LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets
We have a nine-game slate of NBA games scheduled for Wednesday night so let's get ready for some wagers and profitable parlays!
Last week, our two-leg parlay at +257 odds hit and we turned 15 bucks into over 50. The previous week, we netted over a grand on basketball and football. If you want sports betting advice and picks from real cash-winning experts, this is the place to be!
There are several intriguing matchups tonight, highlighted by a Western Conference clash between the fourth-seeded Utah Jazz and the sixth-seeded Denver Nuggets. Fans will be treated to a late-night matchup between the Portland Trail Blazers and the Los Angeles Lakers. The biggest mismatch is between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Dallas Mavericks (12-point spread). The Sixers are also massive favorites with a current 10.5-point spread against a Washington Wizards team that will be without superstar Bradley Beal. With 18 teams suiting up tonight, let’s take a look at the top multi-leg NBA parlay of the night and our favorite same-game parlay. You may be surprised to see three road underdogs in our multi-leg parlay of the week! However, the Nuggets’ active roster is far superior to Utah’s due to all of the injuries sustained by Jazz players, so Denver may end up the favorite by the end of the day. That’s why it’s critical to lock in your bet before your sportsbook updates the lines. Now that we’re done with the house cleaning, let’s move on to the picks.
Please note that all odds and lines are current as of 11:30 AM EST from FanDuel Sportsbook on Wednesday, February 2.
Tonight’s NBA Schedule
Top Multi-Leg NBA Parlay of the Night
Leg 1: Orlando Magic at Indiana Pacers (-4)
Orlando has won three of its last four games. This includes two big upsets against Chicago (a 21-point victory) on Jan. 23 and Dallas (a slight two-point margin of victory) this past Sunday night. Both the Pacers and Magic have less than 20 wins this season.
Although the Pacers have eight more victories than the Magic this season, the Pacers have lost seven of their last 10 contests. Their downwards trend is directly correlated with recent injuries to the team’s biggest stars. Currently, the Pacers are without their three most talented players. Myles Turner, Domantas Sabonis, and Malcolm Brogdon are all inactive this week (and likely next week too). Sabonis was on the verge of returning from an ankle sprain but just tested positive for COVID-19 Monday. He has been placed in the league’s Health and Safety protocols.
In contrast, Orlando’s starting five and bench are healthy. With the exception of Jonathan Isaac, who will be sidelined until late February due to an ankle injury, Orlando’s squad has remained healthy over the last few weeks. Outside of Isaac, backup guards Michael Carter-Williams and Markelle Fultz have yet to suit up this season. Of the three sidelined players, only Isaac was expected to see significant minutes this season. Relatively speaking, Orlando is very healthy, especially given the global pandemic and Omnicron variant.
On paper, Orlando won’t have a better opportunity to defeat Indiana than they do tonight. The Pacers are missing their three most valuable players and can only rely on Caris Lavert to produce offense consistently. Youngster Isaiah Jackson has stepped up in the absence of Turner and Sabonis, but Orlando’s Wendell Carter Jr. and Mo Bamba should be able to take care of business in the paint. Plus, with Brogdon and T.J. McConnel sidelined, the Pacers lack a true starting point guard to go up against the talented Cole Anthony. Anthony has dominated in his sophomore campaign, averaging about 18 points, six boards, and six dimes per game. Indiana may struggle to contain Anthony, who is one of three members of the Magic to be selected for the All-Star Weekend’s Rising Stars competition. He will be joined by Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs. Anthony will also compete in this year’s Slam Dunk Contest.
Considering all of the information we have at our fingertips, there is definitely some value to be had with an Orlando Magic team that Vegas expects to lose by 4.5 points on the road tonight against the injury-ravaged Indiana Pacers..
Pick: Orlando Magic ML (+140)
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Leg 2: Portland Trail Blazers at Los Angeles Lakers (-3.5)
The Lakers have one of the most unpredictable and constantly changing starting lineups in the NBA. Between injuries that have sidelined Anthony Davis and LeBron James for significant time this season and all the other COVID-19 issues in the sports world, the Lakers have struggled to put all five starters on the floor in any given game. Los Angeles has employed 22 different starting fives in 51 games this season. LeBron and AD have been limited to 36 and 30 games respectively and Russel Westbrook is finally demonstrating that he is human and cannot produce a triple-double every other night.
Although Westbrook has solid counting stats this season (18.9 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 7.7 assists per game), the electric point guard was averaging 1.7 more points,1.8 more rebounds, and 1.8 more assists in one fewer minute per game at the very same point of the season last year with Washington. The superstar is quite clearly no longer in his prime. He’s still a good basketball player but he’s no longer considered a top-five or even a top-10 point guard in the Association.
Meanwhile, the Blazers just got sharpshooter C.J. McCollum back from a six-week absence due to a collapsed lung. Fortunately for Blazers fans, McCollum picked up right where he left off. He’s dropped 15+ points in each of his nine contests since returning to the hardwood and has produced 20+ points while shooting over 50 percent from the field in four consecutive games entering tonight’s clash with Los Angeles. Portland will continue to heavily rely on McCollum with Damian Lillard sidelined for the foreseeable future. Second-year guard, Anfernee Simons, is the player who has developed and proved the most during Portland’s injury-riddled season. Simons averaged 23.1 points, 6.7 assists, and a whopping 4.5 triples in the month of January. Considering the Blazers’ top two scoring options are guards, the team will benefit from the fact that the Lakers have the second-worst defense against opposing guards (in fantasy basketball). Los Angeles allows the seventh-most threes per game to opposing guards. Portland will attempt to exploit Westbrook’s mediocre perimeter defense and take a ton of shots from beyond the arc. It doesn’t hurt that Simons recently joined his two teammates as the only players in franchise history to knock down four threes in six straight contests.
Normal Powell has also enjoyed somewhat of a breakout season in his first campaign with the Blazers. Powell has started in Portland’s last four games and averaged 18.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.8 threes, and 1.0 steals over that span. The biggest hurdle Portland may face in tonight’s contest could be the health of their trustworthy big man, Jusuf Nurkic. The Bosnian 6’11” center is averaging a double-double this season (14.7 points and 10.7 rebounds per game). Nurkic is coming off an ankle injury and is considered probable for tonight’s matchup against the Lakers. If for some reason Nurkic is ruled out, the odds will drastically change and your pick should change accordingly. That said, Nurkic should be able to play through the pain in a tough matchup against Anthony Davis (who is listed as probable on the Injury Report with a wrist injury of his own) In January, Nurkic was a dominant force with averages of 17.3 points, 12.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.4 steals in 31.4 minutes per game.
Despite Damian Lillard’s underwhelming and declining performance to open the season before his abdomen injury forced him to miss all of January and probably most of February, McCollum’s six-week absence, Nurkic’s recent ankle sprain, and some serious injuries to role players such as Larry Nance Jr. (right knee inflammation) and Nassir Little (season-ending shoulder surgery), the Blazers are somehow still the No. 10 seed in the Western Conference. Despite the injury bug, the Blazers could have lost many more games if not for three-and-D specialist, Robert Covington. Ro-Co has been a beast on defense, ranking seventh in blocks, fourth in steals, and tied for second in total steals and blocks (stocks) over the last 30 days. His hustle stats have been critical to Portland’s survival in the new year.
The Blazers are coming off a nasty loss to the 14th-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder (15-34 record) and should come out of the gate with maximum energy after a day off yesterday. And even with all of their superstar power, the Los Angeles Lakers are a mediocre 24-27 and are just one spot ahead of Portland in the standings. And yet again, the Lakers won’t be at full strength. AD is probable to suit up at the Staples Center tonight but according to head coach Frank Vogel, LeBron is considered doubtful. Some have speculated that he may be sidelined for an additional week. Regardless, without LBJ, the Lakers are in serious trouble.
We are all aware of LeBron’s greatness. However, many people seem to think his numbers are declining at an alarming rate and that he’s no longer a dominating force in the NBA. That is simply not the case. These misconceptions exist partially because James finally missed the NBA Finals and his team was trounced by the Phoenix Suns in the very first round of the playoffs last year. Championships and titles matter, but they don’t tell the entire story by any stretch of the imagination. Yes, LeBron James is 38 years old and is no longer in his prime; At the same time, LBJ is averaging the second-most points per game (29.1) in his entire career. With LeBron sidelined, Los Angeles will have to rely on Malik Monk (starting in James’ place), Avery Bradley, Talen Horton-Tucker, Carmelo Anthony, and Trevor Ariza to step up for the all-time great who dropped 43 points in just 29 minutes in a win over these same Blazers on New Year's Eve. LeBron even converted 16-of-26 attempts from the field and nailed five three-pointers on 10 attempts (50%).
James has missed the last few games with a swollen knee and Los Angeles hasn’t fared very well in his absence. The franchise is 3-7 over their last 10 games, and on the season, they are just 7-14 against teams with a record over .500. The team is even worse without LeBron in the lineup with a 5-10 record in LBJ’s 15 total missed contests this season.
The Los Angeles Lakers have been on the receiving end of a ton of criticism recently and you can’t say that it has not been warranted. The Lakers have struggled immensely this season and it doesn’t seem like anyone or anything can fix the problem. After a reporter emphasized the Lakers’ mediocre 24-27 record, which is much worse than pundits predicted in the preseason, Russell Westbrook stated, “You get in the playoffs it’s 0-0.” Westbrook has made some boneheaded decisions both on and off the court over his career and he has been known to make head-scratching quotes to the press. This time, he’s right on the money. The Lakers are still slated to make the postseason and as long as the big three (LeBron, AD, and Westbrook) are healthy for the postseason run, Los Angeles can be a serious contender in the Western Conference even with a low seed and poor record. Despite the complaints about the coaching, player health, and execution, Vogel is absolutely right to manage LeBron’s load and prioritize his superstar’s health over regular-season appearances. That said, James is in no condition to suit up even if he wanted to after suffering a knee injury in a Jan. 25 victory over the Brooklyn Nets. Since he’s been sidelined yet again, Los Angeles was blown out by 28 points in Philadelphia last Thursday and was defeated by Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday.
Given LeBron’s absence, the Lakers’ poor performance as of late, Portland’s great shooting from beyond the arc, and the Blazers’ propensity to play up to the level of their opponents, Portland provides massive value for sports bettors as 3.5-point underdogs on the road tonight.
Pick: Portland Trail Blazers ML (+146)
Leg 3: Denver Nuggets at Utah Jazz (-2)
The Western Conference’s sixth-seeded Nuggets travels to Salt Lake City to take on the Utah Jazz. Both teams have above .500 records but rank in the bottom-10 of the league against the spread. Each of these teams only covers the spread 42% of the time. So rather than wagering on the spread, bettors should consider Denver’s moneyline. Avoid taking the minimal two-point spread as the Nuggets are a mere 12-16 (42.9% Cover) on the road against the spread this season. However, Denver is riding a hot streak as they were victorious in five consecutive games before losing to Minnesota last night.
The Nuggets are underdogs despite winning six of their previous eight games and having arguably the best player in the league in Nikola Jokic. Meanwhile, Utah is incredibly undermanned at the moment. It will be interesting to see Dan Snyder’s rotation given the number of injured players on Utah’s roster. This is also Denver’s final opportunity to get revenge as they were outplayed and defeated in all three of their previous meetings with the Jazz this season. However, Utah looked a lot different earlier in the season than they will appear tonight. The Jazz will be without the services of their top scorer, Donovan Mitchell (25.5 PPG), who is still being monitored for a concussion. One of the top centers in the NBA and the team anchor on defense who averages the fourth-most blocks per game in the NBA (2.3), Rudy Gobert, will also be sidelined due to a calf injury. The bad news doesn’t end there. In Utah's final game in January against the Timberwolves (a 20-point blowout loss), Joe Ingles went down with a significant injury. On Monday, an MRI revealed a torn MCL which requires season-ending surgery. Ingles was a pivotal piece of Utah’s rotation, evidenced by his 24.5 minutes per game.
So all in all, the Jazz are missing three crucial players including two All-Stars. And bench warmer Danuel House Jr. is still out of action, not that he makes much of a difference in the win-loss column. Still, lack of depth and conditioning could be an issue for Utah against a very talented Nuggets squad. It’s also important to note that Utah has been one of the worst defensive teams over the last six weeks, ranking in the bottom five in defensive rating. They have lost 11 of their last 13 games, are missing their best players, and have to go up against surging MVP candidate Nikola Jokic.
Hassan Whiteside is in line to make another start in Gobert’s absence. Whiteside had 12 rebounds and three blocks in Utah’s last game. He’s no match for Jokic but at least he’s a solid defensive presence. But without Mitchell and Ingles, Utah loses their most reliable three-point shooters. Mike Conley (still not 100% healthy after returning from an injury of his own) will still run the point and the most likely scenario is that Jordan Clarkson will move from the sixth man to starting shooting guard. Bojan Bogdanovic will serve as Utah’s primary deep-range shooter and Royce O’Neale will slot in at the other forward position. This leaves nobody of value on the bench so bettors should comfortably wager cash on the Nuggets tonight. Veteran Rudy Gay will see extended minutes and Eric Paschall should see an uptick in playing time off the Jazz bench. But do you really trust those guys to get the job done? Denver is rolling out the same lineup that they’ve been dominating with featuring Monte Morris, Will Barton, Jeff Green, Aaron Gordon, and Nikola Jokic.
Utah is looking to end a five-game losing streak tonight and would love to break out of their recent funk. They finished January with an abysmal 4-12 record. Something tells me that the losing streak won’t end tonight. I know this seems like a trap game since you would think Denver would be favored given Utah’s depleted roster. So lock this bet in before the line moves anymore. The spread has already decreased from two points to one point at certain sportsbooks. That said, if you hurry now, the Nuggets are +3 at BetMGM!
Pick: Denver Nuggets ML (+130)
Same-Game Parlay Options of the Night
Charlotte Hornets at Boston Celtics (-6)
Leg 1: Boston Celtics Alternative Spread -3.5 (-196)
Boston is one of those teams that gets a massive homecourt advantage. In 27 home games, Boston is 17-10 compared to their road record of 10-15. In the opening month of the season, Boston defeated Charlotte on the road in overtime by double digits but the Hornets got revenge in a close battle a few weeks ago. Surprisingly, the road team was victorious in both matchups. However, Boston was missing two key starters in Marcus Smart and Robert Williams III in their recent loss to Charlotte. Jayson Tatum missed all seven of his attempts from beyond the arc and shot 4-of-19 from the field. That game was an anomaly There’s simply no way that will happen again as Tatum is averaging 32 points per game over his last six contests, including an incredible 51-point effort against the Washington Wizards in which he nailed nine three-pointers on 14 attempts. Tatum won’t struggle from long range again. Charlotte also had Gordon Hayward active in their lone victory over Boston this season but the veteran hooper will be on the sidelines for tonight’s battle between the two Eastern Conference playoff contenders.
The Celtics are currently on a two-game winning streak and have been victorious in four of their last five contests, including an impressive 30-point blowout of the third-seeded Miami Heat. The Hornets are below .500 on the road and were defeated by a mediocre Los Angeles Clippers squad by 25 points on their home court on Sunday. Charlotte isn’t the same team without Hayward in the lineup as the guards are asked to do too much of the offensive production. The Celtics have a 25-25-2 record against the spread, so to get an extra 2.5 points, I’ll take the slightly worse odds to ensure this bet hits. And it will, my friends.
Leg 2: LaMelo Ball To Score 20+ Points (-136)
Although Ball is averaging slightly less than 20 points per game this season (19.7), he’s dropped 20+ in four consecutive outings. He scored 19 points in the game before that so he’s clearly gaining confidence and scoring at a higher rate. In each of three previous outings with Hayward out of the lineup, the second-year stud has attempted 16+ shots from the field in each game and 18 shots from long range over that span. He is still a great ball-handler and passer but he is Charlotte’s primary scorer with Hayward sidelined. Marcus Smart is a talented defender but Ball is too crafty and has too high a usage rate to not surpass 20 points.
Leg 3: Miles Bridges To Record 6+ Rebounds (-250)
Bridges is the Julius Randle of the 2021-22 season and will undoubtedly earn the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award. After shooting no worse than 50% from the field in seven straight contests, Bridges had nothing left in the tank in Sunday’s loss to the Clippers. However, his struggles stemmed from the three-point line (missed all six attempts), yet he still somehow managed to score 19 points, and more importantly (for this prop), he hauled in nine boards. Bridges has tallied 6+ rebounds in six of his last eight outings and with Hayward sidelined, he may be asked to do a bit more on both ends of the court. It also doesn’t hurt that the Celtics allow the eighth-most rebounds per game to opposing forwards.
On the season, Bridges is averaging 7.3 rebounds per game and in his two previous meetings with Boston, he’s averaged 8.5 boards per contest. This one is easy money!
Leg 4: Robert Williams III To Record 12+ Rebounds (+108)
This is our biggest longshot of this Same Game Parlay but I believe in the 2018 first-round pick out of Texas A&M. Williams has gradually improved over the course of the season and although he is averaging 9.5 rebounds per game in 41 outings this season, he’s been a high-rising rebound machine recently. He continues to eat into Al Horford’s minutes and over his last 10 games, he’s averaging 11.9 boards. He produced 12+ rebounds in five contests over that span.
In 27 minutes against the Sacramento Kings on Jan. 25, the big man hauled in a season-high 17 rebounds and added 13 points. This past Saturday against the Pelicans, the athletic center tallied 16 rebounds, matching his second-best total on the season. Williams is also one of the top offensive rebounders in the entire league (3.9 per game). In his one previous matchup against Charlotte, the fourth-year pro grabbed 16 boards in 36 minutes. He has proved to be the superior option in the frontcourt for Boston and should dominate Mason Plumlee and the rest of Charlotte’s big men in the battle for the boards in the paint.
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