Orlando Magic at Miami Heat (-8.5, 188.5)
It may seem hard to believe, but Dwight Howard is staying in Orlando for the foreseeable future. The trade deadline didn't just come and go, it came with Howard re-upping with the Magic.
And they played like an inspired team in their first game since the end of the chaos. In front of a joyous home crowd on Friday, Orlando hammered New Jersey 86-70. Howard played just 32 minutes but made eight of 10 field goals for 18 points while grabbing six rebounds.
"There was nothing we could have done about the situation other than play basketball," Jameer Nelson said of the big man's status. "With human nature, it was probably bothering certain guys more than others. But, at the same time, we were still winning games."
The Heat are generally winning games as well, but they have cooled off a bit of late. Miami is 4-4 in its last eight and a mere 2-6 ATS in that span. Take the Magic and the generous 8.5 points.
Pick: Magic +++
Portland Trail Blazers at Oklahoma City Thunder (-10, 199.5)
Portland won its first game under interim head coach Kaleb Canales, and it did so in alarming fashion. The Blazers went into Chicago on Friday and beat the Derrick Rose-less Bulls 100-89.
However, that is likely an aberration rather than the rule for the lowly Blazers. They are 3-7 overall and also 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games. They are two games under .500 and in last place in the Northwest Division. They just waived perennially-injured Greg Oden and traded Gerald Wallace to the Nets.
"I think as we evaluated our team in the last couple weeks, we've been very displeased with our performance on the court," explained general manager Chad Buchanan. "It's not Trail Blazer basketball. It was very disappointing. And that's kind of where we got to the decision (to make a trade)."
The Thunder, meanwhile, are coming off a 114-105 home loss to San Antonio on Friday. Look for them to come out mad on Sunday, because they have not lost two in a row since January 3 (their only back-to-back losses of the season).
Oklahoma City is still 18-4 at home (11-11 ATS)
Pick: Thunder +++
It may seem hard to believe, but Dwight Howard is staying in Orlando for the foreseeable future. The trade deadline didn't just come and go, it came with Howard re-upping with the Magic.
And they played like an inspired team in their first game since the end of the chaos. In front of a joyous home crowd on Friday, Orlando hammered New Jersey 86-70. Howard played just 32 minutes but made eight of 10 field goals for 18 points while grabbing six rebounds.
"There was nothing we could have done about the situation other than play basketball," Jameer Nelson said of the big man's status. "With human nature, it was probably bothering certain guys more than others. But, at the same time, we were still winning games."
The Heat are generally winning games as well, but they have cooled off a bit of late. Miami is 4-4 in its last eight and a mere 2-6 ATS in that span. Take the Magic and the generous 8.5 points.
Pick: Magic +++
Portland Trail Blazers at Oklahoma City Thunder (-10, 199.5)
Portland won its first game under interim head coach Kaleb Canales, and it did so in alarming fashion. The Blazers went into Chicago on Friday and beat the Derrick Rose-less Bulls 100-89.
However, that is likely an aberration rather than the rule for the lowly Blazers. They are 3-7 overall and also 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games. They are two games under .500 and in last place in the Northwest Division. They just waived perennially-injured Greg Oden and traded Gerald Wallace to the Nets.
"I think as we evaluated our team in the last couple weeks, we've been very displeased with our performance on the court," explained general manager Chad Buchanan. "It's not Trail Blazer basketball. It was very disappointing. And that's kind of where we got to the decision (to make a trade)."
The Thunder, meanwhile, are coming off a 114-105 home loss to San Antonio on Friday. Look for them to come out mad on Sunday, because they have not lost two in a row since January 3 (their only back-to-back losses of the season).
Oklahoma City is still 18-4 at home (11-11 ATS)
Pick: Thunder +++
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