Kyle Cash

The situation on the court is nearly as bad as the one off of it. Washington sits at 18th in Offensive Rating and 29th in Defensive Rating with a 7-12 record and 11th in the Eastern Conference – and we’re not even sure those numbers are a poor enough representation of the team. One thing to note is that slotting Kelly Oubre Jr. into the starting lineup to allow Otto Porter to play the power forward position has done wonders for Porter. Can the Wizards moves help them stay within 4 points? KC has his NBA prediction.

After a searing start that left people second-guessing their pre-season predictions, the Spurs crashed back down to Earth. Winning only 3 of their last 10 games, it’s about time for Popp’s team to get back on track. Ten days ago, San Antonio was in position for home-court advantage for the first round of the playoffs; now, they’re in position for a seat in between Atlanta and Phoenix at the NBA Draft Lottery presentation. When was the last time sportsbooks had given the Spurs 10 points? KC breaks down the Spurs chances with his NBA pick.

Over the course of their win streak, the Rockets have been able to get back to their old ways. Harden is averaging 33 points per game, Clint Capela has been a two-way monster, and the rest of the system is running beautifully. Against Detroit, Houston is going to do what they always do: shoot a lot of threes, and get to the line as much as possible. But can they keep the Pistons off the boards enough to cover the bookmaker’s line of -4.5? KC has today’s NBA prediction.

It’s been a – shall we say – uneven start to the season for LA Lakers. Between on-court fights, chemistry issues, Magic-Luke Walton tension and Carmelo-to-LA rumors, it’s a tumultuous time for the King in his new home. I’m not sure what is more amazing to me: the fact that the Lakers have fought their way back to 9-7 with a +1.2 point differential, or that LaVar Ball has managed to keep his mouth shut. Despite all that, LA has Lebron and Cleveland doesn’t. Sportsbooks essentially have Lebron as worth 9 points. Kyle Cash has his own numbers.

NBA players love to compete in Madison Square Garden. There is an undeniable energy that permeates through the building, and it’s many guys’ dream to create and feel the buzz that comes with lighting up the scoreboard there. Something tells me that Damian Lillard is one of those guys, and with Emmanuel Mudiay guarding him, I think it’s safe to suggest that he might have his way on Tuesday night. The rest of the Knicks roster is hard to predict game to game, but we don’t need a roster rotation to know that the Knicks are the 27th ranked defensive unit. Can they do enough to stay within 7 to help us beat our sportsbook? Kyle Cash has your NBA prediction.

The Thunder have kept up their torrid pace. The Thunder had won five in a row before Russ went down, but they have still gone 5-1 in his absence. Part of that is schedule-related; Phoenix twice, Cleveland, Dallas, the Knicks, and the out-of-sorts Rockets is not exactly a murderer’s row of opponents. But we can toss the Kings into that scrap heap as well, and there’s no reason that OKC shouldn’t be able to dispatch them and make another notch in their bedpost.

In the 2017 playoffs, the San Antonio Spurs were leading the undefeated Golden State Warriors by 25 in the third quarter – and then Zaza Pachulia happened, Kawhi went down, and history was rewritten forever. In tonight’s game, the Spurs will attempt to avenge the loss they took there as well as the loss they suffered this summer with the Kawhi Leonard trade. DeMar DeRozan has cooled off a little bit, but he and Aldridge are still All-NBA caliber players, and the Spurs are 5-2 at home. Bookmakers have the Spurs as only -2.5 favs over Steph and Dray-less GSW. KC has your NBA pick.

In year’s past, it’s taken until about January for Brett Brown to solidify the defense, but with the amount of two-way talent they now possess, their defense is 4th best at holding opponent’s effective field goal percentage down, and it’s only going to climb. Charlotte, as we outlined in the Cleveland game, has generated quality looks all season, and for the most part has converted. As cliché as it sounds, the winner of this matchup will be either the team that makes shots, or the team that made their opponent miss. Will the Butler-edition of the 76er defense hold up tonight in Charlotte?