RADIO
With no NBA tomorrow, a 12-game slate is the perfect send-off after last night’s small ensemble of games. Out of all 24 teams playing, only the Nets, Kings, 76ers, and Pistons are on the second night of a back-to-back. Currently, Sacramento are the NBA’s hottest team and despite playing a tough game versus Memphis yesterday, their point total tonight is justifiably high. The Hawks are not an easy team to beat at home and with how quickly Trae Young can flip the momentum of a game at any given moment, they will out-play any team that doesn't capitalize on their mistakes.
Regardless, the pace of that game will be incredibly high since both offenses are charged by quick-thinking and quicker-moving point guards. Another high-scoring game to target would be Timberwolves-Pacers, especially with Minnesota giving a point and a half to Indiana, a capable team looking to extend their win-streak to six games.
MonkeyKnifeFight.com is always ahead of the curve with their canceling of contests amid postponements, so don't worry about wasting money on a player or game that might not play. As always, you can find me in the NBA Chat Room or @HalfCourtJester on Twitter with any questions, especially since lines and players are subject to change throughout the day.
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SAC @ ATL
Trae Young (ATL) MORE 28.5 Points – De’Aaron Fox (SAC) MORE 25.5 Points
When you are basing a wager on how many 30-point games a player has had this season, it’s safe to say you are betting on someone who is more than capable regardless of defense. Since the Kings won a close game last night against Memphis, letting up 34-points to star-guard Ja Morant, it’s safe to say Young gives off similar energy. Young has only hit 30+ in five of Atlanta’s 17 games and he’s yet to score in the 29-32-point range. He’s all or nothing with this bet, but the matchup is at least favorable with the projected pace.
The Hawks don’t provide the best matchup despite the entire world knowing Young’s defense is sub-par. Opposing guards going up directly against him usually have the advantage, but the Hawks have spent the last couple years not only finding ways to minimize his weakness ‘on paper,’ but the entire team has learned to adapt to playing with the flow of that weakness rather than against it. Dejounte Murray has changed the landscape of this team for the better and it starts with his defensive effort. Fox doesn’t struggle to score against anyone, but most players struggle to get the better of Murray for an entire game. Fox should get loose enough times to hit 25+ points but it won’t be easy and it won’t come on inefficient shooting.
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MIN @ IND
Anthony Edwards (MIN) MORE 23.5 Points – Tyrese Haliburton (IND) MORE 19.5 Points
Always ruining a good bet, Anthony Edwards at least has a solid matchup against the Pacers. His ceiling seems to be ever-increasing, but his floor remains so low because of his general inconsistency. Having games, especially losses where a star player only contributes 10-15 points is not what bettors look to just waste their money on. He should have a good game based on who he is lined up against, but that doesn’t mean much when Edwards can have one or two highlight plays and seemingly call it a day.
Tyrese Haliburton has been Indiana’s engine throughout the season and their current win-streak is a testament to how good they can be when the entire team is providing support. The Pacers spread the ball enough to where their foundation is the current hot-hand or whoever is able to create space and momentum combined with Haliburton’s consistency. Late in games, Haliburton is the primary playmaker and the one you want taking the shot so anytime his point-total is below 20-points, you take the over.
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DET @ UTA
Lauri Markkanen (UTA) MORE 21.5 Points – Bojan Bogdanovic (DET) MORE 20.5 Points
The Jazz have simmered down, but Lauri Markkanen is still putting up massive numbers. As long as he is playing this well, there’s no reason to buy into the under especially against this type of defense. The worry here shouldn’t be whether or not he scores enough points, but whether or not his teammates do too much scoring and take from his stats.
There’s nothing wrong with buying into revenge-game narratives. It’s always fun to see players perform well against former teams, but in a beside-the-point rant, it can also be extremely aggravating. In any case, Bojan Bogdanovic is the Pistons best shooter and continues to play the role of a veteran shooter on a team with 'young-and-scared shooters'. Bogdanovic is putting up 20-points or close to it on most nights, but he’s not invulnerable to bad games. Since the pace of this game should be fairly high, he should find a way to hit 20-points in his return to Utah.
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CHI @ MIL
Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) MORE 31.5 Points – DeMar DeRozan (CHI) MORE 25.5 Points
Truth be told, I wanted to use the Oklahoma City-Denver game but MonkeyKnifeFight hasn’t posted it since Denver’s lines aren’t available just yet. Since we don’t have the widest array of updated NBA cover photos, it’s really annoying to finish an article only to realize you don’t have a cover photo that works, so that's why I chose this game. Mainly for Giannis in case I can't find a cover photo. Really a first-world problem but still…Frustrating.
Giannis has taken a step-back in terms of point-production, but he scored 37-points last game so his game log is like looking at point-vomit. Take the over, the Bulls defense won’t stop him and the same can be said for DeMar DeRozan. The Bulls defense won’t stop him from scoring since he’ll likely have to take every shot to give them a fighting chance.
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