Category: NBA

The HoopsHype Daily: Trae Young is on an insane run right now, and he’s making a bit of history in the process

After scoring 42 points and dishing out 11 assists, Trae Young made a bit of history on Tuesday night. He’s performing at a crazy level right now.

YOUNG EN FUEGO: 2018 No. 2 overall draft pick Trae Young has been performing at an insane level recently, and last night was no different. The young Hawks point guard went off for 42 points (on just 21 field-goal attempts!) on the road against an elite Nuggets squad on Tuesday, nailing eight triples and chipping in with 11 assists for good measure.

In the process, Young became the first player 21 or younger to post three-straight games with at least 30 points and 10 assists, and just the third player with multiple 40-point, 10-assist games prior to turning 22, joining LeBron James and Michael Jordan on the illustrious list.

It’s been a fairly decent start to the season for Young, who is now averaging 28.0 points, 4.3 rebounds and 8.7 assists in 2019-20 through nine games played. The two players who were part of the draft-night trade two summers ago, Young and Luka Doncic, both have the look of special talents, so it’s safe to say both Atlanta and Dallas came out as winners that night.

HOT SEATS IN NYC: The New York Knicks lost yet again last night, falling to the 4-7 Chicago Bulls by a final scoreline of 120-102. After days of speculation on the job security of head coach David Fizdale, a report came out courtesy of SNYtv’s Ian Begley turning the spotlight on two of the team’s top executives, team president Steve Mills and general manager Scott Perry.

According to Begley’s sources, Mills and Perry spoke to Knicks owner Jim Dolan on Monday and came away with the impression that their jobs would be safe as long as the Knicks show some sort of progress this season. Well, if the last few games are to be taken as an indicator, Mills and Perry might be in some trouble.

A.D. PLAYING THROUGH INJURY: The Lakers won their eighth game in 10 tries on Tuesday, but the most interesting thing to come out of the contest was the news that Anthony Davis is playing through multiple injuries, one to his shoulder and one to his ribs.

His attitude towards playing through these knocks is admirable and Los Angeles is playing their best basketball in a very long time but at the same time, one has to wonder: Is it really smart for the superstar big man to be pushing himself this hard in mid-November, when the Lakers have such high expectations for the playoffs that are still months away? Maybe a night off would be the wise course of action for Davis. Los Angeles plays again tonight, so we’ll see how caution the team/player choose to be.

QUIET DRAMA IN HOUSTON: ESPN goes behind the scenes in Houston to report on the tension within the Rockets, and around the Association, following Daryl Morey’s infamous Hong Kong tweet.

P.G. RETURN DATE SET? Per Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes, Clippers forward Paul George is set to make his return on Thursday night for L.A.’s game against the Pelicans. George averaged 28.0 points and 8.2 rebounds per game last season, finishing third in MVP voting for 2018-19. He and Kawhi Leonard could be an unfair duo once they get going.

ANOTHER KEY PLAYER GOES DOWN: Another day, another injury to a key rotation piece around the NBA. According to reports, Rockets 2-guard Eric Gordon is going to undergo knee surgery that will keep him out approximately six weeks. Not good.

DIPO GETTING CLOSER? There’s still no timetable for Victor Oladipo’s return, but yesterday, the Pacers assigned the All-Star shooting guard to the team’s G League team so he could get another practice in. That has to be a good sign that he’s getting closer to a return.

ROOKIE EXPLODES: First-year Chicago point guard Coby White hit seven three-pointers in the fourth quarter of last night’s contest against the Knicks, setting the Bulls record for most triples in a single period. The league-wide record for most three-pointers in a quarter is nine (it belongs to Klay Thompson), so White wasn’t far off that pace.

STEPH CLAPS BACK AT GOAT:  Michael Jordan made headlines in an interview for saying Stephen Curry isn’t quite a Hall-of-Famer just yet. The Warriors point guard clapped back recently, referring to Jordan as one of his haters and saying he was going to send the Bulls legend a pair of his shoes. They should probably settle this in a televised game of one-on-one, if we’re being honest. (We’d even settle for H.O.R.S.E.)

FORMER TOP PICK WORKING HIS WAY BACK: The New York Times spoke to Magic head coach Steve Clifford about Markelle Fultz’s progress this year, and to former National League Rookie of the Year (baseball) Steve Sax, known for one of the most famous cases of the yips, about what it’s like to lose your confidence that drastically.

NETS EXEC STEPS DOWN: In what was a shocking bit of news, Nets CEO David Levy stepped down from his position with Brooklyn after fewer than two months on the job. The decision was described as mutual.

KRISTAPS STILL ADJUSTING: Mavericks big man Kristaps Porzingis spoke to Sports Illustrated about his struggles this season. Mark Cuban also added his thoughts in the piece.

I.T. SPEAKS ABOUT NEXT STOP: After famously saying his goal in free agency a few years ago was to back up the Bricks trunk (i.e., get paid handsomely), a humbled Isaiah Thomas told The Athletic he hopes his next contract is a more long-term one.

🏦 Thomas, currently the 314th-highest paid player in the league, is coming off back-to-back summers where he was forced to sign one-year deals.

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Trae Young nutmegged a defender, hit a jumper, and stared down the Nuggets’ bench

This looked way too easy.

It hasn’t taken long for Trae Young to become one of the more exciting players to watch in the NBA.

And right now he’s on an absolute tear.

The second-year Atlanta Hawks guard has scored over 30 points in each of his last three games, including 42 in Tuesday night’s victory over the Nuggets in Denver in which he hit eight 3-pointers.

But it was a nice two-pointer that stood out the most against the Nuggets as he nutmegged a defender, collected the ball, hit a jumper, and then stared down Denver’s bench for about five seconds.

You’re gonna want to check this out:

Here’s a better angle of the nutmeg:

Insane.

Here are his highlights from the win:

NBA fans loved the nutmeg:

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WATCH: Steph Curry expects to return to the court this spring

Steph Curry says he expects to return to the court this spring as he recovers from a broken left hand.

Steph Curry says he expects to return to the court this spring as he recovers from a broken left hand.

The Golden State Warriors star told reporters Monday night that — despite a report from a few days ago saying he could miss the entire year — he is rehabbing his hand with the expectation that he will play this season.

Curry broke his left hand Oct. 30 against the Phoenix Suns, coming down on it awkwardly on a drive to the basket. He said he has already had one surgery but will need a second procedure next month to have the pins removed, requiring more recovery time.

How Brad Stevens and a maniacal Marcus Smart have saved the Celtics defense

Marcus Smart’s fantastic start to the season is fueling the Celtic’s defense.

Count me as one of those people who thought the Celtics would be terrible after losing Al Horford. Kyrie Irving was their best scorer, sure. But Horford was their Swiss Army knife.

He defended, stretched the floor and, in some cases, would even guard the best player on the opposing team.  It’s rare that we see a 3&D big man scampering around the NBA, but Horford was exactly that for the Celtics.

Over his three seasons with Boston, he shot 38 percent from 3-point range, anchored their defense and spent time in May locking up Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo. He was a fulcrum offensively with his passing and screen setting. He constantly set the table for the team on both ends.

It’s not easy to find a guy who is a plus on offense, and who can guard Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo if you needed him to. It should be impossible not to take a step back after losing a player like that — especially when you replace him with a player like Enes Kanster.

No disrespect to Enes, but his most notable moment in the NBA might be this:

It’s reasonable to expect a big dip in defense, especially as the Celtics also lost a rim protector in Aron Baynes. But not only have the Celtics survived — they’re thriving. They’ve racked up eight straight wins and are sitting atop the East, and the defense has actually … improved.

Here’s how they’ve done it.

Brad Stevens has trusted Daniel Theis and Robert Williams

The Celtics 102.4 defensive rating so far ranks 8th in the league this season, but it’s a more stingy rating than they ever had through three seasons with Horford on the back end of their defense.

Part of the reason why, ironically enough, is that they haven’t played Horford’s theoretical replacement: Kanter. Kanter has been hurt — he played in the season opener against the 76ers and didn’t play again until last night’s game against the Mavericks.

His absence has allowed Daniel Theis and Robert Williams to blossom as a one-two punch at center. They’re averaging a combined 3.7 blocks per game so far this year. Brad Stevens is asking them to do what they’re comfortable doing — protecting the rim. So far, it’s working.

They’re leaning into it. Their top five most played lineups feature either Theis or Williams at center. Stevens will have to figure out how to get Kanter minutes without sacrificing their rim protection, but it’s a good problem to have.

Marcus Smart is a maniac

Smart just likes to terrorize things. Watching him on defense right now is an adventure, and Stevens has given him the green light to wreak havoc. It’s fun.

Dribbling around him is a no-go. Don’t do it. Just ask RJ Barrett what happens when you do.

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It’s not just that, though. He also willingly guards power forwards. That’s insane already. But that’s before even considering the fact that he’s actually good at it.

When they try to face up against him, he gets up underneath them and doesn’t allow them to put the ball down.

Animated GIF - Find & Share on GIPHY

He also stonewalls dudes in the post as a 6’4, 220-pound guard.

Animated GIF - Find & Share on GIPHY

That’s special stuff that you can’t really replicate with any one player. He’s been the Swiss Army knife that Horford was for them, but in guard form.

I literally cannot think of another guard that can do this. I’m also pretty sure that there isn’t one that actually WANTS to do this. Smart is just insane.

Just look at these numbers. So far, he’s forced 24 turnovers so far this season. He’s only committed eight of them himself. Players are shooting a mere 28.8% when being guarded by Smart this season. That’s a Defensive Player of the Year resume if I’ve ever seen one.

It’s tough to say whether the Celtics will keep this up on defense — especially as Kanter eases his way back into the lineup. It’s worth keeping an eye on, though.

Every special defense has a special player. Right now, Smart is looking like that guy in Boston.

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16 awful NBA injuries that have changed the season already

Ugh.

The 2019-20 season is only about an eighth finished.

But it’s clear there are injuries affecting some of the game’s biggest names, and — therefore — the teams they’re a part of. And it’s the worst. You never want to see that happen to anyone, let alone superstars. Consider this a collective “get well soon” to everyone on the list and everyone else in the NBA dealing with maladies.

When you put the list all together, it’s pretty wild how many players have been affected by injuries, some of them extremely long-term. Here’s a look at the list we compiled as of Tuesday:

1. Kevin Durant, Brooklyn Nets

We all knew his Achilles tear would probably result in a full year out, and that’s looking likely even if he’s shooting. And that means we’re missing out on a year of watching one of the all-time greatest NBA scorers.

2. Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors

I doubt the Dubs will rush him back from his ACL tear suffered in the NBA Finals.

3. Steph Curry, Golden State Warriors

There was talk he might not return this year for the Warriors from a broken hand, but …

4. Paul George, Los Angeles Clippers

It sounds like he’s coming back soon from surgeries on both of his shoulders — he practiced over the weekend.

5. John Wall, Washington Wizards

Will he be the same player he was before an Achilles tear? He’s still working his way back, but that hasn’t stopped him from tweeting stuff like this:

6. Victor Oladipo, Indiana Pacers

There’s this news from Tuesday as he comes back from a knee injury:

7. Jusuf Nurkic, Portland Trail Blazers

Boy, the Blazers have missed him, haven’t they? He broke his leg in March, so it might be a while until he returns.

8. Gordon Hayward, Boston Celtics

Just when he was turning a corner and returning from a devastating knee injury to being the star we saw in Utah, he fractured his hand and underwent surgery. He’ll reportedly return in six weeks.

9. Khris Middleton, Milwaukee Bucks

A thigh contusion might keep him out for a month.

10. Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans

The long-awaited debut is more awaited after knee surgery in October.

11. De’Aaron Fox, Sacramento Kings

Poor Kings. A sprained ankle will keep the point guard out for some time.

12. Marvin Bagley III, Sacramento Kings

Poor Kings, part II. He broke his thumb and he’s slowly working his way back.

13. Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers

Yes, he’s playing, but he’s talking about shoulder pain. A lot.

14. DeMarcus Cousins, Los Angeles Lakers

An ACL tear is likely keeping him out the entire 2019-20 season.

15. Kyle Lowry, Toronto Raptors

A fractured thumb shelved him for what will reportedly be two weeks.

16. Blake Griffin, Detroit Pistons

He just returned after missing 10 games with left leg problems.

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Kawhi Leonard acted like he didn’t know Kyle Lowry during their postgame handshake

He’s already moved on.

Kawhi Leonard had his first of two regular season games against the Raptors as the Clippers hosted Toronto at Staples Center on Monday.

Normally, a player in Kawhi’s position — playing his first game against the team he just won a championship with — might find such a matchup particularly emotional. He spent one season in Toronto but presumably built relationships with those players and the city.

But all you have to do is check out the postgame handshake following the Clippers’ 98-88 win to know that Kawhi is just different. Leonard gave Kyle Lowry a handshake as if the two had never met before. Like, did he just not recognize Lowry in a suit? What was going on here?

Even Lowry looked a bit confused by Kawhi’s notably brief handshake.

In all likelihood, though, Kawhi was just messing around with his former teammate. Before the game, they were seen joking together. Kawhi didn’t forget about Lowry.

He’s a fun guy, after all.

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Trail Blazers-Kings odds: Sacramento spotted a few points

Previewing Tuesday’s Portland Trail Blazers at Sacramento Kings sports betting odds and lines, with NBA matchup analysis and picks

The Portland Trail Blazers (4-6) visit the Sacramento Kings (3-6) Tuesday at the Golden 1 Center for a 10 p.m. ET start.

We analyze the Trail Blazers-Kings odds and lines, with NBA betting advice and tips around the matchup.

Place a legal sports bet on this NBA action or other games at BetMGM.

Trail Blazers at Kings: Key injuries

Trail Blazers:

  • PF Pau Gasol (foot) out

Kings

  • PG De’Aaron Fox (ankle) out
  • C Dewayne Dedmon (knee) probable

Trail Blazers at Kings: Odds, lines, picks, and betting tips

NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 10:30 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Trail Blazers 113, Kings 110

Moneyline (ML)

The -139 line for the visiting TRAIN BLAZERS is encouraging given they are 4-6 and yet 3-3 on the road. Also, Sacramento has won just one of its four home games.

Can Sacramento keep up with Portland? That answer seems to be yes as expectations of a close game are quite likely. This game opened up dead even and only slightly tilted toward Portland being a favorite.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Trail Blazers to win outright returns a profit of $7.19.

Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

The slightly better play for this game is taking the TRAIL BLAZERS with the -1.5 points at -121 odds. A Portland cover here (win by two or more points) returns a nicer profit of $8.26.

Portland is 4-2 on the road ATS (5-4-1 overall). Sacramento is 1-3 at home ATS and is 4.9 points off the projections due to a few bad performances. The Kings have improved their pace of play lately, however.

Over/Under (O/U)

The idea is to take the UNDER 221.5 (+105). There is a risk as the two teams combine to produce just 220 points per game. Sacramento yields a bit over 111 points a contest, while Portland gives up 114.6 points per game. Since those two numbers add up just about to 225.5, it makes us hesitant, so bet lightly on the under tonight.

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Chris’s NBA betting record: 24-16

Follow @ChrisWasselDFS and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Nets-Jazz odds: Utah a significant home favorite

Previewing Tuesday’s Brooklyn Nets at Utah Jazz sports betting odds and lines, with NBA matchup analysis and picks.

The Brooklyn Nets (4-5) visit the Utah Jazz (7-3) Tuesday at Vivint Smart Home Arena for a 9 p.m. ET start. We analyze the Nets-Jazz odds and lines, with NBA betting advice and tips around the matchup.

Place a legal sports bet on this NBA action or other games at BetMGM.

Nets at Jazz: Key injuries

Nets

  • SG Caris LeVert (thumb) out

Jazz

  • PG Dante Exum (hamstring) out

Nets at Jazz: Odds, lines, picks, and betting tips

NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 9:30 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Jazz 115, Nets 105

Moneyline (ML)

The -250 line for the JAZZ at home is not outrageous. Utah is 5-0 at home in the early going where the Nets are just 1-3 on the road.

Utah allows just 98.1 points per game on the season. Brooklyn scores at nearly 120 points per night. That is quite a contrast in styles. Utah can adapt better than Brooklyn and play much better defense.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Jazz to win outright returns a profit of $4.00. It’s a touch chalky, but it’s better than risking this on a Brooklyn (+200) team that has trouble keeping teams from scoring.

Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

The better play for this tilt is taking the JAZZ with the -6.5 points at -110 odds. A Utah cover here at those odds produces a tidy $9.09 profit – doubling the moneyline outcome.

Brooklyn is 1-3 against the spread on the road and is 7.2 points off projections which makes a Utah cover more likely. Utah is 3-2 ATS at home and exactly six points per game above the cover line.

Over/Under (O/U)

Let’s take the OVER 217.5 (-125). Yes, Utah can clamp down on defense but Brooklyn’s defense is bad enough to push totals up.

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Chris’ NBA betting record: 24-16

Follow @ChrisWasselDFS and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Cavaliers-76ers odds: Philaelphia big home favorite

Previewing Tuesday’s Cleveland Cavaliers at Philadelphia 76ers sports betting odds and lines, with NBA matchup analysis and picks

The Cleveland Cavaliers (4-5) visit the Philadelphia 76ers (6-3) Tuesday at the Wells Fargo Center for a 7 p.m. ET start.

We analyze the Cavaliers-76ers odds and lines, with NBA betting advice and tips around the matchup.

Place a legal sports bet on this NBA action or other games at BetMGM.

Cavaliers at 76ers: Key injuries

76ers

  • PF Al Horford (rest) out
  • PG Ben Simmons (shoulder) questionable
  • SG Shake Milton (knee) out

Cavaliers at 76ers: Odds, lines, picks, and betting tips

NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 10:20 a.m. ET.

Prediction

76ers 115, Cavaliers 105

Moneyline (ML)

The -715 line for the home 76ERS is a bit of a concern but they are 3-0 at home in the early going despite some wild movement on the betting lines. They have even come in above the projections.

Can Cleveland cover as the underdog seems to be the question? It is unlikely the Cavaliers win outright with a +500 line. This is not impossible, but it would take a poor shooting performance by Philadelphia.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the 76ERS to win outright returns a profit of $1.40. It’s very chalky, but it’s better than trying to win with Cleveland.

Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

The CAVALIERS +11.5 (+105) is the play here. A Cleveland cover (lose by no more than 11 points) returns a profit of $10.50.

Cleveland is 3-2 on the road ATS and 7.9 points per game on the cover while Philadelphia is 2-1 ATS at home and 5.8 points per game above projections. Cleveland has the ability to keep this game close enough.

Over/Under (O/U)

This is a bit rare, but the Over/Under of 216.5 (-106, -115) is one to pass on here. There are just better choices in some of the other NBA games tonight. Philadelphia-Cleveland is a game that could go either way and one call could make a difference. AVOID! 

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Chris’s NBA betting record: 24-16

Follow @ChrisWasselDFS and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Knicks-Bulls odds: New York spotted 6-plus in Chicago

Previewing Tuesday’s New York Knicks at Chicago Bulls sports betting odds and lines, with NBA matchup analysis and picks.

The New York Knicks (2-8) meet the Chicago Bulls (3-7) Tuesday at the United Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET between the 15th- and 13th-place teams in the Eastern Conference. We analyze the Knicks-Bulls odds and lines, with NBA betting advice and tips around the matchup.

Place a legal sports bet on this NBA action or other games at BetMGM.

Knicks at Bulls: Key injuries

Knicks

  • C Mitchell Robinson (concussion) out
  • PG Elfrid Payton (hamstring) out
  • PG Dennis Smith Jr. (personal) questionable
  • PG Kadeem Allen (knee) questionable
  • SG Reggie Bullock (neck) out

Bulls

  • SF Otto Porter (foot) out

Knicks at Bulls: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips

NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 9:55 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Knicks 103, Bulls 98

Moneyline (ML)

The Bulls are just 1-3 at home while the Knicks are 1-5 on the road. New York’s minus-10.1 average point differential is the worst in the NBA as it’s outscored 109.3-99.2 on average. The Bulls are minus-4.6 (110.0-105.4). Both teams come into Tuesday having lost their last game. The Knicks took a 108-87 loss at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers Sunday. The Bulls lost 117-94 at home to the Houston Rockets.

In a coin flip game between two bad teams such as this, it’s never a bad idea to chase the value. Back the KNICKS at +190 and make a profit of $19 on a $10 bet should New York come away with the outright road win.

Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

There’s still value on the KNICKS on the spread of +6.5 with -121 odds. The same $10 wager fetches an $8.26 return if they stay within six points in a loss or win outright. The Bulls’ three wins all came by margins of at least six points, but they’re just 4-6 overall against the spread and 2-2 at home. The Knicks are 5-5 ATS and 4-2 on the road.

Over/Under (O/U)

Take the UNDER 211.5 (+105). The Bulls and Knicks rank 28th and 29th, respectively, in true shooting percentage at rates of 52.2 and 51.0%. The Knicks also play to the league’s fifth-slowest pace at 99.85 possession per game.

New York is 2-8 against the Over/Under and falls an average of 7.1 points shy of the projection. Chicago is 4-6 against the projected totals while falling five points below the projection.

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Esten’s NBA betting record: 30-23

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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