Monday's NBA TV double header features the Hawks @ Bulls and Grizzlies @ Kings. Read on for Previews, Picks and Props!

Monday night features seven NBA games on the slate and we’ll take a look at two of the closer matchups as the Hawks visit the Bulls and the Grizzlies are in Sacramento for the late game. We’re guessing Shannon Sharpe is going to sit this one out. Both of these games can be seen on NBA TV tonight.

The Hawks were officially a hot team heading into Saturday’s meeting with the tanking Hornets but somehow managed to lose that one 122-118, snapping their five-game winning streak in the process. The Hawks had quality wins at Indiana, at Toronto, vs. Miami, at Dallas and against the Knicks during the winning streak and they’ll be looking to get back on the winning path tonight. 

Dejounte Murray, and not Trae Young, has led the team in scoring in the last four games while Young is playing more of a distributor role and taking fewer shots. In five games from Jan. 8 to Jan. 18, Young attempted no more than 17 shots and the Hawks won all five of those games. It’s simple math, but the Hawks are better when Trae isn’t jacking up 20-plus shots per game. He has attempted 21 and 22 in his last two games and one of those was that loss to Charlotte. 

De’Andre Hunter had 25 in Saturday’s loss and scored 20 points on Friday against the Knicks. He’s scored in double digits in all 11 of his January games and is averaging 18 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.6 steals and 2.2 3-pointers on 50 percent shooting this month. If he could up his assists and steals he could become a real fantasy factor. Onyeka Okongwu is questionable for Atlanta tonight with a hamstring injury and if he’s out, Clint Capela should be in line for a big night against Nikola Vucevic and company. 

The Bulls regulars, including DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine and Vuc will all be out there tonight while Lonzo Ball and Javonte Green remain out, and Goran Dragic is a game-time call. The Bulls recently went on a three-game losing streak but beat the Warriors last Sunday and beat the Pistons in Paris on Thursday. They should be incredibly well rested having only played once in the last eight days. Vuc went off against the Warriors for 43 points, 13 rebounds, four steals and five 3-pointers, and LaVine scored 30 in Paris when all five starters hit double digits in scoring.

The series is tied 1-1 and DeRozan has feasted against the Hawks thus far, averaging 31 points, 9.5 rebounds and 6.5 assists in those two games. Trae Young hasn’t fared as well against the Bulls as he has against some other teams, averaging 26.5 points and 10.0 assists in the two games. 

Top Oddscrowd performing bettor Rawluciano likes the Bulls Moneyline and that’s good enough for us with the Bulls at home and the Hawks just 11-13 on the road. 

Pick: Bulls Moneyline

Prop 1: Dejounte Murray Over 27.5 combined points and assists

Prop 2: Nikola Vucevic Over 21.5 combined points and rebounds

Prop 3: DeMar DeRozan Over 37.5 combined points, rebounds and assists

The Grizzlies, who are more talked about right now for the Shannon Sharpe mayhem in Los Angeles over the weekend, and for not being able to win on the road, than they are for being the No. 2 seed in the West, visit the No. 3 seeded Kings for the late game on Monday night.

The Grizzlies are 11-12 on the road and while the Celtics (17-7), Sixers (13-9) and Nets (16-10) all have stellar road records, we don’t hear anyone giving the Nuggets (11-10) or Bucks (11-12) a hard time about their road records. Nonetheless, Grizzlies have lost two straight on the road to the Lakers and Suns, which is why they’re catching heat for it right now. 

Ja Morant had 27 points, five rebounds and eight assists against the Suns, Desmond Bane scored 24 and Steven Adams double-doubled with 10 points and 16 rebounds. The problem was that Jaren Jackson disappeared in that one, hitting just 3-of-6 shots for eight points, four rebounds and three blocks, saddled by foul trouble and sitting on the bench in the middle of a blowout. The Suns opened up a 29-point lead in the third quarter but the Grizzlies fought back to almost pull it out at the end. Jackson was kind of quiet against the Lakers too, scoring 12 with six rebounds, but did have four blocks as well. Morant was off in that one, hitting just 9-of-29 shots, while Brandon Clarke and Tyus Jones each scored 20 off the bench. 

The big news here is that both Steven Adams (knee) and Ja Morant (ankle) are listed as questionable tonight. If either one of them rests in the second game of a back-to-back, the Kings get a boost. 

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The 31-14 Kings are one of the most pleasant surprises in the league this season had a six-game winning streak snapped by the Sixers on Saturday, but it was a valiant effort, as they lost by just two points. De’Aaron Fox has scored 31 points in two of his last three games and has scored at least 23 in six straight games, and Domantas Sabonis missed his second straight triple-double by one rebound on Saturday and doesn’t get enough credit for what he’s doing. Sabonis is averaging 19.2 points, 13.4 rebounds and 9.2 assists in January, and while those are Nikola Jokic numbers (he’s at 23.7, 11.3 and 11.3 for the month), they’re pretty dang close. Harrison Barnes has also turned it on for the Kings, averaging 21.4 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.5 3-pointers for the month. Originally, it looked like the Kings were showcasing Harry B in order to trade him but given that they’re No. 3 in the West, we’re not sure that’s any longer the case. Keegan Murray and Kevin Huerter have also been playing at a high level and Huerter has hit at least one 3-pointer in every game since Nov. 28. He’s averaging 2.7 triples in January and 2.9 on the season. The Kings injury report is clean, outside of Chimezie Metu being iffy with a sore knee.

This is an important game for both teams, as the Grizzlies can squelch the recent chatter of not being able to win on the road and pull within a game of the Nuggets, while the Kings are being stalked by several teams, including the Pelicans, Mavericks, Clippers, Suns, Timberwolves, Jazz, Warriors and Thunder. Only 4.0 games separate the Kings from the bottom of that list. 

Rawluciano likes the Kings moneyline here and given that the Kings are 15-10 at home and the Grizzlies have lost a couple they should have won on the road, we’re with him. Additionally, if Morant or Adams sits for the Grizzlies, the Kings will have an even bigger advantage than just home court.

Pick: Kings Moneyline

Prop 1: Kevin Huerter Over 2.5 3-pointers

Prop 2: De’Aaron Fox Over 32.5 combined points and assists

Prop 3: Harrison Barnes Over 22.5 combined points and rebounds