BOS @ CHI: Doc Rivers is still experimenting. Brandon Bass was restored to the starting lineup last game, with rookie Jared Sullinger to the bench, and Jason Terry took over from Courtney Lee as the starting SG. The Bulls are without Kirk Hinrich (hip) indefinitely and while I have great respect for Nate Robinson’s athletic ability, Rajon Rondo is a nightmare assignment for a short PG.
MIA @ HOU: The Heat were surprised in Memphis yesterday and must shake that off. LeBron James is battling an assortment of minor injuries, but you wouldn’t know it by his numbers. The Rockets are a respectable 3-3, with the James Harden trade paying immediate dividends. I’ll guess they keep it close until crunch time, when the lack of a second scoring option will be felt.
MIN @ DAL: Two teams decimated by injuries to critical players have done a nice job staying above .500; Dallas has yet to lose at home and their guard play has been excellent. Darren Collison and O.J. Mayo are both well on their way to career years. Chase Budinger was the latest Minnesota player to get hurt; a torn meniscus will sideline him indefinitely. That leaves rookie Alexey Shved as the best option to start at SG, unless Brandon Roy — whose latest knee ‘injury’ was a bruise, not structural damage — can suit up.
DEN @ PHO: The Nuggets are rounding into form, with Kenneth Faried and Andre Iguodala playing particularly well. Kosta Koufos will have his hands full with Marcin Gortat, but it might also be vice-versa, as Koufos blocked eight shots in his last two games. This could be high-scoring, making players from both teams good to use in daily leagues.
ATL @ POR: After a tough loss in L.A., the Hawks must regroup. The way LaMarcus Aldridge and Nicolas Batum are playing, it won’t be easy. Rookie Damian Lillard is the real deal. In his worst night as a pro, he scored 13 points and had 5 assists; his averages are 18.8 and 7.0 through six games. However, the Blazers have possibly the biggest dropoff in talent in the league between their starters and backups. Louis Williams and the Atlanta second unit might run wild.