Larry Ness

My 9* Late-Breaker is on the Ut Jazz at 8:05 ET.

The Utah Jazz saw their 10-game winning streak come to an end at New Orleans on Thursday in a 138-132 loss at New Orleans. However, they had no problems getting right back into the win column by shooting 50.6 percent from the floor and riding a 28-point effort by Rudy Gobert in a 123-101 rout on the Sacramento Kings on Friday night. The now 29-13 Jazz are tied with the Nuggets for the West's third-best record, just a half-game back of the LA Clippers. Utah completes a quick two-game homestand by hosting the streaking Indiana Pacers on Monday. The Pacers began a five-game road trip Sunday night with their FIFTH straight win, rallying to beat Denver 115-107. Doug McDermott hit 6-of-7 from three-point range en route to a season-high 24 points in just 21 minutes, while Domantas Sabonis recorded his first career triple-double (22-15-10) as Indiana improved to28-15. The Pacers are currently the East's No. 5 seed but as FIVE teams chase the 38-6 Bucks (closest team is EIGHT games back), the East's No. 2 thru No. 6 seeds are separated by just TWO games.

 Indiana is scheduled to get Victor Oladipo back on Jan 29 but this team has sure done an excellent job without him. McDermott (10.0) is just one FOUR role players making significant contributions. The Holidays, Aaron (10.2 & 5.2 APG) and Justin (8.0 & 3.4) plus PG McConnell (6.7 & 5.2 APG) round out the 'foursome.' TJ Warren was a scorer for the Suns and he currently leads Indiana by averaging 18.2 PPG. Sabonis (18.0 & 13.0) has developed into an All Star, while PG Brogdon (17.8-4.5-7.5) has become a team-leader with Oladipo sidelined. SG Lamb (12.9 & 4.8) and center Turner (12.3 & 5.9) round out the team's typical starting-five (when all are healthy).

Gobert (13.1 & 14.5) centers the defense, while Mitchell (24.7-4.4-4.3) continues to prove that he was the 'steal' of the 2017 draft. Bogdanovich (21.3 & 4.1) is a reliable point-producer and SF Ingles (11.0-4.3-4.9) is an "under the radar' good player. Green, Mudiay and O'Neale have all contributed and when PG Conley went down, Clarkson was picked up from Cleveland. He's played 12 games and averaged 15.4 PPG, as the Jazz have gone 11-1 (lone loss in OT at New Orleans) in those contests. Utah's already deep lineup was bolstered Saturday by the return of Mike Conley (13.1 & 4.6 APG, who missed 19 of the previous 20 games with a left hamstring strain. "Mike is a key piece of what we want to do. I know we didn't want to rush him but it's great to have him back," Gobert told reporters.

Yes the Pacers have won FIVE in a row but the Jazz have gone 16-2 SU & 14-4 ATS over their last 18 games and on the season, are 16-3 SU at home. Indiana is in a tough scheduling spot, coming off a win last night in Denver. Playing "at altitude" and with no rest against the red-hot Jazz, who should remember losing121-102 back on Nov 27 at Bakers Life Fieldhouse. Lay the points. Good luck...Larry

Bob Huggins became famous while coaching Cincinnati, leading the Bearcats to 16 straight postseason berths, including 14 straight NCAA bids. He was 'forced out' and after spending a year out of the coaching profession, accepted the head coaching job at Kansas State. It was a one-year 'pit stop' (23-12), as he returned to Morgantown (where he was born) to take the West Va job. As expected, he's led West Va to postseason berths in NINE of 12 seasons but is coming off just his second losing season with the Mountaineers, as they were just 15-21 in the 2018-19 season (4-14 in the Big 12 left them in last-place). However, this year's Mountaineers are 14-3 and ranked 12th, with anew AP poll coming out Monday afternoon.

The Mountaineers welcome Texas to Morgantown Monday night and the Longhorns check in at 12-5. Texas won last year's NIT but gone are big men Osetkowski (11.1 & 7.2) and Hayes (10.0 & 5.0), who was a one-and-done (8th overall pick of the 2019 draft by Atlanta). Guard Roach was suspended THREE different times in his stay at Austin but he ended his Texas career by being named the NIT's most outstanding player. Shaka Smart came to Texas with great fanfare, after a terrific run at VCU (Google it). However, his Texas teams have made just two NCAAs in his first four seasons at Austin, with both teams getting bounced in the first round. Last year's NIT title was 'nice,' but Smart was not hired to win NIT champion.

The Longhorns bounced back from two losses to open Big 12 play with wins over Kansas State and Oklahoma State, and they led Kansas by five at the half before dropping a 66-57 decision on Saturday. Texas is a guard-oriented team, as its top-four scorers are perimeter players. Matt Coleman III (12.0-3.5-4.3) leads the way, followed by Courtney Ramey (11.1-4.6-3.6), Andrew Jones (10-.4) and Jase Febres (10.1. The 6-9 Jericho Sims (9.7 & 8.1) is the team's lone big man of note and he posted a career-best 20 points on 9-of-14 shooting against Kansas. Shaka Smart continues to have his team playing tough defense,as Texas ranks 26th in allowing 61.2 PPG. However, the Longhorns are scoring a poor 66.5 PPG (297th)!

West Va relies on its starting-five, which includes guards McBride (10.2) and Haley (8.9 & 4.4) plus a frontcourt of the 6-9 Tshiebwe (11.6 & 9.4), the 6-10 Culver (10.6 & 9.3) and the 6-7 Matthews (7.2 & 4.1). Tshiebwe shoots 60.7 percent from the floor while McBride has reached double figures in eight straight games (14.1 points, 48.7 field-goal percentage). West Va  turned the ball over 18 times on Saturday and NINE different players had at least one. The Mountaineers were plagued by turnovers, poor shooting and even worse defense according to coach Bob Huggins . 

That said, West Va, is KNOWN for its defense. The Mountaineers are allowing 60.7 PPG (19th) on 36.2% shooting (4th), including 25.1% on threes (2nd). Texas does not have enough offense in this matchup plus West Va will surely remember losing BOTH games vs Texas last season. Lay it!

Good luck...Larry

My 10* Rivalry 'MONSTER' is on the Bos Celtics at 7:35 ET.

The Boston Celtics are clearly in a rut, as Saturday's 123-119 loss to the Phoenix Suns was their SIXTH loss in eight games. Boston is now 27-14 on the season and finds itself as the East's No. 4 seed, just 1 1/2 games back of the No. 2 seed (Miami) but also just a half-game up on the No. 6 seed (Philadelphia). Meanwhile, the Lakers have managed to survive a big absence on their end by going 4-1 in the five games that Anthony Davis (27.1 & 9.4) has missed with a back issue. LeBron James scored 31 points and three others hit the 20-point mark in Saturday's 124-115 triumph at Houston, LA's 10th win in 11 games overall. LA visits Boston at 34-8, giving them a 4 1/2-game lead in the West.

LBJ was 13-of-25 from the floor and handed out 12 assists Saturday night to help Los Angeles bounce back from a one-point home loss to Orlando three days earlier. James (25.5-7.7-10.9) leads the entire NBA in assists. Kyle Kuzma (13.2) added 23 points while starting again in place of Davis, who is expected to return soon. The Lakers start McGee (7.1 & 5.9) at center, while Howard (7.6 & 7.5) comes off the bench.LA has a bevy of backcourt players, none of whom average in double digits, but who seemingly "take turns" at making game by game impacts. Recent case in point is Caldwell-Pope (9.7), who has averaged 18.5 points over the past two games.

Boston's Saturday loss came Kemba Walker (knee) and Jaylen Brown (thumb) sidelined. Walker is averaging 22.1-4.0-4.9 and Brown 20.0 & 6.9. Both could play here (fingers crossed). Tatum (21.3 & 7.0), Hayward (16.3-6.0-4.1) and Smart (12.5 & 4.7 APG) are sure to be ready, with Smart coming off a game in which he set the franchise-record for three-pointers (has 11 vs the Suns).
Tatum is averaging 26.3 over his last four games. Theis (7.7 & 6.0) has started 36 of 37 games this season up front, while Kanter (9.1 & 8.1) comes off the bench to give Boston a more traditional center.

Obviously, Walker and Brown joining the fray would be helpful but I'm backing the Celtics here regardless, expecting the Lakers to bring out the best in whomever takes the court tonight at TD Garden for Boston. As the chant goes..."Beat LA!"

Good luck...Larry

My 8* Las Vegas Insider is on the Hou Rockets at 5:05 ET.

Oklahoma City and Houston made a blockbuster trade last off-season, one which was supposed to help the Thunder rebuild and propel the Rockets to greater things. However, that hasn't been the case. The Rockets hardly looked like a Western Conference favorite last Saturday night, losing 124-115 against the Lakers, who were playing without Anthony Davis. Houston has dropped four of its last five (three in a row) and at 26-15 is 7 1/2 games back of the top-seed Lakers. Meanwhile, OKC' s 119-106 win over Portland on Saturday improved the Thunder to 16-7 over their last 23 games and at 24-19, are the West's No. 7 seed, just THREE games back of Houston.

Former Rocket Chris Paul (16.7-5.0-6.5) traded for one-time Oklahoma City superstar Russell Westbrook last July, led the way with 30 points against the Blazers. Gilgeous-Alexander (20.0-5.8-3.1) chipped in 22 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in the win over the Blazers, as he and Paul helped Oklahoma City shot 51.8 percent despite playing without No. 2 scorer Danilo Galinari (19.0 & 5.6), who was rested (a common practice these days).Depth is an issue for OKC, as Backup PG Schroder (18.2-3.8-3.8) and center Adams (11.6 & 9.9) round out the Thunder's regular contributors.

The arrival of Westbrook was meant to get Houston over the hump in the West but the team reached the halfway point of the season Saturday, staring up at FIVE other teams in the conference standings.In Saturday's loss to the Lakers, Harden (37.1-6.2-7.5) had 34 points and Westbrook (25.1-7.8-7.2) ahd 35 but Houston's other three starters combined to score just 23 points on 9 of 24 shooting (37.5%). Westbrook has FOUR straight games of 30 points or more, the first Rocket other than Harden to do that since 2006-07, but the Rockets have lost THREE of those four..

Here's the rub. The Rockets ARE struggling, as the four losses in their current 1-4 swoon have come by an average 12.8 points. Harden is shooting 33.7 percent from the floor in the four defeats. It is no coincidence that Harden's struggles parallel the Rockets' woes. He had reeled off seven consecutive games of 50 percent or better shooting from the floor, averaging 36.6 points and eight assists while the Rockets won SIX of those seven contests. Since that sizzling stretch, the Rockets are 2-4 with three consecutive losses, while Harden has averaged 29.9 points and 6.8 assists on 33.6 percent shooting, including 27 percent from behind the arc. However, a visit from OKC should give Houston plenty of motivation. Harden scored 40 points in a 116-112 win over Oklahoma City at home back on Oct 28 plus expect center Capela, having a "career season" in averaging 14.4 & 14.4, to outplay Adams, who has been bothered by a knee issue. Lay the points.

Good luck...Larry

My 9* Oddsmaker's Error is on the Mia Heat at 5:00 ET.

The Miami Heat entered the 4th quarter of their Sunday game in San Antonio down just two points but were only able to score 18 points in a 107-102 loss. It marked the team's THIRD loss in five games but Miami has to be happy by its results so far. The Heat missed the playoffs last season by two games (39-43) but are currently 29-13, a record better than ALL teams in the East save the one which plays in Milwaukee. The Heat return to Miami on Monday to open a five-game homestand, as they welcome the struggling Sacramento Kings to AmericanAirlines Arena. The 15-27 Kings are near the bottom of the Western Conference standings and have dropped FOUR straight contests, allowing 122.8 PPG during their skid.

Sacramento does NOT lack for talent, as SEVEN players are averaging in double digits, led by an outstanding guard duo. SG Buddy Hield leads the team in scoring at 20.1 PPG (adds 5.0 RPG & 3.1 APG), while PG Fox averages 19.3-4.4-7.3. Fox has been outstanding in January, averaging 23.8 points on 51.8 percent shooting from the floor with 8.4 assists in eight game. PF Marvin Bagley III (14.2 & 6.8) is averaging 15.7 points and 6.7 rebounds in three games since returning from nearly three weeks off, but left Saturday’s game with a sore foot and is questionable.Fellow PF Bejelko (12.1 & 6.5) is also questionable with an ankle issue. SF Barnes (15.2 & 4.9), Bogdanovich (14.4) and PG Holmes (13.1 & 8.5) round out the team's double digit scorers. However, the rugged 6-10 Holmes is out for at least two weeks due to a shoulder injury. The injury 'bug' continues to plague this team.

The 6-9 Adebayo has double-doubles in two of the last three games, averaging 18.7 points along with 12.3 boards in that stretch. With the trade of Whiteside, he's thrived with more playing time, averaging 16.0-10.5-4.6 with a team-leading 24 double-doubles. The 6-7 Butler was the team's major off-season acquisition and he's delivered, averaging 20.2-7-0-6.4 but major surprises have been undrafted rookie guard Nunn (16.0) and 6-7 second-year player Robinson (11.8). Veteran PG Dragic comes off the bench and is averaging 15.5 & 4.9 APG. Leornard (6.1 & 5.0) typically starts at center, although Olynyk adds 7.4 & 4.4 off the bench. This year's first round pick was Kentucky guard Herro (13.1 & 4.3) and he's been solid, He returned Sunday after missing two games (knee), but did not score in nine minutes.

Miami's loss at San Antonio dropped then to 11-12 on the road but the Heat own the NBA's best home record at 18-1, going an impressive 14-4-1 ATS. This number seems awfully 'cheap' when one considers Sacramento was just a 9 1/2-point dog at Utah (Jan 18) plus got 12 points at Houston, nine at Philly and 10 1/2 points at the Lakers (to name just a few higher numbers). Expect Miami to roll here and the win comes "with room to spare!"

Good luck...Larry