RADIO
Even though it was just one day, a break is a break. The NBA scheduling is far from perfect and with basketball being a very unpredictable sport, things like ankle sprains and bone bruises happen fairly regularly. Although they aren't major, not getting the proper rehabilitation for those small problems can cause issues down the line and end up leading to worse injuries. For example, Klay Thompson is taking the longer, smarter route back to playing after suffering both ACL and Achilles injuries, whereas for Evan Mobley and his elbow, he's coming back weeks ahead of schedule. Ultimately, the player has final say.
Granted the Cavaliers need whatever help they can throw out on the floor to help Darius Garland and Ricky Rubio, but they aren't the only team that needs a healthy roster to win games. The Lakers are borderline one of those teams, seeing how Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook are 4-7 without LeBron James. It's especially bad when none of those four wins were over contending teams. One day won't mend broken bones, but the day-off may be the reset some players needed.
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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DET @ LAC
Paul George (LAC) MORE 26.5 Points - Jerami Grant (DET) MORE 19.5 Points
This might not be the textbook definition of what a "trap game" is, but this is absolutely a trap...game. The Clippers should win, are predicted to win and have the better team on paper, but that ultimately doesn't mean anything if you can't hit shots. Not like the Pistons are notorious for making teams pay for missing, but neither the Clippers or Pistons are really all that good at the moment, and neither team's rotation is all that intimidating. Luke Garza versus Ivica Zubac, Jerami Grant versus Marcus Morris, and Reggie Jackson versus Cade Cunningham won't be attracting a ton of viewership, but that's exactly what makes this an interestingly good wager.
Defenses can't account for Paul George no matter who they decide to put on him, and when Jerami Grant has any success shooting, he tends to have high-scoring nights. Looking directly at the defense of Marcus Morris and Saddiq Bey, the two who should be tasked with guarding Grant and George, individually, neither has the skill-set to stop dynamic scorers when they are in the zone.
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PHX @ NYK
Devin Booker (PHX) MORE 22.5 Points - Julius Randle (NYK) MORE 19.5 Points
The Knicks might have a strong defensive structure, but that doesn't mean they automatically stop threats like Devin Booker or Chris Paul. The contrasting paces of this game will most likely favor the slower pace the Knicks, but that isn't exactly a good thing when it just means Booker and Paul get more usage in the half-court offense. Regardless, if this game stays slow or speeds up, both Booker and Randle are the focal point of their respective offenses.
Julius Randle is the big question mark here, but he's been scoring more this week than he has all season, so there's reason to ride the hot hand, especially against a team that is near the top of the league in pace. No matter what direction this game goes, it favors consistent offensive threats like Randle, Booker, Paul, and Kemba Walker.
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MIN @ CHA
Karl-Anthony Towns (MIN) MORE 23.5 Points - LaMelo Ball (CHA) MORE 20.5 Points
With the Hornets frontcourt defense still struggling, it's ideal for Karl-Anthony Towns to have a rebound game against them. The Timberwolves have been able to rely on Anthony Edwards and D'Angelo Russell for some offense, but without Towns, it's not sustainable. This being the first night of a back-to-back, Minnesota cannot afford to "save" their players for next game situations, especially when they aren't likely to win either game. Towns is averaging just under 23 points so this wager assumes he has a decent game, which should be the case against Mason Plumlee.
In the two games LaMelo Ball played against the Timberwolves last season, he scored 19 points in a blowout victory and 20 points in a six-point win. He can score on this defense and at the very least, he produces, and that was before his significantly more inspiring play this year. Until he really shows he hit a rough patch or the Hornets decide they want to lose games and stop giving Ball...the ball, you must bet on...the Ball.
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ATL @ MEM
Trae Young (ATL) MORE 24.5 Points - Ja Morant (MEM) MORE 23.5 Points
Trae Young has a injury tag and needs to be monitored, but there's also a balance between the Hawks being on a six-game win streak and wanting their best player healthy. Even though this another chance for an easy win and to extend their win streak to seven, this is the first game of a back-to-back against an out-of-conference opponent, the night before they play a team that could impact their playoff seeding. A win versus the Knicks is more important than a win versus the Grizzlies and it could affect Young's availability.
On the other hand, Ja Morant is a safe bet against this backcourt. It won't just come in the form of points and he's likely to get the other guards involved simply be being too good for the Hawks backcourt to stop. If you are relying on your center and frontcourt pieces to stop opposing guards from getting to the rim, you can only hope that player, in this case Morant, isn't able to shoot that night.
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