My Pre-Game Predictions For Today’s Games – 2.10.21
It’s another day of NBA action, and we have 9 games on the schedule today. I will be giving all my pre-game breakdowns for each game, and choose a winner for each game.
Toronto Raptors vs Washington Wizards
The Raptors won their last game against Memphis with Kyle Lowry for most of the game and Nick Nurse for the 4th quarter. The good news for the Raptors is that Lowry is expected to play. OG Anunoby has been getting closer to a comeback, questionable for a return. Toronto has to be able to play swarming defense, trying to hide their weak interior. They also need their Big 3 to produce, otherwise it’s tough for them to win.
The Wizards have been getting some wins together, as they have been getting healthier. They need Russell Westbrook to score and be efficient next to Bradley Beal, as just Beal isn’t enough. They need some role guys like Hachimura or Bertans to score, because Washington will let teams score with their 29th ranked defense.
Final Verdict: This game will be high-scoring as both teams don’t have great defenses. But I am going with the Raptors. They have more scorers, and they have proven that they can play good defense. Washington needs to shoot really well to win, as just Beal isn’t enough.
Atlanta Hawks vs Dallas Mavericks
The Hawks ended their 3-game win streak with a high-scoring win against the Raptors. But the Hawks are going to be without De’Andre Hunter for two months, likely the rest of this half season. A big blow for the Hawks, especially on defense. They will need to rely on Trae Young more, who needs to be aggressive. The Hawks have a massive frontcourt advantage in this game, and I expect them to dominate down low.
The Mavs have won their last two games as their offense has comeback from the dead. Luka Doncic has been given help after he was a one-man show for most of this season. They need Kristaps Porzingis to take smart shots and use his size to his advantage more. They need Josh Richardson and Tim Hardaway Jr. to get going, as they are their two best scorers outside of Luka. The Mavs have to score to win, and that’s the bottom line.
Final Verdict: No De’Andre Hunter is huge, as now the Hawks don’t have a ton of bodies to throw at Luka. The Mavs offense has been getting hot recently, and I think they will win. The Hawks dominant frontcourt will help keep the game close, but I think Dallas will win eventually.
Indiana Pacers vs Brooklyn Nets
The Pacers have lost 5 of their last 6 games, as their defense has been pretty poor lately. Myles Turner down low makes this team average defensively at best, but when he’s off the floor they aren’t too good. They have to be able to play defense, otherwise they can’t win. They need guys other than Sabonis and Brogdon to score, as those two can’t do it all. The Pacers have to get back to what they were doing at the start of the year.
The Nets have struggled recently without KD, as their offense with just Harden and Irving hasn’t been great. We all know their defense is poor, as they just haven’t been able to find consistency on that end. Without KD they have to score, and they have the guys to do it. Getting Joe Harris more involved would help.
Final Verdict: The Pacers should win this game. Sabonis will dominate down low, and Myles Turner will be a menace, making sure that there is nothing easy down low. The Nets offense hasn’t been very good when KD doesn’t play, so they have to try and score to keep pace with their poor defense.
Charlotte Hornets vs Memphis Grizzlies
With Lamelo Ball starting, the Hornets have been scoring a lot on offense, as Ball is much more of a playmaker. Devonte Graham is out again, another opportunity for Ball to start. I like this offense for the Hornets, as they have a lot of weapons. And they are still a top-10 defensive team in the league, making them quietly one of the best teams in the league.
The Grizzlies have lost 4 straight since their win-streak, as their offense and defense have been struggling, especially their defense which was one of the best in the league. Ja Morant has to be better as a scorer, as he hasn’t been great lately. The Grizzlies are deep, but they have to shoot well. Their defense is solid, but if their offense is struggling they can’t afford to get torched.
Final Verdict: I’ll take the red-hot Hornets in this game. Lamelo Ball as a starter this season has been very good, as he makes the guys around him good. The Grizzlies defense has been struggling, as has their offense. The Hornets are trending up, and the Grizzlies are trending down.
LA Clippers vs Minnesota Timberwolves
Without PG in the lineup, the Clippers have slowed down a lot since just Kawhi isn’t enough. The Clippers still have a lot of talent outside of Kawhi, with guys like Williams, Morris, and Kennard all being good scorers. But those guys will have to step-up and score, as to try and fill the void left by PG.
The T-Wolves are a mess. They dearly miss Karl-Anthony Towns, as they just haven’t been good on either end this season. Their recent trend is playing very bad defense in the first half and trying to comeback. They are poor on both ends, and this should be a long year for Minnesota.
Final Verdict: Even without PG, the Clippers should win this game comfortably. The T-Wolves don’t do anything particularly well, so LA should win this game handily.
New Orleans Pelicans vs Chicago Bulls
Because the Pelicans have been shooting the ball well, they’ve been winning. Teams don’t respect Lonzo and Bledsoe from outside, so when they hit their open shots the Pelicans become a lot better. Zion and Ingram are very good, but the Pelicans struggle mightily when they can’t shoot the ball.
The Bulls lost another heart-breaker to the Wizards, as they just can’t seem to win close games. They are still missing Porter, Carter, and Markkanen for the time being, so they’ll need Zach Lavine to be aggressive and to score. That also means Coby White has to be able to score, as that’s what he does best. With Chicago’s poor defense, they’ll have to score if they want any hopes of winning.
Final Verdict: I’ll go with New Orleans here. They are in a rhythm right now, as they have found a way to win. They have scoring, and the Bulls are very short-handed. This should be a win for the Pelicans.
Cleveland Cavaliers vs Denver Nuggets
The Cavs offense has been the root of their problems, as they just haven’t been able to score enough. Their defense has been good all season, even with Larry Nance out for the next 6 weeks. The Cavs have to score to win. They have to hope they can slow down Nikola Jokic, and they have to hope they can score against a poor Denver defense.
Denver isn’t the same team they were last season, as their defense has taken a turn for the worst. Nikola Jokic has been having to do it all, as Jamal Murray has struggled this season. They are missing two of their best perimeter players in Harris and Dozier, not helping their defensive problems.
Final Verdict: The Nuggets have to unlock Jamal Murray again to be successful, as just Nikola Jokic isn’t enough. Defensively they have to be better, and they should be able to hold down the worst offense in the league. Denver should win this game.
Milwaukee Bucks vs Phoenix Suns
The Bucks offense has been rolling lately, as they have rebounded nicely from their slow start. I don’t view this team very highly with Coach Bud, but they are a good team. No Jrue Holiday means they rely more on Middleton and their strong bench for scoring. The Bucks defense better make sure they don’t get torched by Phoenix.
The Suns have won 6 of their last 7 games, as they have been getting back to what they did to start the year. Their team is very balanced, one of the better rosters in the league. CP-3 is questionable, but he’s such a game manager for them. If he’s unavailable, Booker will have to score a lot and the same goes for Deandre Ayton.
Final Verdict: This will be a good game, but I’m going with the Bucks. The Suns likely won’t have the personnel to guard Giannis, and the Suns might struggle keeping up with the Bucks 3-PT shooting. The Suns will have to be able to hit 3’s and stretch the floor, otherwise it’s going to be tough for them to win games.
OKC Thunder vs LA Lakers
The Thunder fought their hearts out against the Lakers on Monday, but they still lost in OT. No SGA in this game means OKC is without their best scorer. They will still fight their hardest per usual, but they really should lose this game.
For the love of god don’t go to OT again.
Final Verdict: The Lakers better win this game convincingly.
Game Of The Day
I think that Hawks vs Mavs will be good. The Mavs have been getting better offensively, and the game features some of the best young stars in the game, including Luka Doncic and Trae Young.
Other good games are Bucks vs Suns and Pacers vs Nets
What Are Your Predictions For The 9 Games Today? Leave A Comment Down Below!
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