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It’s always crazy to me how fast things can change in the NBA. Tonight’s Bulls vs. Heat game is good example of that. Three years ago this was one of the marquee match-ups in the NBA as the Tom Thibodeau coached Bulls pushed the Big 3 and the Cavaliers to the limit every time out. It was the Bulls who ended the Heat’s 27-game win streak in one of the best NBA regular season games in recent history. Tonight is nothing like that. Chris Bosh is out, Jimmy Butler is out, Thibodeau is gone, Lebron is gone and Derrick Rose is not the same guy anymore. The Heat are fighting for the lead in a weak division and the Bulls are just trying to hold on to an eighth seed. Blink and everything changes in this league.
A game that matched that legendary Bulls-Heat tilt was probably this past Saturday’s Warriors-Thunder game. Steph Curry really showed the world what he is all about in that one and he ripped the win from the Thunder’s hands. The Warriors take on the Hawks tonight at home with Steph currently listed as questionable. He could use a break, but the quest for 73 won’t be so easy if he’s going to miss time.
NBA Betting Tips:
Tonight’s Portland and New York game is a match-up of two teams heading in the opposite direction. The Knicks are just 2-9 in the second half of the season with the Blazers being 9-2. Portland has been carried as of late by the stellar play of Damian Lillard and I don’t see anyone on the Knicks likely to slow down him and CJ McCollum. Kurt Rambis is not a very good coach and Terry Stotts is a very good one. I don’t like this game for New York. Blazers -5 is a strong play.
The Mavericks are in the midst of a nice stretch of home games that should really benefit them as an older team tonight against the Mavericks. They’ve been sleeping in their own beds for over a week now and they should be prepared for the Orlando Magic tonight. Scott Skiles’ squad had dreams of making the playoffs this season, but it feels like they are too far out to make a mark this season. The Magic actually beat the Mavs back on the 19th, but this feels like a season split. The recent loss should be enough motivation for Carlise’s crew and the home court should do the trick for Dallas -5.5 tonight.
Kobe Bryant’s farewell tour has been a feel-good story for him and his fans, but for fans of quality basketball it has been a nightmare. Tonight the nightmare rolls on as the Lakers face Brooklyn in a battle of top-5 lottery teams. The Lakers are losers of eight straight and don’t seem like they are going to turn it around tonight. Brook Lopez has carried the Nets to respectability this season, much to the chagrin of the Boston Celtics who own their draft pick, and I expect them to grab the win tonight. The Lakers are just a mess right now and Brooklyn +1.5 probably shouldn’t be getting points against them.
