RADIO
There has to be some type of rebound from yesterday's contests with nine games Wednesday. The Warriors close win over the Bucks semi-salvaged what was an otherwise boring night of blowouts across the slate, not to mention five teams are playing on the second night of a back-to-back. The way things have been going, unpredictability has been the only predictable thing about the NBA.
Many players are starting to consider the post-season and there are even less certainties than usual. Players are going to take their time coming back from injuries, especially if their teams are considering the playoffs, so waiting to take some of these bets could hurt you just as much as it helps. Stay updated as best you can before making any serious decisions.
MonkeyKnifeFight.com continues to be 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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NYK @ BOS
Jayson Tatum (BOS) LESS 25.5 Points - Julius Randle (NYK) LESS 21.5 Points
Jayson Tatum has been playing much better lately compared to much earlier in the season, but against some of the tougher defenses he still has more mediocre scoring nights. The Knicks defense ranks third in defensive rating over the past eight games, so with how the Celtics offense is built, Jaylen Brown, and Kemba Walker will need to contribute early to keep the game close. Tatum will score at some point, but if he's not the top scorer then he most likely won't get the attempts to hit 26 points tonight.
Julius Randle pretty much has his work cut out for him every night. The Celtics frontcourt upgraded by giving Robert Williams more minutes, but Randle has the entire Knicks roster at his disposal. His usage is pretty much unmatched and every game that isn't against the Nuggets, Heat, or Hornets is a game riddled with upside. His fantasy points over/under is much safer, but his scoring still shouldn't be limited.
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DAL @ HOU
Luka Doncic (DAL) MORE 29.5 Points - Christian Wood (HOU) MORE 21.5
The Mavericks are seeking their sixth straight win and Kristaps Porzingis availability is a significant factor in Luka Doncic' production. Doncic is determined to score 20 points every night, so that much is certain even if Porzingis plays, and against this frontcourt there isn't much resistance that will be able to keep either in check.
Christian Wood is the only facilitator in Houston's frontcourt, meaning his hands will be full on the defensive end and will get singled-out whenever he gets the ball on offense. It only makes sense he hits contested three after contested three and has a career night...that or he shoots 3-for-22 from the field. Either way, the Mavericks defense is good, but individually, Wood is not your typical big that can just get shut down by someone like Maxi Kleber and good positioning.
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CHA @ OKC
Terry Rozier (CHA) MORE 24.5 Points - Theo Maledon (OKC) MORE 13.5
The Hornets have held one of the slower paces in the league lately and Terry Rozier hasn't entirely been the focal point of their offense. He has still managed to keep his scoring up, but after losing LaMelo Ball to injury, it's hard to say he has been out-performing expectations with all the extra usage going around. The key factor here is the Thunder defense being generally terrible and the Hornets having more than a few players that can and will score over 25 points in the same game.
Consider this a trap bet and there isn't much you can say about Theo Maledon to make anyone feel safe about betting the over. He's getting minutes during blowouts and it's tough to take the under when he is getting those minutes without hesitation. He had a career night in a 30-point loss, so all his stats are inflated at the very least.
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UTA @ PHX
Devin Booker (PHO) MORE 26.5 Points - Donovan Mitchell (UTA) LESS 26.5
On paper, this is the best game of the night. Potential playoff matchup and two of the best teams currently playing. Defense won't be lacking and even if it is, both offenses have been fun to watch all season and won't fall short of expectations. For both of these players, the matchups and weaknesses lineup perfectly. Utah struggles to keep up with guards and Devin Booker is better than the usual guard.
On the other side, the Suns frontcourt is their weakest spot on defense and Mitchell thrives when he is able to get to the rim. Even if these two players weren't suggested to be the top scoring, you'd have no problem finding a few other Jazz and Suns players that are due to have a big game against a quality opponent.
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