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Tuesday was full of exciting games and Wednesday is lined up to have a similar outcome. With nine games on the slate, the playoff picture becomes more solidified with every game. Multiple teams have already clinched playoff berths and we still have plenty of teams fighting for the last few spots. While teams like the Celtics, Spurs, and Grizzlies will need to win-out their last stretch of games, do your best to stay away from teams that are just going through the end-of-the-season motions.
This only applies to teams who either won't make the playoffs or have already clinched, so some of these teams have no reason to play their starters full workloads. It's easy to avoid these games, but we still want to make the most of the opportunities presented so some difficult choices will need to be made.
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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BOS @ ORL
Jayson Tatum (BOS) MORE 29.5 Points - Cole Anthony (ORL) LESS 17.5 Points
The Celtics need Jayson Tatum to show up this game and facing the Magic is an ideal opportunity or him to carry the offense once again. 30-point games have been his calling card as of late and the biggest concern here is whether or not Orlando will be able to keep this game close so Tatum can pass his projected. Luckily for us, the rest of the Boston's rotation has needed every bit of Tatum's effort to win games, so even going up against a fairly weak opponent doesn't mean the Celtics will cruise to a victory.
Looking at the Magic, however, there is no consistency. Cole Anthony was doing his fair share of scoring and carved out a nice role for him to succeed, but production has not followed his increasing usage rate. In his last 10 games, Orlando's matchup with the Pistons lead to Anthony only getting 21 minutes. With that, it's hard to be sold on him hitting the over. Even then, Anthony struggles to score more than 15-points on a nightly basis. If last game is any indication, then taking the under seems too good to be true.
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WAS @ MIL
Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) MORE 32.5 Points - Bradley Beal (WAS) MORE 28.5
In Giannis Antetokounmpo's last two games, he had usage rates above 40%, hitting a season-high of 46% in his second matchup with the Nets. Despite only hitting those numbers four times all season, the Bucks haven't taken their foot off the pedal just yet. The Wizards don't look like a threatening team on paper, but they have one of the most volatile offenses in the league. Any team that can keep games close without defense leads to maximum upside for everyone involved.
Bradley Beal will, once again, have to go above and beyond for his team, but with Russell Westbrook playing as well as he is, it's not going to be hard for Beal to have proper spacing against a quality defense. Washington is on the outside of the playoffs looking in, but they still have a slight chance of making the post-season with how close 8th, 9th, and 10th are in the Eastern Conference. It's hard to assume someone is due for a 30-point game, but with how good the Bucks defense is, Beal and Westbrook are going to be forced into doing everything for the Wizards Wednesday night.
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NYK @ DEN
Nikola Jokic (DEN) LESS 24.5 Points - Julius Randle (NYK) LESS 24.5
With Denver clinching another playoff berth and the Knicks on the cusp of entering the post-season for the first time in a few years, the hype around this game will be short-lived. Julius Randle and Nikola Jokic continue to be the backbone for their respective teams, but they have also shown a knack for sacrificing their own production for the sake of teammates.
Since New York's defense dictates the pace of nearly every game they are involved in, it's hard to see anyone outside of Randle or Derrick Rose having a high-scoring game. Jokic already has a probable tag and there is no real reason for Denver to risk injury for their best player. Since the Knicks, technically, still need to clinch, they will continue to look for Randle, Rose, and Elfrid Payton for production until it stops working. New York doesn't have an excess of options on offense so outside of Randle and Rose, they will rely on whoever is shooting well that night.
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