Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
We have a nice six-game slate in the NBA tonight.
TNT will feature the Memphis Grizzlies at the New Orleans Pelicans at 7:30, followed by the Clippers who will take on the Golden State Warriors on the road at 10 PM. (We tend to include nationally televised games for our picks so readers can cheer for the team he or she wagered on while watching).
Please Note: All odds are accurate as of 3:00 PM EST. according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
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Best Bets of The Night
Game 1: New Orleans Pelicans at Memphis Grizzlies - 5.5
Memphis continues to impress and create distance between them and other teams at the top of the NBA rankings for teams that cover bets. At home, they will be taking on the CJ McCollum-led Pelicans. While this should be an interesting matchup, Memphis should win this game by 10 or more points. The 27-37 Pelicans are a team that is rebuilding and has little left to play for this season. Moreover, New Orleans is average against opposing guards, which simply won’t cut it on defense when going up against Ja Morant and Desmond Bane. The Memphis offense will overwhelm the Pelicans who are on the road facing very enthusiastic Grizzlies fans, poised to make a strong push in the playoffs.
The Pick: Memphis Grizzlies -6.5 (-110)
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Game 2: Charlotte Hornets at Brooklyn Nets (-4.5)
With KD back in the rotation and Seth Curry playing great basketball, the Nets will meet the Hornets’ sharp-shooting. This should be a high-scoring game, with a lot of three-pointers taken. Charlotte is the second-highest scoring team in the NBA, producing 114.3 PPG. Brooklyn ranks 12th and has recorded 110.8 PPG this season. If both teams meet their season average in point-scoring, the total would be about 225-227 points. The Over/Under set for tonight's game is a sky-high 240 points, meaning that each team would have to average 120 points of offense tonight, and 13 to 15 more points of offense than both teams are averaging this season combined. As a result, take the Under while FanDuel tries to get sneaky with their lines.
The Pick: Under 240 Total Points (-110)
Game 3: Los Angeles Clippers at Golden State Warriors (-5.5)
I think this will be a high-scoring game with a lot of three-point attempts, similar to the Hornets-Nets matchup. While the Warriors are averaging 111.2 PPG and rank 11th among the highest-scoring teams in the league, the Los Angeles Clippers are the 25th team in the rankings, scoring an average of 107 PPG. The Warriors are 5.5 point favorites tonight at home, which seems pretty low. However, the Clippers are red-hot right now and have won seven of their last 10 games. This explains why the spread is less than six points, although the Warriors are the current third seed in the West while the Clippers hold the eighth seed. With Andrew Wiggins, Klay Thompson, and Stephen Curry all starting tonight for Golden State, they comfortably defend the homecourt tonight against the Clippers.
The Pick: Golden State Warriors - 5.5 (-110)
Same Game Parlay Of The Night
Game: Los Angeles Clippers at Golden State Warriors (-5.5)
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Leg 1: Stephen Curry Over 24.5 Points
Anytime you place SGPs on Golden State and Stephen Curry’s point Over/Under is below 25, you must pull the trigger on the prop. Certainly, Curry’s point production has dropped this season but after a game of rest, I expect him to chef up 30+ points tonight against a Los Angeles Clippers defense that struggles against opposing guards. Curry has an advantageous matchup tonight and the Clips are still missing their two best players (and perhaps more importantly for this prop) their two best defenders in Paul George and Kawhi Leonard.
Leg 2: Stephen Curry Over 4.5 Rebounds
Since Steph is out there the entire game and because the Clippers are weak against guards, he will likely haul in at least five boards tonight. Curry is averaging 5.2 rebounds per game this season and has recorded at least five rebounds in five of his last nine games. I think we are going to see a huge night from Curry, both in rebounds and in points.
Leg 3: Andrew Wiggins Over 1.5 Threes
One department in which Wiggins has truly improved as a player is his three-point shooting. Playing alongside Stephen Curry and now Klay Thompson has truly helped him improve his percentage from beyond the arc. This season, Wiggins is converting a career-high 40.7% of his shots taken from deep. In comparison, he is only a 35% three-point shooter for his NBA career. Making matters better, Wiggins is averaging 2.4 threes per game on his home court this season.
Leg 4: Andrew Wiggins Over 4.5 Rebounds
Andrew Wiggins is averaging 4.3 rebounds per game this season but has recorded five or more boards in each of his last three contests. Since he’s playing 30+ MPG each night and has a very long wingspan, five rebounds for the young athletic Canadian wing should not be too difficult.
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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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Trae Young of Atlanta Hawks
Welcome to today's edition of NBA Best Bets!
I hope you all got a chance to see the three-leg Same Game Parlay I recommended last week as it hit.
Please Note: All odds are according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
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Best Bets of The Night
Game 1: Brooklyn Nets at Toronto Raptors -8.5
This game will be the second of back-to-back Net games in Toronto. As a result, Kyrie Irving will not be active against the Toronto Raptors tonight because of Canada’s vaccination law. Unvaccinated athletes remain unable to enter the country even though some restrictions have been dropped. This means that the 33-27 Raptors will not have to face Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Ben Simmons. Andre Drummond is a game-time decision for tonight’s contest as well. He’s been dominant in the paint since being traded to Brooklyn. The Nets are at a huge disadvantage tonight and should lose, but maybe not by nine or more points.
The Over/Under in points is set for 218.5 points. Brooklyn is the 11th (110.7 PPG) highest-scoring team in the league while Toronto is ranked 18th (108.7 PPG). The teams average 219.4 combined points. I believe that the Nets can produce some strong offense and score 110 to 120 points tonight without KD or Kyrie. Cameron Thomas and Seth Curry have stepped it up for the Nets as of late. The Nets also need to bounce back from their 133-97 defeat against the Raptors last night. They need to score more than 97 points and at least compete after what was an embarrassing defeat. I think the Nets keep things interesting with Toronto and that both teams combine for 219+ points.
Bet: Over 218.5 Total Points (-112)
Game 2: Los Angeles Clippers at Houston Rockets +7
Houston made some interesting acquisitions before the trade deadline. There aren’t many games that Houston can win as they are near the bottom of the standings in the Western Conference. Although they are still the underdogs for tonight’s matchup against the 32-31 Clippers, Los Angeles is a beatable ball club. Dennis Schroder has been off to a great start in Houston after being dealt away by the Celtics. He’s recorded near triple-doubles multiple times already as a Rocket. The Clippers beat the Rockets on Sunday, 99-98 in a thriller. The Rockets will have one more chance to defend the homecourt after what was a gut-wrenching loss for them. For +270, this is our bold pick for tonight’s games.
Bet: Houston Rockets ML (+270)
Game 3: Dallas Mavericks at Los Angeles Lakers +5.5
The Lakers are in a state of disarray. They cannot win, and even LeBron James is going back and forth with frustrated Lakers fans. In contrast, things are going well for Luka Doncic and the Mavericks. He should go into Los Angeles and help his new-look Dallas roster after trading Kristaps Porzingis for Spencer Dinwiddle. The Lakers have lost seven of their last 10 games, and have failed to score more than 102 points in each of their last three games. They need to wake up, and they might try to compete with Dallas. Ultimately, the level of energy, effort, and morale seems to be low in Los Angeles at the moment. Dallas' core of guards featuring Luka, Jalen Brunson, and Dinwiddie should help them seal at least a six-point win tonight.
Bet: Dallas Mavericks -5.5 (-108)
Same Game Parlay of the Night
This week, we’re going big with a four-leg SGP for tonight’s game between the Atlanta Hawks and the Boston Celtics.
Game: Atlanta Hawks at Boston Celtics -6.5
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Leg 1: Robert Williams Over 10.5 Points
Robert Williams is now playing 35+ MPG in Boston and is starting to produce a little more offense. While he did miss two games before the All-Star break, he’s scored in double figures in every game throughout February. He should win the matchup tonight against Clint Capela and hit the Over in points scored.
Leg 2: Jaylen Brown Over 5.5 Rebounds
Jaylen Brown is averaging 6.3 rebounds per game this season but has only recorded eight total rebounds over his last three games. As a result, this anomaly has decreased his Over/Under rebound total. The number deflated to 5.5 for tonight. Brown should win the matchups in the paint against Gallinari or Bogdanovic, which I think will help him record at least six rebounds tonight against the Hawks.
Leg 3: Kevin Huerter Over 11.5 Points
Kevin Huerter can easily score 12 points or more against the Celtics tonight. He’s scored at least 13 points in three of the last four games and is shooting a respectable 46.2% from the field this season for 11.6 PPG. He's one of the better long-range shooters in the NBA and has seen increased playing time since the Hawks sent Cam Reddish to the New York Knicks.
Leg 4: Trae Young Over 2.5 Three-pointers
This is another prop I’ve taken more than once in the past that continues to hit. Trae Young hits approximately three three-pointers per game but is averaging 7.7 three-point attempts per contest. He’s also shooting a career-high 37.8% from beyond the arc (9.4 FGM for 20.5 FGA this season). With his 34.5 MPG this season, Young should easily record three or more baskets from downtown tonight. He certainly will need to drain more than three if the Hawks have any ambitions of beating the Celtics on the road.
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Robert Williams of the Boston Celtics
The NBA regular season is back after what has felt like an eternity of an All-Star break. I’m rather uninterested in All-Star festivities and opted to watch the end of the Olympics, but I am glad that my man Obi Toppin won the dunk contest. Mostly, I’m happy that we have a seven-game slate tonight for the first time in a week (really has felt like a long time) as we move into the final stretch of the 2021-22 NBA regular season. The games featured on TNT’s national broadcast include the Boston Celtics at the Brooklyn Nets and a West Coast matchup between the Golden State Warriors and the Portland Trail Blazers.
Now let’s take a look at the top NBA wagers to make tonight.
Please note that all odds and lines are current as of 1:30 PM EST from FanDuel Sportsbook on Thursday, February 24.
Best Bets of the Night
Game: Memphis Grizzlies at Minnesota Timberwolves (-1.5)
The Grizzlies remain the team that covers spread more than any other NBA team, and by a fairly significant margin. Memphis is 40-20 against the spread this season. They also happen to be one of the hottest teams in the NBA. They are a highly explosive, young, and dynamic team that can devastate opponents. Karl-Anthony Towns just showed the world he can shoot the three and while the T-Wolves can create some issues for Memphis guards on defense, the Grizzlies should win by at least a bucket despite being on the road. In fact, the Grizzlies are even better against the spread when on the road. They are 22-8 as the away team against the spread and cover a league-high 73.3% of their road matchups. Ja Morant and Desmond Bane win the matchup against D’Angelo Russel and Patrick Beverley in the backcourt and Jaren Jackson Jr. is becoming one of the most versatile and explosive big men in the NBA. Both teams are very healthy, with Dillon Brooks being the only noteworthy player missing on both rosters at the moment. Bettors should back the red-hot Grizzlies until something changes.
Bet: Memphis Grizzlies -1.5
Game: Boston Celtics at Brooklyn Nets (+9)
The Eastern Conference battle schedule on TNT tonight between the Celtics and the Nets will be a fun one to watch. Well, not so much for Nets fans. Kevin Durant, Ben Simmons, and Kyrie Irving will all be sidelined for tonight’s home matchup against a divisional rival. In sharp contrast, the Celtics do not have a single injury in their entire rotation and are one of the hottest teams in the NBA right now. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum are in sync with one another while Robert Williams III continues to impress as a young big man in the NBA. Marcus Smart has been playing with defensive ferocity all season, while the recently acquired Derrick White is off to a good start in Celtic green after being traded from San Antonio. The Celtics should destroy the Nets and should cover the nine-point spread. After all, the Nets are 22-36-1 against the spread this season. They cover the spread less than any other team in the NBA (37.9%). Brooklyn is even worse at home with a 6-21-1 record ATS at Barclays. Meanwhile, Boston has the eighth-highest cover percentage (57.1%) on the road.
Still, the Nets have some offensive power in Cameron Thomas and Seth Curry who could easily drop 20 points respectively. Even if this game is a blowout and pure garbage time by the fourth quarter, the Nets’ bench is capable of scoring at least 100 points tonight against Boston’s 115. I see a score that high to be likely, especially when Brown and Tatum can combine for 40 points a half. This means that this game could also hit the over in total points set at 214.5. I think a 120-100 blowout is more likely than a 110-90 blowout for this particular game.
When these two teams met under similar circumstances earlier this month on Feb. 8, the Celtics covered the 9.5-point spread by defeating Brooklyn, 126-91. They also combined to hit the Over (214). Expect this game to play out in the same fashion.
Bet 1: Boston Celtics -9
Bet 2: Over 214.5 Total Points
Game: Phoenix Suns at Oklahoma City Thunder (+10)
This is the riskiest bet of the night, but hopefully a profitable one. I’m taking OKC at home against the Phoenix Suns without Chris Paul for a +410 moneyline betting odds. Without Chris Paul, who is averaging a whopping 10.7 assists per game this season, the Suns will struggle to move the ball efficiently on the road. Especially in the first few games without CP3, Phoenix should struggle on offense and in transition.
What’s more is that the Suns will also be without their backup point guard, Cameron Payne, who is out of tonight's lineup due to lingering injury issues with his wrist. This leaves third-stringer Elfrid Payton and the recently acquired Aaron Holiday as the Suns’ best available point guards against the Thunder tonight. Holiday is expected to start but he’s more of a hybrid guard. Devin Booker may be manning the point more than usual, which may make it difficult for him to find easy paths to open shots when CP3 is the one bringing the ball up the court.
Finally, Shai Gildeous-Alexander is expected to make his triumphant return to OKC’s rotation after missing a month due to a right ankle sprain. Although the Thunder will be without Luguentz Dort, the return of SGA against the guardless Phoenix Suns should go a long way. CP3’s absence won’t just be missed on the offensive end of the floor. He probably would have spent a decent number of minutes guarding SGA. Now, the undermanned Suns will be out of rhythm on both ends of the court. The favorites to win this game remain the Suns, but OKC has a good chance to hand the Paul-less Suns their 11th loss of the season.
Bet: Oklahoma City Thunder Moneyline (+410)
Same Game Parlay of the Night
Game: Boston Celtics at Brooklyn Nets (+9)
I will stick away from the point props for Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum at the moment due to the potential for a blowout. Brown and Tatum are 50/50 in my book to each hit the Over or Under tonight in points scored. Instead, here are three other legs you can use in your parlays for tonight’s contest between Boston and Brooklyn.
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Leg 1: Al Horford Over 8.5 Points
Al Horford continues to shoot well from the field playing less than 30 MPG this season. Over his last 10 games, he’s played at least 20 MPG and shot 50.7% from the field. He scored a minimum of nine points in five of the contests through this stretch. Finally, he is coming off a 19-point (8-10 FG) effort in 34 minutes against the Detroit Pistons in the Celtics’ last game before the All-Star break. Especially if the Celtics steamroll the Nets, Horford could see more than 30 minutes of playing time and perhaps score in double-figures. He’s averaged an exact 8.5 PPG against the Nets this season.
Leg 2: Robert Williams III Over 10.5 Rebounds
Robert Williams is quickly becoming one of the dominant big men in the Eastern Conference. The Boston Celtics have been on this hot stretch in large part because of Williams' power as a rebounder in the post. In four of his last five games, Williams has recorded at least 11 rebounds. He’s combined for 30 rebounds in his last two games (16 boards on Feb. 11 and 14 boards on Feb. 13). He should be a lock for 11+ boards against the undermanned Brooklyn Nets.
Leg 3: Seth Curry Over 15.5 Points
Especially without Ben Simmons and Kyrie Irving, Seth Curry should see 30+ minutes of action in at least the first three quarters against the Celtics. If the Celtics start to blow Brooklyn out of the water before the end of the third quarter, Curry's night might end without any additional minutes in the fourth. Even if that is the case, Seth should have a good chance of scoring 16 points tonight. The Nets are very limited at the guard position right now, which means Curry should have the green light from Steve Nash to shoot at will.
FantasySP is developing betting tools to provide users with something nobody else in the industry can offer. Upgrade to an Edge+ account today and get 50% off your first year at just $99.99 for the year. After a year, the price is going to increase to $199. Lock in your special early-bird deal today using the promo code: earlybird.
