The Big Dog was one up and two down yesterday, after making the mistake of underestimating the ability of the defending NBA Champions to deal with an Eastern Conference back-to-back set. Fortunately, the Pistons delivered a predictably comprehensive win over the hapless Lakers, which meant the overall result for a 1-2 day was a loss of less than one unit. With nine games on today’s card, there’s plenty to look forward to and The Big Dog has narrowed it down to the best two plays of the day.
Detroit Pistons @ Charlotte Hornets
Detroit capped a 4-0 homestand with a dominant 111-91 win over the Lakers. Now they’re immediately back on the road, visiting a Hornets team that has been better on the defensive end than each of the Pistons’ last four opponents. Charlotte also have the benefit of a day’s rest, following an impressive 102-96 road win over the Bulls. Last night, this game was difficult to tip, with Charlotte getting the nod, on balance. This morning is a different story, as Kemba Walker is considered “doubtful” due to illness. The Hornets’ point guard had 17 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals against the Bulls. With the home team already without centre Al Jefferson, Walker’s likely absence is huge. In-form Pistons guard Reggie Jackson will now match-up directly with Jeremy Lin, which is a reversal of a Walker v Jackson match-up in which the Hornets would have felt they had the advantage. One area where Detroit maintain their upper hand is rebounding. The Pistons rank third in the NBA on the boards and amassed a +22 advantage (+9 in offensive rebounds) against the Lakers, who rebound in very similar numbers to Charlotte. With the game well in their keeping, Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy was able to keep a good check on the minutes of his stars. Clearly mindful of playing two games in as many nights, Van Gundy played reserve Anthony Tolliver for a team-high 34 minutes (over 13 more than his season average), while Drummond and Jackson logged just 49 combined minutes. While there is no doubt that Charlotte will still be better defensively than any team Detroit has played during their winning streak, the Pistons are in town at the right time and should overpower their short-handed hosts, on the way to a fifth consecutive win.
Selection
Detroit Pistons (Head-2-Head) @ $2.25 (Luxbet)
Los Angeles Lakers @ Toronto Raptors
The Big Dog is not usually a fan of taking lines over 7.5 points… but there are some matches where even the biggest handicap just doesn’t look big enough. This is one of those games. Two nights ago, the Raptors gave the Golden State Warriors all they could handle, behind a career-high 41 points from Kyle Lowry. Although they lost that game 112-109, the positives that should be taken into the next portion of their schedule are nothing short of significant. With regular starting centre Jonas Valanciunas still sidelined with a hand injury, the Raptors gained an 11-8 advantage on the offensive glass, lead by reserves Patrick Patterson and Lucas Nogueira. Nogueira’s 14 points on 7 of 9 shooting was clearly the best performance of his young career. Lowry’s sublime showing was considerably less surprising. 41 points on 14 of 26 from the field, including 6 of 10 from long-range, was accompanied by 7 assists and 4 steals. If those are his numbers playing on Steph Curry, the reigning MVP, then you have to feel just a little bit sorry for Jordan Clarkson, in this match. Put simply, there is nothing you can point to that provides the Lakers with any reason for hope in this contest. Only a day removed from being thumped by the Detroit Pistons, this game could easily end up being one of the season’s most lop-sided box scores. The Raptors are better than the Lakers, in every facet of the game. Kobe Bryant is also questionable due to illness… but at this point, that might actually help the Lakers more than it hurts them. Bryant contributed just five points, missing 13 of his 15 shots and committing three turnovers, in 26 forgettable minutes. The Big Dog said this yesterday and it only seems right to say it again. This game will be a blowout.
Selection
Toronto Raptors (-12.5) @ $1.95 (William Hill)
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