Germantas Kneita

The last time the New Orleans Pelicans and the Portland Trail Blazers faced off, Donovan Clingan was able to record 3 blocks and we should be expecting a similar performance. His opponents are second in the league this season in points in the paint and will look to continually challenge him on the inside. All 3 of Zion Williamson, Derik Queen and Yves Missi give up a size advantage to the Trail Blazers’ center, and all 3 are most effective underneath the rim. While it is slightly worrying to see that Clingan has not recorded a block in 4 games, it is worth noting that he had at least 2 in the previous 5 contests before that. Given the opponent, this feels like it will be the game that he will use to get back on track in that category.

The Brooklyn Nets suffered a tough loss last night, falling to the Houston Rockets by a 24-point margin. While tonight they will be visiting a Washington Wizards team who have had far less success than their previous opponents this season, the odds might be stacked against the Nets. For one Michael Porter Jr. and Egor Denim both sat out last night’s game and are questionable to play in this one. They have also really struggled on the back end of back-to-backs this season. The Nets have lost all 5 games they have played with no night’s rest, with the average point differential in those games being -17.4. The Wizards will have a great chance to take advantage of this.

The Nets have had recent issues taking care of the ball. Over the last 10 games the team is just 26th in the league in opponent points off turnovers. With fatigue being a factor tonight, expect more mistakes than ever from the visitors. While their record might not show it, the Wizards do tend to up their game when playing at home, seeing a spike in shooting percentages across the board. With the extra possessions they should be able to generate tonight through turnovers, it should give them a great chance to come out as winners in the matchup. Especially if the visitors leading scorer this season once again does not take to the floor.

Nets vs Wizards prediction: Washington -3.5 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable to -4.5.

You can bet on our Nets vs Wizards pick with BetMGM, where right now new users can activate your new BetMGM account ⚡ and receive $150 in bonus bets INSTANTLY if your first $10+ wager is a winner!

The fact that the Nuggets are being ignored to this extent by the oddsmakers is shocking. They pushed the Thunder to 7 games this postseason and still have Nikola Jokic, the player who averaged a triple-double last season and was the rightful MVP in many people’s eyes. They might need to move on from Michael Porter Jr., however. If they can do that and use the cap space to supplement their depth, they will be a dangerous opponent for any team in the league.

Aaron Gordon has shown he can be the 3rd option on a great team and Christian Braun has turned himself into a great defender and a great off-ball cutter. This team might only be a couple of shooters away from rising back to the top of the league. Jokic is entering his prime years and the Nuggets have new management in place. Expect them to make win-now moves to supplement their superstar. I don’t think there is a player in the league who can elevate the play of the supporting cast more than the Serbian. He should have the Nuggets challenging in 2026.