Select Page

The 2024 PGA season is here. Get the industry’s best projections

Today’s slate is a little different than Tuesday’s action. Obviously it’s only four games compared to seven, but also none of the race for eighth and ninth in the Western Conference teams are playing today after we had all of them play on Tuesday. The Raptors are really the only team with absolutely nothing to play for. Meanwhile, the other seven teams in action today do have some seeding incentives to play for today.

 

Indiana Pacers vs. Houston Rockets (-7, B2B), 4:00 pm ET
Team Totals: Pacers 112.3, Rockets 119.3
Pace rank: Pacers 22nd, Rockets 2nd
Pacers expected starters: Aaron Holiday, Justin Holiday, Doug McDermott, T.J. Leaf, JaKarr Sampson (Note:  Pacers haven’t really rested guys yet)
Rockets expected starters: James Harden, Eric Gordon, Danuel House, Robert Covington, P.J. Tucker (note: RoCO tweaked his ankle and might be on the injury report in a B2B)

Injury news: Russell Westbrook is not expected to play in the B2B, T.J. Warren (foot) is out, the Pacers have also listed Malcolm Brogdon (neck), Victor Oladipo (ankle) and Myles Turner (neck) as questionable, Eric Gordon is expected to return.

Pacers rotation notes: McMillan said “the main focus is whatever these guys need to have them ready for the playoffs”.

Rockets rotation notes: Harden expected to play normal minutes, Eric Gordon may have some limits in first game back since July 28 scrimmage.

*Coach Mike D’Antoni said “the most important thing” is “getting some rust off” on guys like Russell Westbrook (out today). “The biggest thing Friday we get them all together and need to play well, but we need to play well through these two games and just try to get guys physically ready to go next week,” D”Antoni said. We can probably expect close to full minutes on everyone except Gordon, and maybe Robert Covington after his tweak.

*In 961 minutes without Malcolm Brogdon and Victor Oladipo, Aaron Holiday has a per-36 line of 16.2 points, 3.7 boards, 6.0 dimes, 1.0 steals and 2.2 treys. If you take Sabonis out in a smaller sample of 355 minutes, Holiday is at an 18/4/7 line. He gets a pace-up matchup today and the Pacers have talked about making him a bigger part of the offense. Seems like today is the day.

*McMillan has been talking more about rebounding. “These are the type of teams we are going to see when they’re trying to take advantage of their size by posting us up,” said McMillan, who has little depth off the bench behind Turner. “We have to give help, force misses, rebound and take advantage of our speed.” The Rockets are the worst rebounding team in the bubble, so maybe they try to go bigger with some Goga somewhere in the mix. Still, it’ll be really tough to roll him out there unless he’s starting (and obviously if Myles is starting). McMillan also seemed to like getting experience against the Heat, so today seems like a better bet for rest. It’s the first game of the day, so we’ll know a lot when it’s time to set our lineups.

 

Toronto Raptors (-6) vs. Philadelphia 76ers (B2B), 6:30 pm ET
Team Totals: Raptors 113.3, 76ers 106.8
Pace rank: Raptors 12th, 76ers 20th
Raptors expected starters: Kyle Lowry, Fred VanVleet, Norman Powell, Pascal Siakam, Marc Gasol
76ers expected starters: Shake Milton, Josh Richardson, Tobias Harris, Al Horford, Joel Embiid (note: Embiid has a minor ankle issue, but decent chance he’s back)

Injury news: Serge Ibaka (knee) is questionable, OG Anunoby (knee) was added to the injury report with a questionable tag this morning, the 76ers have not released their injury report, but Joel Embiid (ankle) is likely on it.

Raptors rotation notes: Nick Nurse said he will mix up resting, limited minutes and extend rotations on the remaining three games (second-to-last game today).

76ers rotation notes: Brett Brown said he doesn’t care about seeding, Alec Burks playing next to Shake Milton more

*Mike Scott said his knee was “feeling a lot better” after it was swollen earlier in the bubble and he had it drained. Glenn Robinson III also said he wants to get his legs back after he missed time due to a hip pointer.

*Brett Brown said he had no preference on if he faces the Celtics and that he expected Embiid to play in one of these two final seeding games. “That’s just one man’s opinion. Nobody’s doing cartwheels over, ‘It’s something severe,’ one. Two, I do believe it would be good for him to play before the playoffs begin.”

*The Athletic beat writer Blake Murphy mentioned rotating nights off in these final seeding games (Lowry, FVV and Serge sat on Monday), and the Raptors have nothing to play for. Sounds like OG is out, so that could open up minutes for Norman Powell, Matt Thomas and Malcolm Miller.

 

Miami Heat (-2) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, 8:00 pm ET
Team Totals: Heat 112, Thunder 110
Pace rank: Heat 27th, Thunder 21st
Heat expected starters: Goran Dragic, Duncan Robinson, Jimmy Butler, Jae Crowder, Bam Adebayo
Thunder expected starters: Chris Paul, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luguentz Dort, Danilo Gallinari, Steven Adams

Injury news: Kelly Olynyk (thumb) is probable, Kendrick Nunn (quarantine) is out, Steven Adams (knee) is questionable, Nerlens Noel (ankle) is questionable.

Heat rotation notes: Spo said Tyler Herro is comfortable with play-making ability, Spo said Jimmy Butler is a go-to guy and doesn’t care what his field goal percentage is.

Thunder rotation notes: Chris Paul hasn’t been rested yet.

*Chris Paul said Darius Bazley “is like a brother to him” and called his growth impressive. Bazley continues to see more time as a five man, and coach Billy Donovan seems to be OK with him getting some more touches. “He’s shot the ball better because he’s taking better shots, and I think our guys have put him in position where he’s been able to be a lot more efficient,” Donovan said. “I think he’s understanding when to drive and when to shoot a lot more now.” If the centers are out again, Bazley could be in play.

*Bam Adebayo still hasn’t reached his normal playing time yet, topping out at 32 minutes and playing in 22 in two of the last three (garbage time, fouls). He could get extended a bit more today after saying he was not bouncing back from COVID-19 like he had hoped. The OKC perimeter defense is solid, so maybe Bam has more opportunity today.

*Shai Gilgeous-Alexander still hasn’t hit his stride yet, but he had an encouraging game in the last one. He drove it 25 times and scored 13 points off drives. He’s rested and didn’t look look right prior to Monday, so maybe he has a big evening.

 

LA Clippers (-5.5) vs. Denver Nuggets, 9:00 pm ET
Team Totals: Clippers 117.3, Nuggets 111.8
Pace rank: Clippers 8th, Nuggets 29th
Clippers expected starters: Lou Williams, Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Marcus Morris, Ivica Zubac (Note: Reggie Jackson has been bad, more below)
Nuggets expected starters: Jamal Murray, Torrey Craig, Michael Porter Jr., Paul Millsap, Nikola Jokic

Injury news: Landry Shamet (foot), Patrick Beverley (calf) and Montrezl Harrell (personal) are all out, Jerami Grant (knee) is questionable, and the Nuggets won’t have Will Barton (knee) and Gary Harris (hip) as usual.

Clippers rotation notes: Doc Rivers went with reserves to close on Saturday, but didn’t on Sunday, Rivers said he has “zero concern about seeding.”

Nuggets rotation notes: Mike Malone has been going with his reserves to close games at times.

*Jamal Murray begged coach Mike Malone to get four more minutes on Monday, but Malone denied the request (25 minutes). This comes one game after Malone played Murray 39 minutes after Murray said he had a 22-minute limit. You’d think he caps him a bit again. Maybe he’s at 28 based on the limit being 22 and 25 in his first two.

*Doc Rivers said Marcus Morris is “trying to find his way” and he’s not worried about his numbers. 

*Reggie Jackson has been a disaster on defense and he’s been forcing shots. He only played five minutes in the second half on Sunday, and he might lose minutes to Terance Mann after a strong game from Mann on Sunday (14 points). I wouldn’t be surprised if Mann starts today, too.