RADIO
Eleven games on Wednesday following up Tuesday's double-header is the exact chaser we need. Not to say Tuesday was a bad night of basketball but...MORE PLEASE. AND KEEP THEM COMING. Seeing how this is the first week of basketball, the variables are going to be all over the place and any current projections are bound to be wild.
Wednesday is stacked with potential, so feel free to go to the NBA Chat Room to ask about specific games and bets, but these are the four best options for tonight. Some of these wagers are based on fantasy points, so make sure you are understanding where you place your money.
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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IND @ CHA
Domantas Sabonis (IND) MORE 46.5 Fantasy Points - LaMelo Ball (CHA) MORE 36.5 Points
You'll have to scroll to the fantasy point section of this game to find this bet, but this is much safer than wagering on Terry Rozier's scoring consistency, especially to start off the season. Rozier has proven himself to be a scorer, but add in an injury tag and everything points towards productivity favoring LaMelo Ball. The Pacers defense has sustainability from their frontcourt, but they lack the size to defend the length of Ball. If he has a good shooting night, the over is going to be crushed.
Similarly, the Hornets frontcourt has gone consecutive seasons proving to be susceptible to letting up points to opposing bigs. Domantas Sabonis usually starts off the season strong and fades, and seeing how well he was distributing the ball last season...and his stats, it makes sense that he'll likely repeat what he's done multiple seasons in a row. There is a little doubt seeing how this is the first game of the season, but playing against Charlotte, even in Charlotte, provides him a fairly easy season debut.
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PHI @ NOP
Joel Embiid (PHI) MORE 27.5 Points - Brandon Ingram (NOP) MORE 23.5 Points
There isn't much that needs to be said here other than, "no Ben Simmons..." and aside from a potential angry email from my editor, I would leave it as is. The Pelicans are going to be missing Zion Williamson for a few more weeks and Jonas Valanciunas isn't really the Joel Embiid-stopper that is needed here. Embiid might not have the highest usage tonight, but he is going to get his chances if Tobias Harris and Seth Curry aren't hitting and facilitating like they usually do. However, if the Pelicans do step up on defense and the 76ers need any help, Embiid has a clear pathway playing against anyone in this frontcourt.
Luckily for the Brandon Ingram, the injuries surrounding both teams benefit him and almost maximize his upside. He won't have to deal with Simmons on defense, and although he won't have Williamson as that security blanket on offense, it just means more shots for him. Ingram thrives in the, "If I have to be the one to shoot, I guess I'll shoot" role, and with Devonte' Graham and Valanciunas as wingmen, he's already on pace to put up 25-30 attempts.
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HOU @ MIIN
Karl-Anthony Towns (MIN) MORE 24.5 Points - Christian Wood (HOU) MORE 20.5 Points
Let's address the biggest concern here, Christian Wood getting the chance to score now that the Rockets have established their new young backcourt. But that's the thing, the young core is going to have no choice but to utilize one of the few frontcourt pieces they have. Wood knows how to bump around in the paint to get open for easy attempts around the rim, and the sooner Jalen Green learns to play alongside Wood and Kevin Porter Jr. the more we are going to see from both the rookie guard and the ever-improving Christian Wood.
For the Timberwolves and Karl-Anthony Towns, nothing has really changed. He'll be needed all over the court, and if you feel this wager works better with fantasy points rather than actual points, Towns current line is 47.5 Fantasy Points, whereas Wood is sitting at 36.5 Fantasy Points. Towns puts up big numbers, but against this Rockets team who seems to genuinely enjoy rebounding and boxing out, it's hard to see him doing anything but scoring and blocking a few shots.
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SAC @ POR
Damian Lillard (POR) MORE 44.5 Fantasy Points - De'Aaron Fox (SAC) MORE 42.5 Fantasy Points
Another one you'll have to scroll for, but absolutely worth it. Both of these players established themselves to be multi-dimensional sources of production consistently, and now they are playing each other and their respective team's porous defense. If either of these players have even a decent shooting night, all they have to do is hope some of their teammates can convert of few of their passes to assists.
As long as both of these specific players are healthy, Damian Lillard and De'Aaron Fox both benefit from more usage and more shots. The fewer options available this game the better, but seeing how both teams are relatively healthy, we can still assume the fact that both will still struggle to defend in the paint like they did near the end of last season, allowing Fox and Lillard to work from the inside out.
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