More bad news for the rebuilding and struggling Portland Trail Blazers as rookie No. 3 overall pick Scoot Henderson will miss 2-3 more weeks after tests revealed bone bruising in addition to a right ankle sprain. He was hurt earlier this month against Detroit. The Blazers already are without arguably their best player on Anfernee Simons for at least another month. So you probably want to keep fading Portland for a while. Here are two intriguing early-week matchups and picks.

Top NBA Betting Picks of the Week (November 13th, 2023)

NBA power rankings: Houston Rockets on the rise with six-game winning streak https://t.co/a7s6dl6QVe

— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) November 14, 2023

Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Sacramento Kings

• When: Monday, November 13th, 2023, 10:00 PM ET
• Where: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA
• TV: NBCSCA, Bally Sports Ohio
• Radio: WMMS 100.7 FM (Cavaliers) // Sactown Sports 1140 AM (Kings)
• Live Stream: NBATV
• NHL Betting Odds: Lakers (-3) // Heat (+3)

Monday could be the return of Sacramento Kings All-Star guard De’Aaron Fox. He has missed five straight games due to a right ankle sprain, but his participation during the Kings’ 5-on-5 scrimmage Sunday hints that he will return against the Cavs. Fox has played in three games so far this season and is averaging 31.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.3 steals per contest while shooting 48.6% from the field and 37.5% from the three-point range.

Fox had gotten off to a strong start in his first three games of the season, totaling 94 points. He also joined Oscar Robertson as the only players in franchise history to score 30+ points in multiple games through the first three contests of a season in consecutive seasons. Robertson had three straight 30-point outings in both the 1961-62 and 1962-63 seasons. Fox was scoring a league-leading 1.67 points per possession on isolation possessions and shooting 63.6% on iso field goal attempts.

Sacramento is 3-2 without Fox following a 105-98 home win over Oklahoma City on Friday. Domantas Sabonis put up 17 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds. After coming close on a few occasions, Sabonis recorded his first triple-double of the season on Friday and 15th career.

After leading the NBA in rebounding last season, Sabonis is right back near the top at 12.9 rebounds per contest, the fourth-highest average this season. He ranks sixth in the Association in total rebounds and has grabbed 15 or more rebounds in three games this season, the second-most in the NBA, as his 18 boards vs. Golden State on Oct. 27 are tied for the fifth-most in a single game in 2023-24. Sabonis has collected 10+ rebounds in seven games this season, which ranks tied for fifth.

Keegan Murray had 24 points and 11 rebounds. Not only did Murray surpass the 20-point mark for the first time this season, but he also recorded his first double-double. It was a much-needed performance for him, as he struggled in the first three games the Kings played without De’Aaron Fox. In those outings, Murray scored 28 points total on 12-of-40 shooting from the field.

Kevin Huerter shot 11-of-19 from the field to finish with 28 points and 10 boards. Red Velvet had it going, shooting 6-of-8 from the field in the first quarter and finishing with a season-high point total. Prior to his performance against the Thunder, Huerter had not scored 20 points or more in a game this season.

Cleveland is 1-1 on a trip through the Western Conference after a 118-110 upset win at Golden State on Saturday. Garland supplied 19 points, six rebounds, four assists and five steals in 36 minutes. He reduced his turnovers in half after coughing up the ball eight times versus the Thunder on Wednesday in a loss. Donovan Mitchell closed with 21 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Mitchell struggled with his efficiency for the second consecutive game, combining to shoot 15-for-45 shooting over that span.

The Cavs forced 20 turnovers and recorded a season-high 13 steals in the win over the Warriors. Cleveland recorded 13+ steals just 3 times all of last season. Cleveland has swiped 22 STL in their last two games and 10+ STL 4 times this season.

Kings head coach Mike Brown was the head coach of the Cavaliers from 2005-2010 and during the 2013-14 season, winning the league’s Coach of the Year honors after a 66-16 season in 2008-09; Brown helped the Cavs reach their first ever NBA finals during the 2006-07 season. Cleveland won both matchups last season but we like the Kings if Fox plays.

NBA Betting Pick: Kings

Los Angeles Clippers vs. Denver Nuggets

• When: Tuesday, November 14th, 2023, 10:00 PM ET
• Where: Ball Arena, Denver, CO
• TV: TNT
• Radio: AM 570 LA Sports (Clippers) // 92.5 FM Altitude Sports Radio (Nuggets)
• Live Stream: NBATV
• NHL Betting Odds: TBA

Possible Western Conference playoff preview. The Clippers really haven’t figured things out yet 100 percent following the trade for James Harden but they will. : The Clippers now have four All-Stars from the Los Angeles Area: Harden, Lakewood (Artesia High School), Kawhi Leonard, Riverside (Martin Luther King High School), Paul George, Palmdale (Knight High School) and Russell Westbrook, Lawndale (Luzinger High School and UCLA).

LA has been good at home and leads the NBA at home in steals (12.0) and second in 3P% (43.0) and in plus/minus differential (22.7). The Clippers have scored over 100 points in 39 of their last 44 contests dating to last season. Since January 6, the Clippers are fifth in the NBA in offensive rating (118.3) and first in 3P% (39.5).

Nuggets center DeAndre Jordan played on the Clippers for 10 seasons (2008-18), appearing in 750 games. Denver guard Reggie Jackson spent parts of four seasons (2019-23) with the Clippers, appearing in 211 games. Clippers center Mason Plumlee spent four seasons (2016-20) with the Nuggets, averaging 7.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 19.9 minutes over 244 games (54 starts). Plumlee is currently out injured for LA.

The Nuggets are off to one of their best starts in franchise history thanks per usual to star Nikola Jokic. He now has 37 career games with 35+ points, 10 rebounds, and five assists (tied for 10th all-time in the NBA). He is also one of three centers with multiple 20-point halves this season, collecting his fourth (20 points in the second half), joining Joel Embiid (2) and Myles Turner (2). Jokic now has seven games with 30+ points, 10+ rebounds while shooting at least 85% from the field. That is the second most in NBA history, trailing Wilt Chamberlain’s 12.

Michael Porter Jr. has been doing all the little things to start the season, helping the Nuggets get off to another fast start. Although he hasn’t been scoring at his normal clip, he has been all over the boards. Denver is now 6-0 all-time when he records 13+ rebounds in a game. Also, Porter Jr. had only three games with 10+ rebounds last season and already has two in 2023-24.

It’s the first meeting of the season between the teams. Last year, the Nuggets won all four. They last met on Feb. 26 in Denver and the final score was 134-124 in OT. Jokic had 40 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists. Porter Jr. had 29 points and 11 rebounds for the Nuggets. Jamal Murray added 21 points and 12 assists. Murray is currently sidelined with a right hamstring strain and likely miss the rest of the month. Paul George nearly won it for the Clippers with an incredible shot at the end of regulation, but his long heave from just in front of the 3-point line in the backcourt came just after the buzzer. Kawhi Leonard had 33 points to pace the Clippers, while George had 23.

NBA Betting Pick: Clippers

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READ MORE: Top NBA Betting Picks of the Week – November 20th, 2023