There are several games on the schedule in the NBA tonight as the league gets closer to All-Star Weekend. Here’s an expert look at a few of the matchups for Thursday’s games.

New-Look Pelicans Face Heat At Home

The New Orleans Pelicans have won four straight games and host the Eastern Conference-leading Miami Heat. The Pelicans just sent four players, including guards Josh Hart and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, to the Portland Trailblazers for C.J. McCollum, Tony Snell, and Larry Nance Jr. Nance is expected to undergo knee surgery this week. Still, McCollum will make his debut for New Orleans tonight. 

Miami is holding onto a slim half-game lead in the Eastern Conference over the Milwaukee Bucks and is looking for its fourth straight win in their final game of a six-game road trip. In their last game against the Wizards, the Heat had seven players score in double-figures in their 121-100 victory to win their season series 3-1 on Monday night.

The Heat will win their fourth in a row as the Pelicans get familiar with their new roster.

Bucks End Road Trip In Phoenix

The Milwaukee Bucks will end their four-game west coast road trip with a visit to Phoenix. They are 8-2 in their last ten games and are trying to hold off the Bulls in the Central Division, where they hold a half-game lead. This season, Milwaukee has a 14-5 record against the Western Conference as they face the Suns for the first time.

The Suns are at the top of the league with a 44-10 record and are 17-2 in their last 19 games overall. The team has identical 22-5 records at home and on the road. Their last victory came on Tuesday on the road against the Atlantic Division-leading Philadelphia 76ers 114-109.

The Suns will continue their dominance over the east and win this game at home. 

Knicks Hope To End Road Losing Streak

In the last of our NBA picks for this week, the New York Knicks will play their fourth straight game out west as they come into San Francisco to face the Golden State Warriors. It doesn’t look good for the Knicks as they must go up against the team with the best home record in the NBA at 25-4. New York is 8-16 against opponents with a .500 record or better this season and is 11-16 in road games. Golden State won the first matchup between the two teams 105-96 on December 15.

The Warriors ran off nine straight wins before losing to the Utah Jazz Wednesday night in a 111-85 blowout. The Jazz were without Rudy Gobert and Rudy Gay for this matchup, but their defense held Golden State to just 85 points, which was their second-lowest point output in a game this season. The good news for the Warriors is that Klay Thompson should be back for tonight’s game after being rested against the Jazz last night. 

Golden State will win easily at home and hand the Knicks their seventh straight road loss.