Well the Nets played their ass off last night, taking us to 1-1 instead of 2-0 overall on the night. They were particularly impressive on defense. If Brooklyn can play like that in the postseason (they won’t), they’ll be a real force. I knew I should have bet the Heat, too. Ah well. Let’s cruise to more wins tonight, shall we? Here are Friday’s picks!
Warriors -4 (-115), 2 units: Steph Curry is coming off a rare poor shooting performance from beyond the arc against the Heat, shooting only 25% from distance (5 out of 20). Meanwhile, the Magic got a rare win against the up and down Knicks. This feels like a fantastic spot for Steph to put on a show. The line is low, which gives me pause, but I can’t figure out a reason why I wouldn’t love the Warriors side tonight. It is the beginning of a 4-game road trip, but Golden State has been very consistent this year, no matter the situation. The Warriors are quietly playing fantastic defense, rated top 5 in the NBA in defensive efficiency. Contributions from Wiggins, Oubre Jr. and Bazemore have meant an improving and increasingly dangerous Warriors team on offense, too. Even if Draymond doesn’t play– he’s questionable today with a right ankle injury– I don’t think it’ll matter. The Warriors should be able to impose their will on Orlando tonight. I think they win by 10.
Grizzlies -4.5 (-110), 1.5 units: The Grizzlies are healthier than normal and considering how beat up they’ve been, that’s significant. I expect Memphis to look more consistent on the offensive side of the ball with Grayson Allen, Ja Morant and Jonas Valanciunas back in the rotation. Their performance against the Thunder 2 nights ago is a good indication of how solid they could look in the coming months. Hopefully they’re not looking over their shoulders as the surging Suns loom tomorrow night, but they are at home and this is a good matchup for them. The ultra-inconsistent Pistons are on the 2nd leg of a 5-game road stretch. Jerami Grant put on a stellar performance against Chicago 2 nights ago but Detroit still came up short. What will it take for the Pistons to compete and win again a team as well-balanced as Memphis? I think Ja Morant flexes tonight and the Grizzlies take care of business. If this was a 5 or 6 point line I may pause, but 4.5 seems light considering how a healthy Grizzlies team can perform. Bet on Memphis.
Bulls/76ers over 228.5 (-110), 1 unit: The legend of Zach LaVine is starting to grow. The Bulls’ young star is an explosive force on offense and Chicago’s clear leader. A city that’s fallen off the map since Jordan left, the Bulls are bordering on relevance again and it’s games like this where they take steps to get there. The 76ers have been struggling lately but they’ve been plagued by injuries and bad spots. This is a show-case Eastern Conference game on ESPN, a perfect setup for these teams to light up the scoreboard. Although Philadelphia has a top 10 defense, LaVine and the Bulls have been one of the highest scoring teams in the NBA, averaging nearly 115 ppg. They push the pace and can score in bunches. The Sixers are right there with the Bulls in output and they play better and they’re far more effective scoring at home. LaVine will look to prove that he’s a superstar, Ben Simmons is probable after a bout with the stomach flu, and Joel Embiid is due for a breakout game. This over should easily hit. If it starts slow, look to live bet the over as the line drops.
Bucks -10.5 (-110), 1 unit: This is a good spot for the Bucks to get back in the win column and do so with authority. There’s a ridiculous stat out there about Milwaukee at home after a loss. Apologies for not having the exact information here in front of me but, in short, they usually blow teams out in games at those scenarios, regardless of the opponent. They didn’t live up to that record after that ass-kicking last night by Toronto but we saw that one coming. The Thunder don’t have the firepower or defense to slow down Milwaukee like the Raptors did. I love this spot for a big Bucks win. I’ll only go 1 unit because they’ve been such a tough watch these days. Take care of business, Giannis!
Clippers +5 (-110), 1 unit: Maybe I’m an idiot (probably) for not taking the Jazz. They’re on an insane ATS run right now and I should probably just jump on the bandwagon and fatten up my wallet. The thing is– this is a premiere spot for the Clippers. Everything I read tells me LAC is putting all-hands on deck for this matchup. Paul George and Kawhi Leonard have been upgraded to questionable, usually a sign that they’ll play. Two nights ago the Jazz clobbered the Clippers, albeit without George and Leonard, but now here’s a chance for LAC to redeem themselves with their stars back, at home, in an ideal revenge spot. These are the situations bettors dream of. I gotta take LAC. God help me.
