The NBA action gets rolling today at noon ET with the New York Knicks hosting the Orlando Magic and wraps up with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Utah Jazz facing off at 8:00 p.m. ET. But what are today's best NBA picks & predictions? Continue reading to find out.
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Sunday’s Best NBA Picks & Predictions
Denver Nuggets vs. Charlotte Hornets
Denver (16-6) leads the NBA in scoring with 125.6 points per game and is one of the best teams in the league. They'll be without the services of Julian Strawther, Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun, but as long as they have Nikola Jokic, they'll be favored against most teams.
Charlotte (7-16) has struggled for much of the season. Not having LaMelo Ball, Tre Mann, Pat Connaughton and Josh Green available doesn't help. They are, however, coming off a big 111-86 win over a solid Toronto team on Friday night.
Denver's defense has been lacking this season. It nearly cost them the game on Friday against the Hawks, but a massive offensive surge in the second half helped them overcome a 23-point hole and steal a win. Coming off a big win over the Raptors, the Hornets will be full of confidence and may give the Nuggets a good fight in the first half.
But with how Jokic is playing, Denver will pull ahead and win by a comfortable margin.
Pick: Nuggets -10.5 (-105 at DraftKings Sportsbook)
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Philadelphia 76ers
The outcome of this game will pretty much depend on two things: Whether Luka Doncic plays and, if so, how effective he can be right after an international flight. With Doncic in the lineup, the Lakers are one of the best teams in the NBA; without him, they are still formidable, but beatable.
Philadelphia comes into this game with wins in four of its last five and on a three-game winning streak. But they will be down at least Kelly Oubre Jr. and Trendon Watford; Paul George and Joel Embiid are questionable. They have not been at their best at home, where they are 7-6.
I'd lean towards taking the Lakers and laying the points for a winner, but the total is the better bet. The Lakers have proven they can put up some points with Austin Reaves leading the way, even more so with Doncic. As long as Tyrese Maxey is healthy, the 76ers’ offense will be in good shape. Maxey can certainly take advantage of the Lakers’ weak perimeter defense.
Pick: Over 235.5 Points (-110 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Utah Jazz
The Thunder have been rolling this season, winning 22 out of 23 games, while the Jazz have not fared nearly as well, winning eight out of 22 games. But the big question mark for tonight's game is this: Can the Thunder continue to roll with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on the bench? He scored 33 in Friday's win over Dallas before sitting out the fourth quarter.
As for Utah, they last played on Friday, where they fell behind 23-0 to start the game before losing 146-112 to the Knicks.
The short answer to the question is yes. Dealing with injuries has been the norm for the Thunder this season. In addition to last season’s MVP, they'll also be down Alex Caruso, Isaiah Joe, Luguentz Dort and Isaiah Hartenstein. But they've had the depth to overcome them to this point in the season, and tonight should be no different.
Against a better team, that may not be the case, but the Jazz have struggled this season, and tonight will be no different.
Pick: Thunder -9.5 (-110 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
