Everyone already knows that tonight’s NBA action is going to intense, but what fans hope to see is a level of intensity that doesn’t result in fights between players and refs.  That has been a recurring theme lately, and the league already has enough issues to worry about as it tries to appease its Chinese fan base.

With a lot of games on tap for today, there’s a chance that one or two players may step out of line, but odds are high that the NBA brass has already sent out a warning for them to keep their emotions in check.

The Miami Heat will take on the Atlanta Hawks at AmericanAirlines Arena as two 2-1 teams look to get a boost.  The Hawks are coming off a 105-103 loss against the Philadelphia Pacers last night, having only shot 42.9%.  That’s down from the 51.2% from the first two games and they need to get better control on offense.  Given that they haven’t had much time to rest, that might prove difficult.

The Heat has apparently spent a lot of time practicing shots from beyond the arc, as they now have a 38.9% rate of making three-pointers across the last two games.  This is much better than what they saw in their season opener and opens up more possibilities for the team to come down with a victory tonight.  That’s reflected in the odds, as well, as the moneyline sits at -355 to the Heat, while its at 285 to the Hawks.  The over/under is 223.5 and bettors need to think long and hard before getting a piece of the action.

The Denver Nuggets will look to keep up their undefeated record as they face the Dallas Mavericks at home.  They are currently 3-0 and are ranked fourth in the NBA in terms of points per game allowed.  They’re also pretty good at hitting the net from three-point territory, which is going to give them a distinct advantage.

The Mavs, currently 2-1, haven’t been so lucky.  They’re able to consistently put points on the board, but just not enough of them.  While there is some serious talent on the squad, they haven’t yet been able to find their sweet spot and this is going to cost them.  The moneyline on the Mavs is 190, but a -238 for the Nuggets means this is an easy contest to gauge.  However, an under of 212.5 is something to consider, especially since it has hit four times out of the last five at Pepsi Center in Denver.  Overall, it’s 16-5 at the stadium.

The last game for today will see the LA Lakers going up against the Memphis Grizzlies.  The west coast team is a definite favorite to win as they have advanced to 2-1 on the season, while the east coast team has fallen to 1-2.  LeBron James, Dwight Howard and the rest of the LA crew know what they’re facing and are more than ready.

The Grizzlies need to improve their defense, especially against the Lakers tonight.  This isn’t likely to happen, though, and the -855 moneyline to the Lakers proves this.  A 605 moneyline for the Grizzlies is tempting, but not worth it.  Despite a surprise loss to the LA Clippers to start the season, the Lakers are showing every bit of talent they have, and tonight should be an easy victory.