RADIO
Eight of Friday’s 11 games are posted on Monkey Knife Fight as of right now, with only a couple of tonight’s higher scoring games being listed. We’re still waiting on Indiana – Utah and New Orleans - San Antonio has been posted since this article started being written, so luckily, we are getting decent options this early in the day.
Khris Middleton is listed as probably for tonight’s matchup versus the Lakers and Los Angeles’ starting lineup is an ideal lineup to face in a “return to action” scenario. Outside of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, Middleton won’t see much resistance or pressure on either side of the ball so it should be a moderate-to-low workload at best for Middleton and he shouldn’t pull from any of Antetkounmpo’s potential stats.
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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CHI @ GSW
Steph Curry (GSW) MORE 28.5 Points – DeMar DeRozan (CHI) MORE 26.5 Points
Starting with what should be the highest scoring game of the night, both Steph Curry and DeMar DeRozan have been putting up serious points every game. Curry is still maintaining a 30 PPG average and although he’s made us accustomed to 40+ point games, he’s hit 30 in two of his last four contests and that’s all we need.
DeRozan hasn’t scored under 26-points since November 13th and playing the Warriors is the one game on the schedule where every player knows they’ll get the opportunity to shoot. DeRozan might not be the most demanding shooter, but he is a demanding playmaker and against the Warriors defense, those are the types of players that excel.
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DEN @ ATL
Nikola Jokic (DEN) MORE 24.5 Points – Trae Young (ATL) MORE 28.5 Points
There is no real consistency to Nikola Jokic’ scoring. The same team he easily put up 32-points against, he put up a 17-point, 12-assist stat line. Not bad, but not a winning bet on Monkey Knife Fight. Many bettors could have seen this coming watching the first game, but without seeing how easily the Nuggets won, you can see why Jokic random scoring output can be frustrating when it seems like he should have good games. Sadly, as much as people want to see basketball as a numbers game, it’s the people that create the numbers and Jokic has always been team-first. The best thing you can do is play the over in matchups like these, where the Nuggets should need more than just a helping hand from their star player.
For Trae Young, the Hawks rely on his output every step of the way. Over the last week he’s averaging 28 PPG on an average of 20 shots per game. If you told me that there was a bet for Trae Young to score just under 30-points and he was averaging what he is now in terms of shot attempts, you’d have to convince me not to put money down.
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LAL @ MIL
Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) MORE 31.5 Points – LeBron James (LAL) MORE 26.5 Points
Giannis Antetokounmpo has scored at least 30-points in his last five games and the Lakers aren’t really a team that has the facilities to limit that type of domination. They do have LeBron James and Anthony Davis to soften the blow, but defensively they are without a paddle and Antetokounmpo is controlling the current.
It’s never wise to bet against LeBron James unless you are betting against the Lakers. James will score every game, but he values his health and knows when it’s just not his team’s night. Too many times has James had a monster first half, only to let it fall by the wayside because the rest of the team couldn’t keep the game competitive. If it hasn’t happened to you, this doesn’t count as a jinx.
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NOP @ SAS
Zion Williamson (NOP) MORE 25.5 Points – Keldon Johnson (SAS) MORE 22.5 Points
With no Brandon Ingram, Zion Williamson has no ceiling. He’s going to put up at least 25-points against the Spurs defense and most of those points will come around the rim. When Williamson is healthy there are few, if any, players that carry more momentum in their physical presence. Stopping him takes more than just muscle. It takes the mental fortitude to know that you are fighting a losing battle and your only option is to cop-out by taking charges. That or get dunked on nine times out of ten in hopes of maybe getting a block against the league’s strongest player.
Now I have to follow that up by talking about Keldon Johnson. With the Spurs healthy, there’s no reason to assume one player will have a good game. That’s not how the system works, and although Johnson is the tip of the iceberg, there’s a reason why we’re calling the Spurs system an iceberg. The tip is the smallest part and if Johnson isn’t hitting, they aren’t going to force it. Johnson himself will gladly and happily pass up shots to whoever is hitting and, in this case, with the Spurs 1-14 over their last 15 games, Devin Vassell remains the go-to guy. Johnson will score, but despite how people see him, he’s not the focal point of the offense anymore.
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