RADIO
It’s a wonderful Monday with basketball starting early. There are 12 games on the slate and the first game between the Celtics and Pelicans starts at 12:30EST. Any game that showcases Brandon Ingram, Jaylen Brown, and Jayson Tatum is going to provide plenty of entertainment and the last time one of these players scored under 25 points in this matchup was back in January of 2020, where Brown only scored 20 points on 16 shots.
The following five afternoon-games and six night-games only feature one team on the second night of a back-to-back and since he Jazz beat the Nuggets handily, they should be ready for a game against the Lakers. Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert both played 35 minutes in Sunday’s contest, but with how the Lakers line up against Utah, players like Bojan Bogdanovic and Jordan Clarkson should be able to continue their hot shooting and pick up any slack.
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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BKN @ CLE
James Harden (BKN) MORE 26.5 Points – Darius Garland (CLE) MORE 21.5 Points
Kevin Durant being out with an injury leaves an unbearable weight to carry for any offense, but at least the Nets have Kyrie Irving for their next four games. James Harden is undoubtedly the one who is going to see the most usage and shot attempts until Durant returns, but facing the Cavaliers defense doesn’t mean anything comes easily. With how he has been playing recently, including the addition of Irving, there’s almost no way Harden can expect to score less than 30 points and Brooklyn actually win games.
Without Kevin Durant, the Nets defense is downright bad and Darius Garland should be looking forward to his matchup with whoever lines up across from him. If it’s Patty Mills or Kyrie Irving, it doesn’t really matter because neither player offers much resistance when it comes to defense. Garland is a 20-points-a-night type of player and the Cavaliers treat him that way. It might not be his nightly goal to score, but he’s playing so well that it’s instinctual at this point.
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MIL @ ATL
Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) MORE 30.5 Points – Trae Young (ATL) MORE 27.5 Points
The last time these teams played, Trae Young lit up the Bucks backcourt, including Jrue Holiday, for 42 points. It’s fair to say that as long as Young is playing, he’s going to take enough shot attempts to score 30 points. Honestly, it’s Trae Young so he’s likely going into every game thinking he’s dropping 50 points with 20 assists and eight blocks, especially against teams he’s previously dominated in the past.
In the last four matchups between the Bucks and Hawks, Giannis Antetokoumpo has only hit 31 points one time. It came last season, and in the first matchup between these teams this season, the Bucks didn’t have Khris Middleton and Clint Capela was healthy. Not that Onyeka Okongwu isn’t becoming an positive paint threat on both sides of the ball, but he’s probably going to get humbled when Antetokounmpo is going full speed down the lane for 60% of Milwaukee’s possessions tonight.
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TOR @ MIA
Fred VanVleet (TOR) MORE 22.5 Points – Jimmy Butler (MIA) MORE 21.5 Points
All it took for the Bucks to nearly lock down Fred VanVleet was to designate George Hill or Wesley Matthews to stick with him and force him to create. VanVleet couldn’t get a shot off and failed to get in position to make himself a threat. At this moment for the Raptors, Pascal Siakam is the one creating in the offense with actual consistency and VanVleet is only going to benefit in situations where teams are lacking backcourt defense, depth, and size. The Heat are the opposite of lacking backcourt defense and it’s going to be a game revolving around Siakam and Toronto’s wings.
Jimmy Butler will score and produce against any defense and the only thing that helped the Raptors beat the Heat previously was Kyle Lowry. Butler is safe, especially against Toronto’s defense and we all see where this is going. Lowry doesn’t give a ton of room on the defensive end, especially if he knows his matchup is capable of having big nights. VanVleet hasn’t been on the same scoring streak he was on, and lining up against a former teammate is likely to keep that downtrend going.
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OKC @ DAL
Luka Doncic (DAL) LESS 24.5 Points – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC) MORE 22.5 Points
The point threshold only being at 25 points for Luka Doncic is extremely low, but there’s more to unpack here than just, “he’s playing the Thunder.” Playing Oklahoma City gives him an overall boost, but with Luguentz Dort finally available, that boost could evaporate if Dort decides to focus even half his attention to shutting down the Mavericks’ best player. What’s even more unsettling is that Doncic has yet to score above 25 points against this team when the Thunder didn’t have Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Luguentz Dort playing.
The Mavericks defense isn’t their strong suit despite having quality defenders. Their inability to contribute consistently on both sides of the ball makes it possible for players like Gilgeous-Alexander to eventually overwhelm those defenders with his relentless drive and ability to space the offense, especially following a good game. Dallas’ frontcourt combo of Maxi Kleber and Kristaps Porzingis is better at blocking shots and closing out than they are at keeping opposing player out of the paint.
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