Portland Trail Blazers at Indiana Pacers (-3.5, 190)
Now that the Indiana Pacers are facing an opponent with a sub-.500 record, maybe they can grab a victory.
The Pacers have not beaten a winning team since Feb. 3, and enter Tuesday’s contest with the visiting Portland Trail Blazers having dropped four straight - all to Eastern Conference playoff contenders.
The Blazers are only one game under .500 but have lost five of their last seven. Portland is at the midway point of a seven-game road trip, with the lone victory coming at the lowly Washington Wizards.
Indiana has sandwiched a pair of lengthy skids around a six-game winning steak, but the run came against some of the worst teams in the NBA.
“We beat up on bad teams but just can’t compete against the good teams,” forward David West said after a 107-94 loss to the Orlando Magic. “Games we’ve had against playoff-caliber teams, we’ve lost them. That’s the measure of where we are.”
One of the better defensive teams in the league at the beginning of the season, the Pacers have surrendered an average of 100.4 points in their last nine losses.
Pick: Pacers +++
Toronto Raptors at Cleveland Cavaliers (-4, 193.5)
Everyone expected big things from Kyrie Irving, but maybe not this big, this early.
He scored 16 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 118-107 win over Houston and at this point, his teammates are starting to get used to his late-game heroics.
“This was fun to be a part of this because our guys, we like winning, man,” forward Samardo Samuels told reporters. “Our job is to come in and provide energy, so the starters can get a break. And when it comes to the fourth quarter, I’m like, ‘Here comes the Kyrie Show.’ He’s an unbelievable talent.”
Irving’s composure and talent has been a major part of Cleveland’s success so far this season. The Cavs were just a game out of eighth place heading into Monday’s action and had covered the number in four of their last five.
Toronto is 7-2 against the spread in its last nine, but will likely be without Jose Calderon (ankle).
Pick: Cavs ---
Now that the Indiana Pacers are facing an opponent with a sub-.500 record, maybe they can grab a victory.
The Pacers have not beaten a winning team since Feb. 3, and enter Tuesday’s contest with the visiting Portland Trail Blazers having dropped four straight - all to Eastern Conference playoff contenders.
The Blazers are only one game under .500 but have lost five of their last seven. Portland is at the midway point of a seven-game road trip, with the lone victory coming at the lowly Washington Wizards.
Indiana has sandwiched a pair of lengthy skids around a six-game winning steak, but the run came against some of the worst teams in the NBA.
“We beat up on bad teams but just can’t compete against the good teams,” forward David West said after a 107-94 loss to the Orlando Magic. “Games we’ve had against playoff-caliber teams, we’ve lost them. That’s the measure of where we are.”
One of the better defensive teams in the league at the beginning of the season, the Pacers have surrendered an average of 100.4 points in their last nine losses.
Pick: Pacers +++
Toronto Raptors at Cleveland Cavaliers (-4, 193.5)
Everyone expected big things from Kyrie Irving, but maybe not this big, this early.
He scored 16 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 118-107 win over Houston and at this point, his teammates are starting to get used to his late-game heroics.
“This was fun to be a part of this because our guys, we like winning, man,” forward Samardo Samuels told reporters. “Our job is to come in and provide energy, so the starters can get a break. And when it comes to the fourth quarter, I’m like, ‘Here comes the Kyrie Show.’ He’s an unbelievable talent.”
Irving’s composure and talent has been a major part of Cleveland’s success so far this season. The Cavs were just a game out of eighth place heading into Monday’s action and had covered the number in four of their last five.
Toronto is 7-2 against the spread in its last nine, but will likely be without Jose Calderon (ankle).
Pick: Cavs ---
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