:

• Miami lost last night in Detroit despite 20 points and 8 assists from Dwyane Wade off the bench. Josh Richardson missed that one, and it’s unclear if he’ll play tonight.
• The Bulls are going for their tenth consecutive loss.
• One of their only bright spots this season is rookie Wendell Carter Jr. who has averaged 10 points and 7 rebounds in 25 minutes per game this year. He’s out the next 8-12 weeks after a thumb surgery.

Los Angeles Lakers (25-21) at Houston Rockets (25-19)

Line: Rockets -7.5, O/U: 227

Rockets: 112, bottom five defense, bottom five pace

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

• James Harden’s incredible streak of individual dominance continued, scoring 57 against Memphis and then 58 in the next game, an overtime loss to Brooklyn.
• Eric Gordon is back and Chris Paul could return next week, but Clint Capela remains out for the next 4-6 weeks.
• The Lakers are 5-7 since LeBron’s groin injury. This is the longest stretch he has missed due to injury in his entire career.
• Lakers core in January: Lonzo Ball has 11 ppg, 6.5 rpg and 6.5 apg, Kyle Kuzma has 21 ppg and 6 rpg, and Brandon Ingram has 17 ppg, 7 rpg and 4.5 apg.

Cleveland Cavaliers (9-36) at Denver Nuggets (29-14)

Line: Nuggets -17.5, O/U 219

Cavaliers: 103 ppg, worst defense in the NBA, bottom five pace

Nuggets: 110 ppg, top ten defense, bottom five pace

Notes:

• The Cavs are 4-20 on the road this year, and the Nuggets are 19-4 at home.
• Nikola Jokic’s last ten games: 25 points, 11 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 block, 1 steal.
• Cleveland is 1-14 in the last month, while the Nuggets are 10-5 in that stretch.

Marquee Matchup

Oklahoma City Thunder (26-18) at Philadelphia 76ers (30-16)

Line: 76ers -2, O/U: 235

Thunder: 113 ppg, best defense in the NBA, above average pace

76ers: 115 ppg, above average defense, faster than average pace

Notes:

• Joel Embiid is listed as a game-time call with back tightness, and he’s averaging 27 points and 13 boards per game this season. Philadelphia was widely criticized for letting the big man play against Indiana while clearly in pain. He put up 22 points, 13 rebounds, and 8 assists.
• The Thunder have lost five of their last six, including back to back bad ones against the Hawks and the LeBron-less Lakers.
• Oklahoma City started the year with the top defense in the league but they’re struggling mightily on that end since the start of the new year, giving up an average of 124 points per game in January.
• Paul George (27 ppg) versus Jimmy Butler (20 ppg) is an exciting matchup between two of the best two-way wings in the game.
• Russell Westbrook is averaging 24 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds in his last ten games, but he’s shooting just 38% from the floor.