Toronto's pressure meets a Minnesota attack with more than one ball handler and a strong rebounding base. Philadelphia and Detroit both lose a starting center, but their observed replacement workloads are very different. Sacramento can create through Sabonis, Acuff and LaVine, while Memphis has shown a first scoring route and a second one behind it. Each match turns on what happens after the opening action is stopped and whether the next defensive possession is finished.
Leonard and Barnes can challenge Edwards and Ball, then Toronto can attack the paint through Barnes, Barrett and Poeltl. Minnesota has already kept scoring through Dosunmu when Edwards shot poorly, and Gobert and Beringer give it bodies to contest Toronto's extra shots. DiVincenzo is out, as he was for both Minnesota wins; Ball started and Dosunmu played substantial reserve minutes in those games. Toronto's big turnover totals came against Chicago and Washington, while Minnesota protected the ball better in its own two games. I expect the Wolves' second guard action and defensive rebounding to matter late, so I'm siding with Minnesota to finish with the win.
Cunningham can work with Reed inside while Collins and Robinson stretch Philadelphia's help defense. Maxey, Brown and the returning James give the Sixers ways to answer through guard creation and pressure. Embiid and Duren are both out after playing their last games, but Detroit already used Reed for 26 minutes after Duren left Miami, while Philadelphia has far less observed production in Embiid's replacement center minutes. Detroit also has more rest after Philadelphia's heavy recent workload. I expect the Pistons' inside replacement and outside outlets to carry their offense through a Sixers response, so I'm siding with Detroit to win.
Jerome has created in both Memphis games, and Boozer and Wells supplied another scoring route on the road. Sabonis can test the Grizzlies inside, especially with Edey out after playing the last game; Stewart starting remains an expectation rather than a confirmed lineup. Murray is questionable after playing for Sacramento, and Coward is questionable after missing Memphis's last game. Sacramento's strong Sabonis, Acuff and LaVine outing still ended without the defensive stops needed to complete its comeback. I expect Memphis to find another scorer after Jerome's first action and to finish enough possessions to hold off Sacramento, so I'm siding with the Grizzlies to win.
