There was some talk that the Boston Celtics might actually get back former Utah Jazz All-Star forward Gordon Hayward this season. Of course, the free-agent acquisition broke his ankle on opening night in his Boston debut. Alas, Coach Brad Stevens has put the kibosh on any talk of Hayward returning. Stevens was basically as definitive as he’s been regarding Hayward over the weekend: “He’s not playing this year.” Here’s a look at two interesting NBA betting matchups this week. Check back for the latest NBA odds on gameday.
On Feb. 26 also in Toronto, the Raptors Hulk-smashed the Pistons, 123-94. DeRozan and Lowry each scored 20 points and Serge Ibaka had 19. The game was close at the half, but the Raptors blew it open by outscoring the Pistons 34-22 in the third. Ibaka scored seven points in a 19-4 run that turned the tide in Toronto’s favor. Drummond had 18 points and 18 rebounds but Detroit lost its fourth consecutive meeting with Toronto. Griffin was held to 12.
The Pistons seem likely to fire coach and president of basketball operations Stan Van Gundy if they miss the playoffs – and the way the team is playing right now, that’s looking more and more likely. At a minimum, Van Gundy might have to relinquish personnel control and just coach. Detroit enters the week with just two wins in its past 10. In Van Gundy’s defense, the Pistons are 11 games over .500 with a completely healthy Reggie Jackson over the last three seasons. Jackson is close to a return from the severely sprained right ankle that has sidelined him since the night after Christmas.
Top NBA Betting Picks & Predictions – March 5th Edition
#Power_rankings Week 19: OKC Thunder rank elicits shady response https://t.co/UvAcCnmvDt via @thunderousint pic.twitter.com/pa15xANnTZ
— FanSided NBA (@FanSidedNBA) March 5, 2018
Houston Rockets at Oklahoma City Thunder
When: Tuesday, 8 PM ET (TNT) It’s the second of three meetings between these star-studded teams – of course, James Harden used to be a member of the Thunder with Kevin Durant alongside Russell Westbrook. Can you imagine how unstoppable that team would be right now? The Rockets host the Thunder on April 7. The first meeting was on Christmas, with Houston losing 112-107 – that was when the Rockets were playing their worst basketball of the season as part of a five-game losing streak. They haven’t even lost five games total since. Westbrook had 31 points and 11 assists in the win. Paul George scored 24 points and Carmelo Anthony added 20 for the Thunder, who shot 54.4 percent. Harden led the Rockets with 29 points, but he made just 7 of 18 field goals. You really can’t even count that result because Houston was without Chris Paul. Houston enters the week with the NBA’s best record and on a 15-game winning streak. It ties the second-longest in franchise history, accomplished twice during Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon’s tenure in the 1990s, and trails only a 22-game run the Rockets had in the 2007-08 season. The Rockets also won 14 in a row from Nov. 16 to Dec. 18. Eric Gordon is in the running for Sixth Man of the Year. In Saturday’s win over Boston in a potential NBA Finals preview, Gordon had 29 points. It was the fifth time this season that Gordon scored 25 or more points in a game he did not start, the third most such games in the NBA this season. Gordon has had 11 games in which he scored 25 or more points as a substitute since he joined the Rockets last season. That’s the most such games for a Rockets player since Sleepy Floyd had 11 for the team in the early 1990s. James Harden had 26 vs. Boston and has scored at least 25 in 11 straight games. That matches Giannis Antetokounmpo (Dec. 2-26) for the longest such streak in the NBA this season. Houston is just 4-11 over its past 15 trips to Oklahoma City, including 1-4 over past five. Over the past five meetings overall, the Rockets are averaging 113.4 points on 47.0% shooting while Thunder are averaging 111.4 ppg on 47.8% shooting.Toronto Raptors at Detroit Pistons
When: Wednesday, 8 PM ET This could be a first-round playoff preview between neighboring cities – if the Pistons make the postseason, that is. This is the third of four regular-season meetings; they face off April 9 in Detroit, which could be crucial for both teams. On Jan. 17 in Toronto, the Raptors beat the Pistons 96-91. Jonas Valanciunas had 17 points and 16 rebounds, C.J. Miles scored 21 points, Kyle Lowry scored 18 points and DeMar DeRozan had 17 to help the Raptors avoid their first three game losing streak of the season at the time. Andre Drummond had 25 points and 17 rebounds but the Pistons fell behind by 13 in the first quarter. The Raptors led by as many as 15 in the first half but trailed 79-75 early in the fourth quarter before rallying. That game was before the Pistons had acquired Blake Griffin.
On Feb. 26 also in Toronto, the Raptors Hulk-smashed the Pistons, 123-94. DeRozan and Lowry each scored 20 points and Serge Ibaka had 19. The game was close at the half, but the Raptors blew it open by outscoring the Pistons 34-22 in the third. Ibaka scored seven points in a 19-4 run that turned the tide in Toronto’s favor. Drummond had 18 points and 18 rebounds but Detroit lost its fourth consecutive meeting with Toronto. Griffin was held to 12.
The Pistons seem likely to fire coach and president of basketball operations Stan Van Gundy if they miss the playoffs – and the way the team is playing right now, that’s looking more and more likely. At a minimum, Van Gundy might have to relinquish personnel control and just coach. Detroit enters the week with just two wins in its past 10. In Van Gundy’s defense, the Pistons are 11 games over .500 with a completely healthy Reggie Jackson over the last three seasons. Jackson is close to a return from the severely sprained right ankle that has sidelined him since the night after Christmas.
