NBA Projected Starting Lineups, Matchups, Injury News – 1/23/19

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Injury News

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

Bulls: Wendell Carter Jr. (thumb) is out for 8-12 weeks.

Cavaliers: Tristan Thompson (foot) and David Nwaba (ankle) are out.

Celtics: Al Horford (rest) is out.

Clippers: Danilo Gallinari (back) is out. Lou Williams (hamstring) is day-to-day.

Grizzlies: Marc Gasol (back) is questionable. Joakim Noah (personal) is out. Garrett Temple (heel) is probable.

Hawks: Kent Bazemore (ankle) and Miles Plumlee (knee) are out. Kevin Huerter (neck) is a game-time decision.

Heat: None

Hornets: Cody Zeller (hand) is out.

Jazz: Ricky Rubio (hamstring) is back in action.

Knicks: None

Magic: Aaron Gordon (back) is expected to play.

Nets: Jared Dudley (hamstring) is out.

Nuggets: Jarred Vanderbilt (foot) is a game-time decision.

Pelicans: Anthony Davis (finger) will miss the next week or two at least.

Pistons: Andre Drummond (concussion) and Ish Smith (groin) are out.

Raptors: Kawhi Leonard (rest) and OG Anunoby (personal) are out.

Rockets: 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 day-to-day. Jimmy Butler (wrist) and Ben Simmons (illness) are questionable.

Spurs: Davis Bertans (personal) is out.

Trail Blazers: None

Today’s NBA Matchups

Cleveland Cavaliers (9-39) at Boston Celtics (29-18)

Line: Celtics -17, O/U: 216

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

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

Notes:

  • The Celtics are 18-5 at home, and they’ve won four in a row.
  • Kyrie Irving’s last four games: 31 points and 11 assists per game, 60% FG, 56% 3PT.
  • Al Horford is taking the night off, meaning the Celtics will only have like five different guys better than the best player on the Cavs.
  • Cleveland is 1-16 going back over a month, tanking with ruthless efficiency.
  • Tristan Thompson is far and away their best player, and he’s out with a foot injury.

Houston Rockets (26-20) at New York Knicks (10-35)

Line: Rockets -7.5, O/U: 226

Rockets: 113, bottom five defense, bottom five pace

Knicks: 107 ppg, second worst defense in the NBA, average pace

Notes:

  • The Knicks have lost 14 of their last 15 and six straight, pedal to the metal in a tanking race with Chicago and Cleveland.
  • The Rockets have just one regulation win in their last five games, even though James Harden is averaging 49 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists in those games. They lost by almost 30 in Philadelphia in an off game for Harden, who “only” had 37 points and 3 assists.
  • Eric Gordon is back and Chris Paul could return next week, but Clint Capela remains out for the next 4-6 weeks.

Los Angeles Clippers (25-22) at Miami Heat (22-23)

Line: Heat -5.5, O/U: 216

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

Clippers: 114.5 ppg, below average defense, fast pace

Notes:

  • Miami just went 1-3 on a road trip, and the only win came against Chicago.
  • The Clippers have lost four of their last five, including yesterday 106-98 in Dallas.
  • Danilo Gallinari is out again with a back injury, and LA missed his 19 points per game against the Mavs.
  • Lou Williams came back from a hamstring injury against Dallas, but managed just 5-16 from the floor and 1-6 from three.

Orlando Magic (20-27) at Brooklyn Nets (25-23)

Line: Nets -6.5, O/U: 219

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

Magic: 104 ppg, average defense, slow pace

Notes:

  • The Nets are currently the sixth seed in the East,
  • D’Angelo Russell is averaging 26 points, 7 assists and 4 rebounds in his last five, and he’s coming off of 40 points in a 21-point comeback over Orlando. He hit 8-12 from three, including one to give Brooklyn their first lead since the first minute with under 30 seconds to play.
  • Despite their record and three-game losing skid, the Magic are still just 2.5 games back of the eighth seed in the East.
  • Aaron Gordon has missed the last two games for Orlando, but he should be back in action for this one.

San Antonio Spurs (27-21) at Philadelphia 76ers (31-17)

Line: 76ers -4, O/U: 226

Spurs: 111 ppg, average defense, very slow pace

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

Notes:

  • Joel Embiid has been dealing with back tightness over the last week, but it didn’t seem to limit him too much as he’s averaging 28 points, 12 boards and 5 assists in his last three.
  • Ben Simmons is averaging 18 points, 10 rebounds and 9 assists per game in his last ten, but he’s questionable for this one with an illness.
  • Jimmy Butler missed the 121-93 win over Houston with wrist soreness, and he’s questionable for this one. He’s averaging 21 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4 assists per game in his last ten.
  • In their last four, the Spurs have dropped two home games they should have won against the Hornets and the banged up Clippers. The other two games were impressive comeback wins in Dallas and Minnesota.
  • DeMar DeRozan is in a tough slump, shooting just 39% from the floor and turning the ball over four times per game in January.
  • LaMarcus Aldridge, on the other hand, is averaging 24 and 7 per game this month, shooting 56%.
  • For a full preview, click here.

Detroit Pistons (20-26) at New Orleans Pelicans (22-25)

Line: Pelicans -4.5, O/U: 221

Pelicans: bottom five defense, top five pace

Pistons: 107 ppg, above average defense, average pace

Notes:

  • Blake Griffin is averaging 30 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists in his last five, though the Pistons are just 2-3 in that stretch.
  • Griffin will have to carry an even heavier load because Andre Drummond and Ish Smith are expected to miss this game.
  • Anthony Davis is seeing a hand specialist to see if his sprained left pointer finger is actually broken, in which case he could miss 2-4 weeks. Davis had averaged 31 points, 14 rebounds, 2 blocks and 2 steals in his last ten, leading the Pelicans to 5-5 in that stretch.
  • New Orleans just finished a 2-3 road trip with a win in Memphis against the collapsing Grizzlies. Jahlil Okafor, Julius Randle, Nikola Mirotic, and Jrue Holiday each put up 20+ points.

Charlotte Hornets (22-24) at Memphis Grizzlies (19-27)

Line: Grizzlies +1.5, O/U: 209

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

Hornets: 112 ppg, below average defense, average pace.

Notes:

  • Charlotte lost 120-95 in Indiana on the second night of a back to back, which is pretty much to be expected.
  • The Hornets are 6-16 on the road.
  • Marc Gasol is questionable amid reports that Memphis’s front office is now listening to trade offers for him and Mike Conley.
  • The Grizzlies have lost twelve of their last 13, including six straight since Kyle Anderson went down with an ankle sprain.

Atlanta Hawks (14-31) at Chicago Bulls (10-36)

Line: Bulls -2, O/U: 221

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

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

Notes:

  • The Hawks play one of the few teams worse than them this season, but they have no real chance at the playoffs and still have plenty of time to tank.
  • Trae Young is averaging 21 points, 7 assists, and 5 rebounds in his last five games, but he’s shooting just 29% from deep.
  • The Bulls had lost 10 in a row, but got out-tanked by the Cavs and won 104-88 on Monday.
  • Chicago rookie Wendell Carter Jr. has averaged 10 points and 7 rebounds in 25 minutes per game this year. He needs thumb surgery and will be out for two to three months.

Denver Nuggets (31-14) at Utah Jazz (26-21)

Line: Jazz -3.5, O/U: 216

Jazz: 108 ppg, top five defense, average pace

Nuggets: 111 ppg, above average defense, bottom five pace.

Notes:

  • The Jazz have gotten hot beating up on less-than-stellar competition, but a six-game winning streak got snapped with a 109-104 loss at home against the Trail Blazers on Monday.
  • Donovan Mitchell’s last ten: 29 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds per game. He scored 36 in the loss to Portland, shooting 12-28 from the floor.
  • Ricky Rubio came back after missing six games with a hamstring injury, and looked a bit rusty as he turned the ball over four times with just two assists in 14 minutes off the bench. He did manage to score 12 points, though.
  • The Nuggets are 11-10 on the road, tough to do in the Western Conference this year.
  • Denver has lost seven consecutive games in Utah, however.
  • Nikola Jokic’s last ten games: 25 points, 10.5 rebounds, 8 assists.

Toronto Raptors (36-13) at Indiana Pacers (31-15)

Line: Pacers -5, O/U: 218

Pacers: 109 ppg, top five defense, slower than average pace

Raptors: 114 ppg, above average defense, average pace

Notes:

  • Kawhi Leonard will miss his fourth game in a row for rest purposes, which might be unprecedented in January. It makes sense against Phoenix and Memphis and maybe Sacramento, but Indiana is a huge game. Still, they’re 11-2 without him this year.
  • The Raptors are 20-4 in Toronto this season, and they haven’t lost in the friendly confines in a month and a half.
  • Victor Oladipo is shooting just 40% from the floor and 32% from deep in January.
  • Domantas Sabonis is putting up 15 and 10 per game this season.
  • The Pacers are 17-6 at home, and they’ve won four of their last five.
  • Since December 19, Indiana is 11-0 against soft competition but 0-4 against the other top teams in the East, including two losses to the Raptors.
  • For a full preview, click here.
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Daily previews of matchups to watch around the league, and film breakdowns of the best performance from the night before. Twitter @RealTomPetrini, Spurs interviews and analysis @projectspurs.

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