The All-Star break will end on Thursday when the regular season resumes in the evening. The break has been noted in the past for causing a change in trends.
Teams that had things going well, sometimes see their fortunes mysteriously change. Conversely, some teams that were struggling turn things around. A big reason for the swing is just injuries and the fact that a week or so off can fix a lot of them.
If a team had a lot of injuries then the All-Star break could be seen as being helpful to them. If a team did not have a lot of injuries, then the break could be viewed as bad luck. They'll be playing on a more level playing field when it comes to relative health after the break.
NBA Fixtures on Thursday night: February 23rd, 2023
In one game on Thursday, the Boston Celtics will be on the road against the Indiana Pacers. The Celtics are big favorites for the game, set at -8.0 with bet365 sportsbook.
The All-Star break came at a great time for Boston. They entered the week with some injuries that the week off looked to clear up.
Jaylen Brown, who spoke poorly of the All-Star Game's competitiveness, entered the break with an injury but has since returned to active status. Starting center Robert Williams III and backup center Mike Muscala are both day-to-day at this point. But Brown returning from injury means that the Celtics are heading into the final stretch better off than they were before the break.
Denver Nuggets at Cleveland Cavaliers
One key game on Thursday will feature the Denver Nuggets and the Cleveland Cavaliers. These are two elite teams in the NBA. Cleveland entered the break in great form and they have always been a dangerous team at home at 25-6 on the season. Meanwhile, Denver is just 14-14 on the road. The Cavs enter as just -2.5 favorites in a game that NBA fans will want to pay attention to the result.
Other games on the night (all odds bet365; all favorites below are the home team)
- Detroit at Orlando (-6.5)
- Memphis at Philadelphia (-4.0)
- New Orleans at Toronto (-4.0)
- Spurs at Mavericks (-13.5)
- Thunder at Jazz (-2.5)
- Warriors at Lakers (-4.5)
- Trail Blazers at Kings (-5.5)
