Philadelphia 76ers (-270)
We get our first look at the Philadelphia 76ers tonight, and we get them at a bit of a discount. While there are a plethora of variables that need to be taken into account here, the most important is that talent simply wins in the NBA. Philadelphia currently ranks 16th in the NBA in net offensive and defensive rating (-0.1) on the season, but that doesn’t account for bringing in Jimmy Butler, who is one of the best players in the league. They get a plus matchup against the Orlando Magic, who rank only 23rd in the league in net off and def rating (-4.8). The Magic have quietly won four of their last six games, but outside of a win against the San Antonio Spurs, it has been against low-level competition. The Sixers will likely look to make a statement in this game, making it easy for us to attack Orlando once again.
Bet 3 units on Philadelphia -6.5 spread to win 2.7 units (-110)
Utah Jazz (-195)
As I have mentioned before, I believe a healthy Utah Jazz team is one of the better teams in the West. They currently rank 10th in the NBA in net off and def rating (1.9), while catching fire recently. Since Donovan Mitchell has returned to the lineup, Utah is 3-0, while outscoring their opponents by an average of 10.3 points. Each of their last two games have come against the Memphis Grizzlies and Boston Celtics, who both feature positive net off and def ratings on the season. The Dallas Mavericks have not been as good, ranking 21st in the league in net off and def rating (-2.3), although they have dealt with some injuries. Overall, Utah features a 2-0 record against Dallas this season, winning those two games by a total of 24 points. Both teams feature relatively healthy lineups tonight, and Utah should have very few problems picking up their third win against Dallas on the season tonight.
Bet 3 units on Utah -5 spread to win 2.7 units (-110)
New Orleans Pelicans (+100)/Minnesota Timberwolves (-120)
It’s difficult to get behind such a high total with the two teams involved in this game tonight. The New Orleans Pelicans and Minnesota Timberwolves have been pushing the pace this season, but they still only rank fourth and ninth in the NBA in pace, respectively. The two teams are combining to average 229.5 points per game, while combining to allow 233.9 points per game. Both teams are dealing with injuries, as Nikola Mirotic, Jeff Teague, Andrew Wiggins, and Elfrid Payton are all questionable tonight. Most importantly, Robert Covington and Dario Saric are expected to make their Minnesota debuts tonight. Covington is the key here, as he’s a defensive-minded player that will be a massive upgrade defensively over Jimmy Butler, who simply wasn’t playing while on the court. This trade should help solidify Minnesota’s defense a bit more, and this total is a bit too high to not take advantage of.
Bet 2 units on New Orleans/Minnesota UNDER 236.5 to win 1.8 units (-110)
Parlay Bet
Parlay 2 units on Philadelphia ML, Brooklyn ML, and Utah ML to win 6.7 units (+336)
