NBA News and Notes:
Look for most starters to play the first half and sit in the second half tonight. This will lead to a lot of second-half totals going under. Four out of five games on Tuesday went under the game total and the second half total.
Minnesota Timberwolves (31-50) at Houston Rockets (54-27), 8 p.m. EST
Line: Rockets -8. Total 226.
James Harden sat against the Phoenix Suns on April 2. As a result, he will not be able to play all 82 games this season. Therefore, Harden may not suit up for this game. Houston will host the Oklahoma City Thunder this weekend in the playoffs.
Ricky Rubio has averaged a double-double since the All-Star break for the Timberwolves. Karl-Anthony Towns is averaging 25.1 points per game and 12.2 rebounds per game this season. Towns has played every game in his two-year career, so expect him to be on the court on Wednesday.
Dallas Mavericks (32-49) at Memphis Grizzlies (43-38), 8 p.m. EST
Line: Grizzlies -6.5. Total 193.5.
Tony Romo will not suit up for the Mavericks tonight. Mavericks’ owner Mark Cuban had “Tony Romo appreciation night” Tuesday night at American Airlines Center in Dallas. Romo went through warmups with the Mavs and with just over two minutes left in the game, he walked up to the scorer’s table to feign entering the game. Cuban went over and grabbed Romo and guided him back to the bench.
Cuban tried to sign Romo to a 10-day contract late in the season after the Mavs were eliminated from playoff contention. However, the NBA league office did not approve the contract. So Romo could not enter the game even if he wanted to.
Memphis will be playing the San Antonio Spurs at the AT&T Center in the first round of the playoffs this weekend.
Denver Nuggets (39-42) at Oklahoma City Thunder (47-34), 8 p.m. EST
Estimated Line: Thunder -3.5. Estimated Total 214.
The Denver announcers said something interesting during the game at Dallas Tuesday night. They seem to feel that the Nuggets’ players will want to exact some payback for their crushing defeat on Sunday to the Thunder. Russell Westbrook hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer from 35 feet to win the game 106-105. The loss eliminated the Nuggets from playoff contention.
Oscar Robertson will be in attendance Wednesday night to salute Westbrook before the game for breaking his triple-double record. Robertson’s record of 41 triple-doubles in a season in 1961-62 stood for 55 years before Westbrook got triple-double #42 on Sunday.
Toronto Raptors (50-31) at Cleveland Cavaliers (51-30), 8 p.m. EST
Estimated Line: Cavaliers -2. Estimated Total 209.
The Raptors may sit some starters Wednesday as they are locked into the #3 seed and will open up with the Milwaukee Bucks this weekend.
LeBron James will rest on Wednesday. Kyrie Irving is questionable with knee tendinitis. If the Cavs win and the Celtics lose, then Cleveland will be the #1 seed in the East.
Atlanta Hawks (43-38) at Indiana Pacers (41-40), 8 p.m. EST
Line: Pacers -13. Total 202.
Atlanta seems to be coming together at the right time, winning four straight games. They have clinched the #5 seed and will open up at the Verizon Center this weekend to play the Wizards. I look for Atlanta to sit some starters tonight.
The Pacers will clinch the #7 seed on Wednesday with a win. If Indiana loses and Chicago and Miami both win their games, then the Pacers will miss the playoffs.
Milwaukee Bucks (42-39) at Boston Celtics (52-39), 8 p.m. EST
Line: Celtics -13.5. Total 207.
Giannis Antetokounmpo will sit out tonight’s game for the Bucks. Milwaukee has clinched the #6 seed and will be at Toronto to play the Raptors this weekend for Game 1 of the playoffs.
The Celtics will clinch the #1 seed in the East with a win Wednesday. This is a shocking development because the Cavaliers were in the driver’s seat after trouncing the Celtics 114-91 at Boston on April 5. Since then, the Celtics have gone 2-1, while Cleveland has gone 0-3 with back-to-back overtime losses their last two games.
Detroit Pistons (37-44) at Orlando Magic (28-53), 8 p.m. EST
Line: Magic -2. Total 206.5.
Orlando has won two out of three games against Detroit this season. All three games went under the Vegas total.
Philadelphia 76ers (28-53) at New York Knicks (30-51), 8 p.m. EST
Line: Sixers -3. Total 202.
The Knicks started the season 14-10 and were tied for the #3 seed in the East at the time. Since then, New York has gone 16-41 (.281 winning percentage).
Philadelphia is 2-1 against the Knicks this season with all three games going under the Vegas total. The Sixers covered the spread in all three games against New York.
Washington Wizards (49-32) at Miami Heat (40-41), 8 p.m. EST
Estimated Line: Heat -7. Estimated Total 209.
The Wizards will probably sit some starters tonight. John Wall and Otto Porter are listed as questionable. Washington is already locked into the #4 seed and will host Atlanta this weekend in the playoffs.
Miami needs to win this game and then have either Indiana or Chicago lose to clinch a playoff spot.
Brooklyn Nets (20-61) at Chicago Bulls (40-41), 8 p.m. EST
Line: Bulls -15. Total 213.5.
The Nets have won 7 out of their last 10 games, including a shocking come from behind 107-106 win over the Bulls on April 8. Chicago led 97-88 with 4:23 left in the game before being outscored 19-9 to finish the game.
The loss was devastating for the Bulls. However, Chicago has a chance tonight to exact revenge for that loss and clinch a playoff spot with a win.
San Antonio Spurs (61-20) at Utah Jazz (50-31), 10:30 p.m. EST
Estimated Line: Jazz -3.5. Estimated Total 190.
The Spurs will rest players tonight. That is what coach Gregg Popovich does. Some starters may play the first half, but will sit the second half. The Spurs will host the Grizzlies this weekend.
The Jazz know they are playing the Clippers this weekend. They just do not know where yet. If the Clips beat the Kings, then Los Angeles will have the #4 seed and host the series against Utah.
New Orleans Pelicans (33-48) at Portland Trail Blazers (41-40), 10:30 p.m. EST
Estimated Line: Blazers -5. Estimated Total 209.
DeMarcus Cousins and Anthony Davis are listed as questionable to play tonight for the Pelicans.
C.J. McCollum is listed as questionable to play for Portland. The Blazers will be at Golden State this weekend for their first round series.
Los Angeles Lakers (26-55) at Golden State Warriors (66-15), 10:30 p.m. EST
Line: Warriors -13.5. Total 221.5.
The Lakers are finishing the season strong, winning five in a row coming into this contest.
Golden State had their 14-game winning streak snapped on Monday at Oracle Arena with a 105-99 loss to Utah. Draymond Green, Andre Iguodala and Matt Barnes are out for Golden State tonight.
Sacramento Kings (32-49) at Los Angeles Clippers (50-31), 10:30 p.m. EST
Line: Clippers -16. Total 211.5.
The Kings have actually won 5 out of their last 9 games including their final home game Tuesday night, a 129-104 victory against Phoenix.
The Clippers will clinch the #4 seed and home-court advantage for their first-round series against Utah with a win tonight.
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