WAS @ IND: The spot start here is D.J. Augustin, who filled in capable for George Hill (hip) and faces some tired Wizards tonight. David West and Paul George are must-starts, of course. As a frustrated Roy Hibbert owner, I keep running him out there and hoping he’ll break out of a brutal shooting slump.
MIN @ UTA: Hang in there, Ricky Rubio owners. It’s only a sore back, not his rebuilt knee, causing him to miss another game. Alexey Shved is the Wolves’ best guard for now, and their front line matches up very well against Utah. Call it a tossup between Al Jefferson and Nikola Pekovic at C. At PF, an unhappy, recently-ineffective Paul Millsap must try to stop Kevin Love, so Derrick Favors might be prominent off the bench. I really like Andrei Kirilenko, whose return to Salt Lake City after starring there for ten years will be great fun to watch.
DAL @ MIA: It’s one thing to win in DC, another in Miami the following night. I’m going to avoid Dallas players in daily leagues and start them reluctantly in other formats. LeBron James will do whatever he wants, and Dwyane Wade can handle O.J. Mayo at both ends of the floor. No contest.
NOH @ HOU: Here’s another ambush waiting for a weary visitor. The Rockets are a fast-paced scoring machine, especially at home. Against the weak Hornets’ wings, James Harden could score 40+ and Carlos Delfino may have another big night off the bench. Omer Asik matches up well vs. Robin Lopez, and while Jeremy Lin is no longer a global phenomenon, he’s been playing much better the last three weeks.
BRK @ OKC: After that ugly loss in San Antonio, the Nets face another difficult (if not impossible) task tonight. Deron Williams claims he’s tired, which is no way to prepare for Russell Westbrook. If a banged-up Gerald Wallace does play, he will be on Kevin Durant, so don’t expect Crash to score. The Thunder are 16-2 at home and should roll to another lopsided win.
SAS @ MIL: One caveat if you’re tempted to load up on Spurs. They play the Knicks on national TV tomorrow night, so coach Popovich may be hoping to play his veterans sparingly this evening. You never know what the great man is thinking.
PHI @ PHO: How much will the Sixers have left after that impressive win in L.A.? Phoenix is a solid team at home, Luis Scola and Jared Dudley have been playing very well, and this could go either way. Goran Dragic will have to slow down Jrue Holiday for the Suns to win.
LAC @ GSW: Could the Clippers have been looking ahead to this game? It was supposed to be the big test of their winning streak; now they are trying to avoid a second loss in 24 hours. It’s hard to pick against the Warriors, rested and at home. Stephen Curry and David Lee will get their numbers, win or lose.
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