1-2 yesterday in the NBA, with another Wizards game shockingly falling under the total and another underwhelming performance by the Rockets, who left us with a wager not knowing they’d be without John Wall. Ya hate to see it. Onto Tuesday!
Nets -6.5 (-110), 1.5 units: The Pistons may be in full tank-mode, or at least on the precipice, after announcing the trade of Derrick Rose to the Knicks. Detroit was in a supreme spot the other night against LAL and played admirably, but that might be the final wind in their proverbial sails. The Pistons are just a bad team right now. They have the lowest field goal percentage in the NBA and they’re in the bottom third in the association in points allowed and point differential. The Nets are in a good spot after losing 2 straight, so they should be plenty motivated. Even with Durant sidelined (and possibly Kyrie, who’s nursing a hurt finger), I expect a Harden-led outfit to completely dismantle the aimless Pistons tonight.
Lean: Rockets +6 (-110): I’m back on the Rockets, again? Yup. The Pelicans have played really well lately but when the Rockets are ALL present on the court, which seems to be a fleeting scenario lately, they’re a dangerous team. Assuming John Wall and Eric Gordon and Victor Oladipo play tonight, the Rockets should not be this much of an underdog. The injury to Christian Wood isn’t ideal, but Houston has more than enough firepower on offense and solid defenders to keep up with or defeat New Orleans. I lean only because Houston has forsaken me a few times recently, so I proceed with caution.
Warriors win (-105), 1 unit: Well we watched, we observed, and as usual Draymond Green makes another dumb move (and one of the worst shots you’ll ever see) and the Warriors lose a close game last night in San Antonio. Any team is tough to beat 2 nights in a row. A team with a motivated Steph Curry is really tough. The Spurs are obviously a solid outfit, but losses like last night tend to awaken well-coached teams like the Warriors. It’s also a low-key Western Conference rivalry, so there’s plenty to get energized for. I like Golden State to make fewer mistakes and pull away tonight.
Jazz -5.5 (-110), 1.5 units (Lean: under 220): Stepping in front of the Jazz right now is a scary proposition. Even when they’re tested against a good team like Indiana 2 days ago, the Jazz have a way of grinding down their opponent on both sides of the ball. The Jazz are second only to the Bucks in point differential, displaying a top 7 offense and a top 3 defense. The Celtics will present a challenge tonight, but Boston is on their 5th straight road game in just 7 days. Jaylen Brown could return, it’s unclear right now (seems like everything is unclear until right before game-time in the NBA these days). Brown is having a career year at over 26 ppg, so he certainly makes a dent. Regardless, Utah is returning home after a long road trip and they’ll have 3 days after this game to prepare to face Milwaukee, who’s on deck in a big Friday night matchup. I expect the Jazz to take care of business before a sweet break and big-time showdown.
Magic +6 (-110), 1 unit: The Trailblazers are on a nice little tear right now, but they should not be favored by 6 points tonight. Professional sports bettors say it all the time– play the number, not the teams. I know, I know– Portland has turned things around, seemingly, and the Magic have gotten ice cold after a very hot start. Injuries continue to plague Orlando, too, with key players like Fultz and Gordon and others still out for this game. I still like this spot, though. Portland is coming off a 6-game road trip and now they’re back at home, comfy and feeling sassy, before a big game against the 76ers in 2 days. In other words, this is a very plausible let-down spot. I expect Orlando to play with pride and more motivation than the Blazers, so I’ll take the points.
