This article is part of our NBA Picks series.
Here's a random thought - technology has caused the coast-to-coast trip for many NBA teams to NOT be nearly as big of a factor as it was 20 years ago. I say that because most team planes look more comfortable to sleep and hang out on than my own apartment in Santa Monica.
Take the Mannequin Challenges that recently took the internet by storm. The challenge showcased many professional sports teams airliners, and that does not look like the common man's coach seat. I refuse to buy into the narrative that teams that go on West Coast road trips (and vice versa) might be more tired. THEY'RE PLAYING POKER ON THE PLANE and probably don't get charged for a bag of damn pretzels.
(Damian Lillard gets a shoutout for flying coach, though)
End rant.
Last week: 2-0-1 (10-6-1 on the season)
A TIE ("push" is the appropriate terminology here). This is not the NFL. In the pick 'em pools that I'm apart of we round up 0.5 if the score is flat to avoid ties. But since I use what the consensus line is ahead of the games, we cannot avoid the occasional push.
Quote I regret from last week: "The Grizzlies were dealt two blows recently, receiving word that James Ennis will be sidelined about two weeks with a calf injury, while Tony Allen continues to be hampered by a groin injury."
"Why," you might ask? I feel personally responsible for jinxing Mike Conley, who is one of my favorite players for reasons that would take far more than this article to explain. I bet he flies coach like Damian Lillard, too.
On to this week:
Pacers at Blazers (-8)
The Indiana Pacers are on an upswing and they are winning because of their defense, holding their last four opponents to less than 100 points. Most recently, the Pacers defeated one of the Western Conference's best teams in the Clippers, holding Los Angeles to 31.4 percent shooting. In most cases, that defensive formula will cover any amount of points thrown their way. Weirdly enough, the rotations have been working in favor of Indiana without superstar Paul George (ankle), and Glenn Robinson III has been taking advantage of the minutes increase.
I do not believe the Pacers will win this game; however, I do believe that giving eight points is far too much for a team that has only won two of its last eight contests. The Blazers are on the downswing, the Pacers are on the up. Back the Pacers.
The pick: Pacers +8
Grizzlies at Raptors (-11.5)
This is a scary amount of points, but the Grizzlies just lost Mike Conley for an indefinite amount of time. To put matters into perspective in terms of how good Mike Conley has been this season, the Ohio State product was top-eight in both PER and estimated wins added among all eligible point guards in the league.His .599 true shooting percentage was also the highest of his career, and he remains one of the NBA's premier defensive point guards.
It was truly a gut-wrenching blow to a player who already has an extensive injury history.
The Raptors have won three straight, and that included two games with DeMar DeRozan falling below his 29.2 points per game average on the season.
The pick: Raptors -11.5
Lakers at Bulls (-9.5)
We're about a month into the NBA season and this might be one of the best matchups of the year.. While the Lakers will be without both Nick Young and D'Angelo Russell, Julius Randle is expected to play after returning from a minor hip injury Tuesday against New Orleans.
Jimmy Butler is playing at an MVP level. I did not stutter. While Russell Westbrook is proving more and more everyday that he is alien (look at his alien numbers, his alien ability to dunk, his alien way of dressing before games), Butler is a human learning from his newfound mentor, Dwyane Wade. Butler is dominating the 3-to-10 foot range with his and averaging a career best 25.8 points per game. The youthful Lakes are getting better, but on the second game of a back-to-back, against a Bulls team who seems to get better every quarter, this challenge poses a little too much for LA.
The pick: Bulls (-9.5)
