The NBA season continues to roll forward, but there is still a lot of uncertainty ahead.  COVID-19 is not out of the way yet and it’s too early to tell what’s going to happen as the season advances.  In the meantime, teams and fans will just have to take things one day at a time, and there are several games on tap tonight that are worth a look.

Wizards Don’t Want The Suns To Shine

The Washington Wizards are taking on the Phoenix Suns tonight in a game that has the Wiz desperately looking to turn things around.  They’ve started 2-8 and are trying to figure out what adjustments to make.  One of those adjustments depends on whether Russell Westbrook can play, and another centers on how to make do without Thomas Bryant.

The Suns have gotten off to a great and are now 7-3.  They would love to have Jalen Smith on the court, but that’s not going to happen.  Devin Booker is running strong and led the Suns to a buzzer-beater against the LA Clippers, and the Wizards will have to figure out how to shut him down if they’re going to win.  Unibet doesn’t give them much chance, putting the odds in the Suns favor at -250 on a 6.5 (-110) spread.  The Over/Under sits at 230.5 and, based at how the Wizards are playing, this game will most likely not get there.

The Toronto Raptors fell apart last season and still haven’t recovered.  They’re now 2-7 on the season going into a game against the 5-4 Portland Trail Blazers tonight, and Portland sees nothing but improvement ahead.  They just beat the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Sacramento Kings, so they’re feeling more confident every game.

Another win tonight would give the Trail Blazers extra motivation and strength.  Portland will suit up without the help of forward Zach Collins, out for an ankle injury, and the Raptors aren’t showing any of their top players sitting out.  However, based on how Toronto has been playing, and how the Trail Blazers have been improving, Portland is getting -200 on a 5-point (-112) spread.  The 230.5 Over/Under seems plausible, and the final score will come in at right about that number.  Most likely, it will beat it by a couple of points.

Hornets Look To Grab The Knicks

It’s 5-5 tonight as two teams with even records meet.  The Charlotte Hornets are hosting the New York Nets, looking to continue a streak that has seen them win four consecutive games against this opponent.  All eyes will be on LeMelo Ball to see if he can repeat this past Saturday’s performance, when he became the youngest player in NBA history to put up a triple-double (22 points, 12 boards and 11 assists).  That was against the Atlanta Hawks and set the Hornets up for another spectacular win tonight.

The Knicks were taken down by the Denver Nuggets on Sunday, losing by a final score of 114-89.  If that’s any indication of what to expect, tonight’s game is going to be lopsided.  Oddsmakers expect it to be a better contest, though, and are giving Charlotte -175 (+145 to the Knicks) on a 4.5 spread.  The 212 Over/Under seems a little high, based on how things have been going for the Knicks.

Embiid Has To Step Up

The Hawks will face the Philadelphia 76ers tonight, but things are going to look very different on the Sixers bench.  Eight players won’t be suiting up, including Ben Simmons, who needs to have treatment for a bad knee.  Several other players, including Seth Curry and Tobias Harris, have tested positive for COVID-19, making them ineligible to play.  Joel Embiid is now listed as probable, however, but Philadelphia is still going to be hurting for veteran strength.

The Hawks are 4-5 and would love to be able to grab a win against the weakened Sixers bench.  They’re expected to do it, too, getting -250 and 6.5 points.  If Embiid is able to play, the Over/Under of 221 will hit; if not, a low-scoring game might be on the way.

More Teams Find COVID-19

The Boston Celtics and Miami Heat were forced to postpone their Sunday game because of COVID-19 issues, adding them to a growing list of teams dealing with the coronavirus.  The NBA is watching things closely before taking drastic measures and, for now, doesn’t plan on canceling the season.