Heat - Knicks

Going with this Kings lineup is risky, but it's mostly because Mavericks won't only be without Doncic, but also Irving won't be in the ranks, so it limits their offense drastically. However, when there's one missing, this team can still rely on others, but when there's a lack of both, I don't think they will have much success. Even though Kings are not some superstars, they are just a team that underachieves terribly and a team with such talent still has the ability to occasionally play strong games. Tonight, they will do just that.

Cavs are playing impressively at the moment and I don't see the Warriors putting on a big show here. Not only are the Cavs in a better position with a record of 27-4, but they are also playing very hot basketball with 6 straight wins, all by double digits, including their last victory of 149-135 against the Denver team led by Jokic. The Warriors ended their losing streak in the last game, but it wasn't anything impressive, with only 4 points more than the struggling Suns (although someone had to win). The home court advantage doesn't seem to mean much for the Warriors this season, as they also play average games on the road, so I believe the win will only come for them if the Cavs have a catastrophic performance. The visitors are simply superior in every aspect at the moment.

The Cavaliers look like a better team for now. There is simply no chance of stopping their offense. They play something similar to Paris in the EuroLeague. It's a complete hurricane and it's much easier to find space in such environments. GSW still has a bit of Curry's touch left, but it's unlikely that they will be able to show anything on defense against the Cavaliers today, and keeping up with their offense will definitely be difficult.

Portland took a trip to Peru and stocks rose, but there is still a bottom-feeding team here without any potential this season. The 76ers desperately need Peru after a poor season without leaders. Now, most players have recovered and started gathering in Peru. They should easily handle the underdogs and secure points.

The Dallas Mavericks do not have their stars Luka Dončič and Kyrie Irving. If the Kings play to their capabilities, especially with the help of Domantas Sabonis and De'Aaron Fox, they can even defeat the Mavericks by a solid margin. The correct margin will depend on how well the Mavericks can adapt to this situation.