Progsport Basketball Prediction

The Los Angeles Lakers 5th, 21 wins - 10 losses are engaged in a fierce battle between several franchises fighting for the best spots in the top 6 of the Western Conference. In tough conditions for a few days, beaten 4 times in the last 5 games before hosting Memphis for the first time on the night of Friday to last Saturday, Los Angeles finally found the weapons to defeat this Tennessee team at the end of a very offensive match. Given the lead taken by the top 7 of the Western Conference with Phoenix 7th at 20 wins - 14 losses, Memphis no longer has much interest in wasting time on the road. The Memphis Grizzlies 10th, 15 wins - 19 losses did not have excellent operations last week. When it comes time to do the math, you find a very horrible defeat at the Washington Wizards 112-116, another at home on Wednesday in front of the 76ers deprived of Jo Embiid 136-139 then in front of the Los Angeles Lakers 128-121. 

After no less than 4 consecutive successes in order to assert a certain presence in the first part of the table in the East, the Miami Heat had a meeting with the Timberwolves last night in the Kaseya Center. Victories over the Atlanta Hawks 111-126, then the Indiana Pacers 142-116, then the Denver Nuggets 147-123 and finally against the Detroit Pistons 112-118. Continuing with the Timberwolves was not a gift, and Miami, still orphaned by T. Herro, logically surrendered with a gap of +10 for the visitors 115-125. Put yourself for two seconds in the shoes of a franchise like New Orleans at this time of the season. Your 15th place is a hindrance, and should prevent you from playing in the Play-offs. But even more, this franchise seems doomed to a slow and gradual reconstruction, with several departures to come. The leaders know that by keeping 15th or 14th place, New Orleans recovered a good little round of Draft to prepare for a reconstruction. In any case, once again the project around Zion Williamson does not work, the latter was even relegated to the bench. NOLA has just lost its last 6 duels in the NBA Cavaliers, Suns twice, Knicks, Bulls, Blazers. 

Phoenix is ​​one of the teams to win the most matches over the last 10 days. The Phoenix Suns' pace is terrible. No less than 5 successes in the last 6 games for Devin Booker's teammates, as a reminder humiliated before that in the quarter-final of the NBA Cup by the Thunder 138-89. If Phoenix has since regained a lot of confidence, note the fact that it has managed to gain the upper hand over bottom-of-the-table franchises, like Washington 101-115, New Orleans twice previously, then against the Sacramento Kings 129-102 in the last match. The reigning champions OKC Thunder 1st in the West, best record in the league, have lost 5 times this year. 3 times against the Wembanyama Spurs, 1 time against Minnesota 113-108 and a very first time against the Portland Trail Blazers 127-125 at the beginning of November. Obviously not too marked by the defeat at Christmas against the Spurs, the OKC players then took the measure of the Portland Trail Blazers 124-95, but also of the Golden State Warriors 94-131 for the little anecdote deprived of Curry, Butler and Green. 

The Sacramento Kings, 14th in the Western Conference with a record of 8 wins - 27 losses, will not go very far this year, let's admit it. The Kings season is not only dead, it is also the future of the franchise which has darkened since the departure of D.Fox to join the San Antonio Spurs with whom he occupies 2nd place. Sacramento has therefore developed the art of defeat, beaten 4 times in a row, series in progress, with a gap of at least 14 points at the finish ahead of the Lakers 125-101, the Clippers 131-90, the Celtics 106-120 and Suns 129-102 Convincing comeback for Giannis Antetokounmpo with the success of the Milwaukee Bucks ahead of the Chicago Bulls 103-112 and Charlotte Hornets 113-123. After a slight mishap in the meantime against the Washington Wizards at the start of the week 113-114, Milwaukee returned to its floor to host the Charlotte Hornets against whom the match was decided on details, but in favor of the Milwaukee Bucks on a final tap from Giannis 4 seconds from the end to put his team in front, 122-121. Following this trip to Sacramento, Milwaukee will go to Golden State, LA Lakers, Denver, receive the Wolves then return to face the Spurs and the Hawks before receiving the Thunder, the Nuggets and the Mavs. The future of the Bucks is very dark for a Giannis who is more than ever on the move.