Dejounte Murray of San Anonio Spurs
NBA fans and sports bettors will be treated to an 11-game slate to quench our thirst for March Madness to resume.
Considering all the injuries and the 22 teams in action, there are a few wagers to exploit if you act swiftly. Let's pick a few of these games, and dive in for tonight’s best bets.
Best Bets of the Night
Game 1: New York Knicks at Charlotte Hornets - 7 (-110)
The New York Knicks have nothing to play for anymore while the Hornets have everything on the line to get the highest seed possible. Tom Thibedeau’s second year in New York has gone to shambles after winning coach of the year last season. Charlotte should win this game big at home tonight against a discombobulated Knicks team that gave up on the season before the New Year.
The Pick: Charlotte Hornets - 7 (-110)
Game 2: Brooklyn Nets at Memphis Grizzlies +2.5
The Nets have turned it on and been on fire as of late. As they make a late push for better placement in the Eastern Conference. The Nets have won six of their last seven games with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving each erupting every other night as the playoffs approach. I do think that the Grizzlies will defend the home floor. Somehow, they are the underdogs tonight. The Grizzlies move the ball better than the Nets and have more versatility. After Ja Morant, Steven Adams, Jaren Jackson Jr., Desmond Bane, and Brandon Clarke have been crucial to Memphis’ success over the last few months. In comparison, the Nets are still without Ben Simmons, and fully reliant (for the most part) on their two superstars to win games. Finally, Memphis is the team in the NBA that covers the spread the most in the entire league this season. While the Grizzlies have somewhat cooled down after having an amazing first two months of 2022, they will defend the home floor tonight and cool down the iso-ball Brooklyn Nets.
The Pick: Memphis Grizzlies ML + 128
Game 3: Sacramento Kings at Indiana Pacers - 6 (-110)
This game should be a fun one, especially for the blockbuster trade which principally sent Buddy Hield and Tyrese Haliburton to Indiana in exchange for Domantas Sabonis. My opinion is that this is a highly contested game, but that Haliburton erupts for a big game playing with a chip on his shoulder. Alongside Buddy Hield, these new-looking Pacers will defend the home floor and win by at least six points.
The Pick: Indiana Pacers - 6 (-110)
Same Game Parlay of the Night
Game: San Antonio Spurs at Portland Trail Blazers
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Leg 1: Keldon Johnson, Over 6.5 Rebounds
Keldon Johnson is on the floor for the Spurs all night giving it his all. This season, he’s averaging 31.6 minutes per contest and producing 6.1 rebounds per game. Since Portland will be bodied tonight, I expect Johnson to take advantage of one of the weakest defending teams to pick up some offensive rebounds helping him tally at least seven boards tonight against the Blazers.
Leg 2: Devin Vassel, Under 14.5 Points
Vassel is averaging 11.8 PPG while shooting a mediocre 42.6% from the field this season. He has seen an uptick in minutes towards the end of the season and is playing closer to 30 MPG over his last ten games. Dejounte Murray and Keldon Johnson will combine for the majority of San Antonio’s points tonight while Vassel will score 14 points or less.
Leg 3: Dejounte Murray, Over 9.5 assists
Dejounte Murray is having an amazing season and is almost averaging a double-double with 20.8 points and 9.3 assists per game. Over his last ten games, Murray has recorded ten assists or more four times in his last ten games. Tonight, I think the Spurs will score big numbers against the Portland Trail Blazers who allow the fourth-most points per game (114.2 PPG) from opposing teams in the entire league. Only Charlotte, Houston, and Sacramento allow more. If the Spurs score a lot tonight, it will be Dejounte Murray distributing the ball. Even if it is a blowout, Murray could easily hit 10 assists by the third quarter against a Blazers roster that is virtually unrecognizable.
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Kyrie Irving of Brooklyn Nets
Tonight, we have a four-game slate featuring the Brooklyn Nets, the Memphis Grizzlies, and the Phoenix Suns.
We will focus on the Brooklyn Nets matchup against the Orlando Magic for our Same Game Parlay of the Night, as I expect Kyrie Irving to have a huge night. Let's dive in.
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Best Bets of The Night
Please Note: All odds are accurate as of 3:00 PM EST. according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
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Game 1: Phoenix Suns at New Orleans Pelicans (+4.5)
This is going to be a fun game to watch. The Suns have Devin Booker back after his bout with COVID-19. In addition, Jae Crowder has been playing more consistently as of late. Finally, Cameron Payne has done an excellent job of covering for Chris Paul while his thumb continues to heal. The Suns should absolutely destroy the New Orleans Pelicans on the road. They’ve proven throughout the season, and especially now without CP3 how in sync they are as a team, meaning that anyone could be on the floor for them and they’ll still probably win. CJ McCollum has played pretty well for New Orleans since arriving down there, but ultimately the 28-40 Pelicans are a losing team in the West whose postseason aspirations are in the rear-view mirror. Phoenix should win by five or more points comfortably tonight.
The Pick: Phoenix Suns -4.5 (-110)
Game 2: Memphis Grizzlies at Indiana Pacers (+7.5)
It’s no surprise that the Memphis Grizzlies are the clear favorites in tonight’s matchup against the Indiana Pacers. The Grizzlies should win this game comfortably but I wouldn't expect a blowout. I’m more interested in looking at the point total for this contest. This should be a high-scoring game, but not as high as the sportsbooks expect. While Memphis is the fourth highest-scoring team in the league (114.4 PPG), Indiana hovers around the league average with 110.7 PPG. For the Over to be reached tonight, at least nine more points would need to be scored than the averages produced by these two teams combined. I also think this could be a game with competitive defense. The matchup between Ja Morant and Tyrese Haliburton should be highly contested, which could impact the scoring averages of both players.
The Pick: Under 234.5 Total Points
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Same Game Parlay of The Night
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Game: Brooklyn Nets at Orlando Magic (+10.5)
Leg 1: Kyrie Irving Over 25.5 Points (-102)
Kyrie has scored bigger numbers as of late than he did when his 2021-2022 season began. Here is what he's produced over his last four games respectively: 38 points, 19 points, 50 points, and 22 points. According to these numbers and his current scoring average of 25.9 PPG on 47.6% shooting from the field this season, Kyrie is due to have a 30+ point scoring performance tonight in Orlando.
Leg 2: Franz Wagner Over 4.5 Rebounds (+102)
Franz Wagner has been a focal piece of Orlando’s lineup this season. As a rookie, Wagner has been very consistent this season. The 6’10" German has averaged 31.7 minutes per contest this season, producing 15.2 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. Brooklyn is ranked 13th among all NBA teams in FG attempts taken per game (88.5 FGA per game), which will give Wagner plenty of opportunities to grab at least five boards off the glass tonight.
Leg 3: Wendell Carter Jr Over 2.5 Assists (-130)
This is a prop I have taken before and one which has hit. I like taking bigs to produce over 2.5 assists. I took Joel Embiid last night on over 2.5 assists which he hit. Wendel Carter Jr. is averaging a 14.6-point and 10.4-rebound double-double this season. He’s still producing 2.7 assists per game. He’s also dished at least five assists in three of his last five games. Carter Jr. is a pretty efficient passer as a big man. He should produce at least three dimes in approximately 30 minutes of playing time at home against the Nets tonight.
Leg 4: Kyrie Irving Over 4.5 Rebounds (-108)
Kyrie Irving is averaging 36.2 MPG and has produced 4.6 rebounds per contest this season. This prop is really a coin flip but since Kyrie hasn’t had more than five rebounds in a few of his recent contests, I’m expecting a return to the mean against some undersized guards in Orland tonight.
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Cameron Johnson of the Phoenix Suns
Welcome to another edition of NBA Best Bets!
Jaylen Brown sprained his ankle in the first few minutes of last night's game, ruining yesterday's SGP. Tonight, we will shift our focus to mostly Western Conference matchups, and specifically, the second game of ESPN's Wednesday night NBA coverage, featuring the Portland Trail Blazers and the Phoenix Suns.
Best Bets Of The Night
Game 1: Oklahoma City Thunder at Denver Nuggets -14.5
While the Nuggets should win this game comfortably, they would need to win by 15+ points to cover the spread. This is a very high point spread, meaning that if OKC loses by 14 points, the Thunder would still cover. It seems like a value bet for tonight’s slate of games. The Nuggets win by 10, but you bet on OKC to cover the spread for -110 odds and seal the deal.
Bet: Oklahoma City Thunder +14.5 (-110)
Game 2: Portland Trail Blazers at Phoenix Suns
This is the risky bet of the night but I’m going to take it. The Portland Trail Blazers are a team that frequently pulls off upsets. Despite the absence of Damian Lillard and now CJ McCollum, the Blazers have been able to maintain a decent record this season. While Phoenix should win this game, the +480 odds are pretty nice for a 25-36 team, especially since the Suns have lost their last two games in a row following the injury of superstar point guard Chris Paul. Even though the Suns can afford to lose a handful of games, they have lost the last two after winning eight straight. Portland has also lost their last two contests, but the odds for this game make it the worthwhile yet risky bet of the night.
Bet: Portland Trail Blazers ML +480
Same Game Parlay Of The Night
We're going back to a three-leg Same Game Parlay for tonight's player props for Portland at Phoenix. Without CP3 in the Suns' rotation, Cameron Johnson and Mikal Bridges are seeing an increased role. Let's dive in.
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Game: Portland Trail Blazers at Phoenix Suns
Leg 1: Josh Hart Over 16.5 Points
Josh Hart was one of the main acquisitions made by Portland in exchange for McCollum. He was immediately thrown into the Blazers' rotation upon arrival and has looked really good in red and black. In his first five games for Portland, Hart has played at least 27 minutes in each contest. He scored 23, 27, 22, 12, and 11 points in each of his first five games for the Blazers respectively. What really stands out about Hart though is his conversion rate from the field (54 FG%) and his scoring (19.0 PPG). He’s a very efficient shooter who the Blazers are making good use of. His Over/Under for points tonight is fairly low because of his last two games. Josh Hart bounces back and scores 20+ tonight against the Suns.
Leg 2: Mikal Bridges Over 4.5 Rebounds
Bridges is an important part of the Suns' frontcourt and really has branded himself as a complete player, able to defend and score. He’ll be going up against his fellow Villanova teammate, Josh Hart, who might even be his main matchup. Bridges is averaging 4.4 rebounds per game but has recorded 5+ rebounds in four of his last five contests. He’s playing an impressive 34.9 minutes per game this season and has even seen somewhat of an uptick in minutes since CP3 was sidelined. He’s played 38 minutes or more in three of the last four games. As a result, he has a better chance to surpass his season average of 4.4 rebounds per game and will record at least five tonight. He is more physical and a more gifted athlete than Hart and Justise Winslow, his two most likely primary defenders tonight.
Leg 3: Cameron Johnson Over 17.5 Points
Cameron Johnson’s role on the Suns was immediately increased once Chris Paul went out, paving the way for the third-year man out of UNC to step up in the Suns' rotation. Over the last four games, Johnson has played at least 29 minutes and scored a minimum of 14 points in each contest. This includes 21 points (7-12 FG) on Feb. 24 and 23 points (7-11 FG) on Feb. 27. He’s shooting a very respectable 46.5% from the field (43.2% from beyond the arc) and is playing closer to 30+ MPG with CP3 out as opposed to his season average of 26.3 MPG. Cameron Johnson at 6’8" should have a size advantage as well on whoever is guarding him against the three-point line tonight.
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Anfernee Simons, Portland Trail Blazers
NBA fans and bettors will be treated to an action-packed Tuesday night with 10 games on the schedule.
A blockbuster trade that has sent C.J. McCollum to New Orleans makes tonight's fixture between Portland and Orlando very interesting. Let's take a look at which games provide the most value to bettors.
Please note that all odds and lines are current as of 1:30 PM EST from FanDuel Sportsbook on Tuesday, February 8.
Best Bets of the Night
Bet #1
Game: Los Angeles Clippers at Memphis Grizzlies (-7.5)
The Grizzlies have a young roster that continues to demonstrate growth. Besides Ja Morant, players like Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane are contributing to the team’s success in big ways. The 27-28 Clippers will take on the streaking 37-18 Grizzlies tonight on the road. The Grizzlies are 7-3 over their last 10 outings and have won by double-digits in each of their previous four victories. Expect more of the same when the Clippers come to Memphis tonight. Memphis has the highest cover percentage in the NBA against the spread (65.5%).
The Pick: Memphis Grizzlies -7.5 points (-110)
Bet #2
Game: Detroit Pistons at Dallas Mavericks (-11.5)
Detroit will get blown out of the building and I think the fourth quarter will be garbage time for the most part. The Pistons have lost their last four games and will certainly not break this losing streak on the road in Dallas. The Pistons have lost eight of their last 10 games and are simply an atrocious NBA team this season. The Pistons did just get Jerami Grant but he has scored a mere 10 points in each of his last two games. Detroit's young players like Sadiq Bey and Kylian Hayes have for the most part been disappointing. While Cade Cunningham and some bench players like Frank Jackson are the few players on the roster who have played efficient basketball this season, Detroit’s season has been bleak. Not to mention, Cunningham is questionable to play tonight after missing the previous three contests with a hip injury.
The Pistons will be overwhelmed by Luka Doncic on the road. Kristaps Porzingis will not be available for tonight’s contest, but Reggie Bullock has stepped in a big way for Dallas since Tim Hardaway Jr. went down. Bullock scored in double figures in each of his last six games and surpassed 20 points in four contests over that span. The Mavs have won four of their last six games. One of those losses was a thriller against OKC that went into overtime. In other words, Dallas had one real loss in this stretch of games in which Reggie Bullock and Dorian Finney Smith have seen increased minutes to make up for Tim Hardaway Jr. in the rotation. That’s pretty good all things considered. The Pistons aren't playing inspired basketball these days and are just 12-15 as road underdogs against the spread.
The Pick: Dallas Mavericks -11.5 points (-110)
Bet #3
Game: Minnesota Timberwolves at Sacramento Kings (+6.5)
Of the games Sacramento will win this season to ameliorate their losing record, tonight’s matchup against the T-Wolves could help the Kings tally another win. De’Aaron Fox is a game-time decision although he was listed as a full-time participant in Monday’s practice. Especially if Fox is activated for tonight’s contest, I think the Kings have a good chance of defending their home floor. While they did lose Terence Davis for the season last week, Davion Mitchell is playing fantastic offensive basketball re-capturing the spark with which he played at Baylor. Especially since Davis was ruled out for the remainder of the season, Mitchell has been on a tear. He’s scored at least 15 points in each of the last six games. Minnesota currently holds the seventh seed in the Western Conference with a solid 28-25 record. And even though they are the favorites, the Kings will shoot the ball well and defend the homecourt against a beatable but strong Minnesota squad.
The Pick: Sacramento Kings ML (+146)
Bet #4
Game: New York Knicks at Denver Nuggets (Over / Under: 219)
This will be a high-scoring contest, in which the Knicks will probably lose but still try hard, and put together a tease of a comeback in the fourth quarter that is then wasted. The Knicks are one of the highest-scoring teams in the league, while Denver isn’t. One of the main reasons why the Knicks have struggled as of late has been Julius Randle’s lackluster production. However, Denver will be at home and have an opportunity to score big against a Knicks defense that has largely regressed since last season. The Knicks will almost certainly lose, but I think we see a lot of shooting from both teams tonight to combine for over 219 points.
The Pick: Over 219 Points (-110)
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Same Game Parlay of the Night
Game: Orlando Magic at Portland Trail Blazers (-1.5)
The Portland Trail Blazers have just traded C.J. McCollum to New Orleans in exchange for several young members of the New Orleans Pelicans and draft picks. The production of individual players on Portland’s roster tonight will certainly be affected by this blockbuster trade. As a result, here are a few selections for a Same Game Parlay that are even more likely to happen now that McCollum has been acquired by New Orleans.
Leg #1: Cole Anthony, Over 17.5 Points (-106)
With McCollum out tonight and Cole Anthony active, Anthony should have a much easier time scoring at least 18 points. He is coming off of a nine-point game (3-10 FG) Sunday night but is averaging 17.7 PPG this season. I think Orlando has a chance to win this game tonight, but even if that isn’t the case, Anthony should have a big bounce-back game made easier with McCollum no longer an option to guard the electric young point guard. This, and the distractions off the floor for the Blazers over the last 24 hours should work in Anthony’s favor to have a bounce-back performance.
Leg #2: Anfernee Simons, Over 23.5 Points (-106)
Without McCollum, Anfernee Simons will play closer to 40 minutes tonight than 35 and will need to have a big scoring game. He’s already been very impressive this season, especially when McCollum and Damian Lillard have been out. He’s scored 19 points in each of his last three games, and those were contests in which McCollum was playing. His scoring should see a dramatic increase in production after the departure of the team's premier sharpshooter, particularly since Lillard is still sidelined. Simons is now the top offensive weapon in Portland by default. The entire Portland roster should see more opportunities, but Simons is the star of the show for the Trail Blazers until Lillard returns.
Leg #3: Anfernee Simons, Over 2.5 Rebounds (+124)
Purely based on his athleticism and the fact that he will likely play more than 35 minutes, Simons should easily grab at least three rebounds tonight. He’s averaging 2.7 rebounds per game but has produced at least three in the majority of his previous 10 outings. I like Anfernee Simons tonight across the board and think he will certainly haul in at least three rebounds tonight against the Magic.
Leg #4: Wendell Carter Jr., Over 2.5 Assists (-106)
Although he is a true power forward, Carter Jr. actually produces a fair amount of assists. He’s averaging 2.6 assists per game and has produced two in each of the last two games. I took this prop (Carter Jr. Over 2.5 Assists) on Feb. 1 against the Bulls, and he hit it by producing six assists in the contests. The Magic are a team where anyone can have a big night scoring. The only way Orlando can win games is through playing strong team basketball and not isolation ball. This focus on ball movement is why Carter Jr. can and should get at least three assists in more than 30 minutes on the floor tonight.
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