NBA Predictions

Minnesota Timberwolves – Utah Jazz: scoring frenzy at the Target Center The Target Center hosts a clash with totally different stakes tonight. Minnesota are hunting the best playoff spot they can grab. Utah are openly tanking for the draft lottery. That mix promises a manic pace. The visitors’ leaky defense will hand the home shooters…

Chicago Bulls – Toronto Raptors: Canadian lockdown in Illinois The United Center hosts a clash with completely different stakes tonight. Chicago meets Toronto. The home side are coasting through the end of the season with zero fight. The visitors from Canada want to climb the standings. Toronto’s slow, locked-down tempo will smother whatever tentative offense…

New Orleans Pelicans – Los Angeles Clippers: offense on the boil at Smoothie King Center The Smoothie King Center is set for a straight-up shootout tonight. New Orleans hosts Los Angeles. Both teams have cranked the pace up over the past few weeks. Offense has been steamrolling defense. Expect the scoreboard to catch fire early.…

Indiana Pacers – Portland Trail Blazers: a jaded showdown at Gainbridge Fieldhouse Nothing much on the line at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Indiana host Portland. The home side are openly eyeing the draft lottery. The visitors have essentially locked up a play-in spot. A clash of styles promises a stop-start tempo. Home-team apathy could drain the whole…

Brooklyn Nets – Oklahoma City Thunder: a gulf at the Barclays Center The Barclays Center hosts a total mismatch tonight. Brooklyn hosts Oklahoma City. The Nets’ project is stuck in the league mud. The visiting machine steamrolls opposition with ruthless efficiency. Bookmakers have the Thunder huge favourites, and for good reason. This isn’t a clash…

Boston Celtics – Golden State Warriors: trench warfare at the TD Garden The TD Garden stages a classic interconference scrap tonight — and the scripts don’t match. Boston sits on top, calm and clinical. Golden State is limping along without its playmakers. Expect a crawl for rhythm, a slog for points. This will be a…

Sacramento Kings – San Antonio Spurs: the Texan anomaly in California The Golden 1 Center hosts a blatantly one-sided showdown Tuesday night. Sacramento welcomes San Antonio. The California side is having a nightmare season. The Texas outfit rules the Western Conference. Oddsmakers, bafflingly, list the home team as slight favorites. The on-court reality says something…

Minnesota Timberwolves – Phoenix Suns: ambitions collide at the Target Center The Target Center hosts a toss-up tonight. The Wolves welcome Phoenix. Bookies have the home side as favourites. The stats hint at a much nastier scrap. The Arizona crew travel with confidence. The Midwest team, though, shows worrying defensive holes. Whoever manages possessions better…

Denver Nuggets – Philadelphia 76ers: Colorado Steamroller Ball Arena hosts a wildly lopsided interconference clash. Denver takes on Philadelphia. The home juggernaut needs to make amends in front of its crowd. The visitors arrive with an overflowing injury list. Athletic power tilts brutally toward the Colorado franchise. It’ll be a rough night for a Pennsylvania…