Karl-Anthony Towns will return to a familiar place as the Knicks visit the Timberwolves at Target Centre for his first NBA game wearing a different uniform after he and Julius Randle switched places during the offseason. Based on their NBA 2024 results, the Knicks were arguably the winners of the trade since they’re third in the Eastern Conference with a 16-10 record, and the Timberwolves are seventh in the Western Conference with a 14-11 record.
Elsewhere, the Jazz, Thunder, Hornets, Bulls, Nets, Pelicans, Warriors, Hawks, Clippers, Pacers, Nuggets, and Lakers will visit the Pistons, Magic, Wizards, Celtics, Raptors, Rockets, Grizzlies, Spurs, Mavericks, Suns, Blazers, and Kings, respectively.
The best basketball action is back after a one-day hiatus following the NBA Cup final between the Bucks and the Thunder, and SBOTOP will preview some of the top games from tomorrow’s jam-packed schedule.
Oklahoma City Thunder @ Orlando Magic
The Thunder look to shrug off their NBA Cup final disappointment by extending the Magic’s losing streak to three straight games to maintain their top seeding in the ultra-tough Western Conference. Oklahoma City missed out on an opportunity to bring home silverware after they lost to Milwaukee.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had a rare off-night against the Bucks, tallying only 21 points, four rebounds, two assists, and two steals in 36 minutes of action. The two-time All-NBA First Team member shot 8-for-24 from the field and only had four free throw attempts. Co-star Jalen Williams didn’t fare well either, as the 23-year-old swingman had 18 points, four rebounds, three assists, two steals, and three blocks on 8-for-20 shooting from the field.
After putting up a six-game winning streak last month, the Magic have only won two of their last six, including an NBA Cup quarterfinals defeat against the Bucks. Orlando have missed the services of Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, who are both out due to a torn oblique.
Moritz Wagner is fresh from a 32-point performance against the Knicks last Sunday. He and Jalen Suggs will be tasked with shouldering the heavy load, and they could use some help from Tristan da Silva, Goga Bitadze, Wendell Carter Jr., and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
Betting tip – Oklahoma City Thunder Asian Handicap -6.50 @ 1.88
Chicago Bulls @ Boston Celtics
The Bulls are keen on extending their unbeaten run to three consecutive games when they visit the Celtics at TD Garden tomorrow. Chicago are fresh from wins against Charlotte and Toronto, and they received a huge lineup boost. Zach LaVine, who sat out against the Raptors, should be back in the mix after recovering from a back injury.
The Bulls had seven players scoring in double-digits during their narrow victory against the Raptors last Monday. Nikola Vucevic led the way with 24 points, five rebounds, three assists, and two blocks on 10-for-17 shooting from the field. Coby White, Talen Horton-Tucker, Ayo Dosunmu, Josh Giddey, Julian Phillips, and Jalen Smith followed suit with 19, 15, 12, 11, 10, and 10 points, respectively.
The Celtics are also winners of their last two games after defeating the Pistons and the Wizards. Jayson Tatum, who returned from a one-game absence, strengthened his MVP case when he dropped 28 points, 12 rebounds, and two assists against Washington last weekend. Boston could miss Sam Hauser (back) and Kristaps Porzingis (heel) tomorrow, but they’re still favoured to win by the updated NBA 2024 odds.
Betting tip – Boston Celtics Asian Handicap -14.50 @ 1.86
New York Knicks @ Minnesota Timberwolves
After losing to the Hawks in the NBA Cup quarterfinals, the Knicks bounced back with a 100-91 win over the Magic last Sunday. Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns spearheaded the team’s charge by combining for 53 points, and they’re expected to do the same against Minnesota. Towns is now an MVP candidate after averaging 21.5 points, 17.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.8 blocks in his last six appearances.
The Timberwolves have been on a roll after a four-game losing streak last month, as they’ve won six of their last seven games. Anthony Edwards found his groove during that period, averaging 21.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.6 steals per game on 43.7-per cent shooting from the field and 41.1-per cent shooting from three-point land.
Meanwhile, Julius Randle had adjusted well to life in Minnesota following the offseason trade from New York. The three-time NBA All-Star averages 20.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game through 25 starts, making him the team’s second-leading scorer behind Anthony Edwards.
Betting tip – Minnesota Timberwolves Asian Handicap -3.00 @ 2.02
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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