Well I feel abused. Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen were late scratches yesterday, giving the Cavs little chance to overcome a Minnesota team in need of a win. And our DEN/CHI total lost by one point….
Onto Monday!
Hornets (+105), to win 1.05 units
Hornets/Magic over 224 (-110), to win 1 unit
LaMelo Ball returned against the Heat and made an immediate impact, but Miami was just too much. An 8-game losing streak isn’t something to bat an eye at but LaMelo’s return is a significant uptick in team-chemistry for a Hornets team that had little rhythm to speak of. The ball movement and explosiveness of their offense improved as soon as he got on the floor, although as usual he took way too many threes and only made one (1/9, to be exact). Charlotte as a whole took way too many 3s and only shot 29% overall, that should change tonight. I think the Hornets finally get a W. The Magic are playing better as a team, posting a top-10 offensive rating in their last three contests. Like the over, too.
Thunder +12 (-110), to win 1.5 units
The Thunder are playing good basketball right now and we can’t turn our heads at this massive of a line. Josh Giddey is making a difference game to game, cleaning up on boards and contributing 5-10 assists per game since his return. I just really like the ball movement and chemistry of OKC, a team that doesn’t seem to care about tanking for Victor W or any other big signing. The Celtics are playing near-perfect basketball right now, but this is also a really sleepy, weird spot for Boston at home, sandwiched between some important road games ahead (Atlanta, New Orleans, Chicago). Thunder cover.
Play on Giannis PAR over anything at 50 or less, if available:
The Bucks are injured as hell but they’ll want to win against the hawks in a revenge game at home. Atlanta handed them their first loss. As long as Giannis plays, look for a dominant performance. This is not an official play, just a recommendation.
Spurs/Warriors over 232.5 (-110), to win 1 unit
Golden State games just feel very predictable (jinx alert) from a totals perspective right now. They’re running at a fast pace, and even faster at home, and their defense still hasn’t caught up yet. The Spurs facilitate the ball really well and run at a tempo equivalent to the Warriors’ average this season (102+ possessions per game) when they’re on the road. San Antonio is also one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the NBA right now, shooting around 38%. This feels like a fast-paced, fun game between two good perimeter shooting teams in a game where the Warriors should win and should keep the pace high.
