NBA Projected Starting Lineups, Matchups, Injury News 2/28/19

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Injury News

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Cavaliers: None

Heat: Hassan Whiteside (hip) and James Johnson (shoulder) are out.

Jazz: Ricky Rubio (hamstring) is day-to-day.

Knicks: DeAndre Jordan (ankle) is out.

Magic: Isaiah Briscoe (concussion) is doubtful.

Nuggets: Trey Lyles (hamstring) is out.

Pacers: Tyreke Evans (food poisoning) is day-to-day. Domantas Sabonis (ankle) is out.

Rockets: Iman Shumpert (calf) and Kenneth Faried (hip) are day-to-day.

76ers: Joel Embiid (knee), Furkan Korkmaz (knee), and Boban Marjanovic (knee) are out

Thunder: None

Timberwolves: Robert Covington (ankle) is out. Jeff Teague (knee) and Luol Deng (achilles) are day to day.

Warriors: None

Today’s NBA Matchups

Contents

Cleveland Cavaliers (14-47) at New York Knicks (13-48)

Line: Knicks -3, O/U: 219

Knicks: 106 ppg, second worst defense in the NBA, average pace

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

Notes:

• The Knicks can tie their season-long winning streak of three in a row tonight, coming off impressive wins against the Spurs and Magic.
• In the 108-103 win over Orlando, no Knicks starters scored in double figures while Emmanuel Mudiay, Mitchell Robinson, Allonzo Trier and Henry Ellenson each dropped 13+ off the bench.
• DeAndre Jordan remains out with a sprained ankle.
• The Cavs and Knicks have each won three of their last five games. They can’t even tank right.
• Cedi Osman put up 27 points in Cleveland’s 123-110 loss to the Trail Blazers on Monday.
• Kevin Love is averaging 17 points and 9 rebounds on 44% shooting in 20 minutes per game since returning from an extended absence.

Golden State Warriors (43-18) at Orlando Magic (28-34)

Line: Warriors -7, O/U: 227

Magic: 105 ppg, average defense, slow pace

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

Notes:

• The Magic have won 8 of their last 11 games, but two of those losses came this week against the Knicks and Bulls.
• Aaron Gordon and Nikola Vucevic each had 26 points, and Vuc added 11 boards, 6 assists and 3 blocks.
• Every Magic starter had at least 13 points, but the entire bench combined for just 7 points total.
• Terrence Ross was the leading scorer in the win in Toronto with 28 points and 9 rebounds, but he shot just 1-10 in New York.
• The Warriors have lost three of their last five, including last night on an impossible, legendary 3 off the window from Dwynae Wade in Miami.
• Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, and Steph Curry combined for 89 points, and all had 4-point plays as the Dubs roared back from a 24-point deficit.
• DeMarcus Cousins rested in the loss, so he should be fresh for tonight.

Miami Heat (27-33) at Houston Rockets (36-25)

Line: Rockets -9.5, O/U: 221

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

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

Notes:

• James Harden started a new 30-point game streak in Charlotte, adding 7 assists and leading Houston to a 118-112 win.
• Chris Paul is averaging 20 points and 10 assists in the last five games.
• Clint Capela added 23 and 17 in the win, by far his best game since returning a week ago from that thumb injury.
• The Heat had lost three straight and blew a 24-point lead against the Warriors. Dwyane Wade (25 points) had a three to win, but it was blocked… RIGHT BACK TO HIM AND HE CHUCKED IT OFF THE GLASS FOR THE WIN!!!
• Goran Dragic looks pretty healthy, as he dropped a team-high 27 off the bench in that one.
• Hassan Whiteside missed that game and did not make the trip to Houston. Kelly Olynyk and Bam Adebayo both started, combining for 26 points and 15 rebounds.

Minnesota Timberwolves (29-32) at Indiana Pacers (40-22)

Line: Pacers -4, O/U: 222

Pacers: 108 ppg, top five defense, slower than average pace

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

Notes:

• The Pacers had won seven of eight, but lost their last two games in Detroit and yesterday in Dallas, 110-101.
• Bojan Bogdanovic put up 22 points in that one, and he’s averaging 21 points per game in his last ten. He’s Indiana’s most consistent scorer with Oladipo done for the year.
• Tyreke Evans missed yesterday with a case of food poisoning, and he might still be feeling the effects today.
• Wesley Matthews is the starting shooting guard now, averaging 14 points on 42% shooting with his new team.
• Minnesota lost in Atlanta last night in OT by a score of 131-123.
• Karl-Anthony Towns has averaged nearly 36 points and 20 rebounds in his last two games.
• Jeff Teague was healthy for a brief period, but he’s missed the Atlanta loss with a nagging knee injury and his status for tonight is unclear.
• Luol Deng played just 8 minutes in the loss and is day-to-day with a sore achilles. He only averages 9 points per game, but he’s a key defender for the Timberwolves.

Philadelphia 76ers (39-22) at Oklahoma City Thunder (38-22)

Line: Thunder -7, O/U: 240

Thunder: 116 ppg, second-best defense in the NBA, top five pace

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

Notes:

• The Thunder are among the best teams in the league, but they’ve lost three of their last four.
• Paul George had 45 points, 9 boards, 7 assists, and the game-winner in double OT against the Jazz, but he’s shot just 11-43 in the two losses since.
• Russell Westbrook put up two 40+ point games in a row, but was limited to 22 by the Nuggets.
• Jerami Grant is back healthy and starting, and he had 21 in the 121-112 loss to Denver on Tuesday.
• The Sixers have never won a game in Oklahoma City, and the only time they beat the Thunder was over a decade ago.
• Joel Embiid has delicious beef with Brodie, but he remains out for this one with a knee. Embiid is averaging 27 points and 13.5 rebounds this year.
• Boban is out too, so expect the Sixers to go small for most of the game.
• Tobias Harris brought his 21 point, 8 rebound per game averages to Philadelphia, and Jimmy Butler’s production has taken the biggest hit.
• Ben Simmons is averaging 20 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists in his last five.

Marquee Matchup

Utah Jazz (34-26) at Denver Nuggets (42-18)

Line: Nuggets -7.5, O/U: 224

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

Jazz: 109 ppg, top five defense, average pace

Notes:

• The Nuggets have won five in a row, most recently 121-112 over the Thunder.
• Nikola Jokic put up 36 points, 10 assists and 9 rebounds in that one, and he’s averaging 23 points, 12 rebounds and 8 assists in his last ten games.
• Paul Millsap looks healthy with back-to-back double doubles in the starting lineup.
• Gary Harris is coming off the bench as he works his way back from an adductor injury, scoring just 5 points in 23 minutes.
• The Jazz won two at home against the Mavs and Clippers, but playing in Denver where the Nuggets are 27-4 is a different beast.
• Donovan Mitchell put up 32 against the Clippers, and Rudy Gobert added 20 and 13
• Ricky Rubio left the Clippers win with a tight hamstring, and he’s a very key piece of this offense averaging 13 points and 6 assists per game.