Monday means a new week and a new best bets and previews from our daily NBA selections.
The Los Angeles Lakers take the court without LeBron James, while a host of playoff bound teams are set to do battle in what looks to be another day and brilliant week of NBA.
indiana @ miami
march 22nd 4:00am
The second of back to back games between the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers takes place at the American Airlines Centre on Monday morning.
It was the Pacers who produced an offensive masterclass in a 137-110 victory over the Heat to record its 18th win of the season from 40 matches.
After a slow start to the season, the Miami Heat has managed to find itself sitting in the positive ledger with a 22-20 record despite the loss to the Pacers on Saturday.
Malcolm Brodgon proved a handful for the Heat defence.
Brodgon managed 27 points to go with four assists and three rebounds in the 27-point belting but it was the team effort coach Nate Bjorkgren would be proud of.
The Pacers smashed the Heat on the boards to record 15 more rebounds than their opponents on Saturday and shared the ball around for 38 assists compared to that of 22 to Miami.
Miami was horrendous from three point range in the loss.
It would only manage to go at 26.5% from beyond the arc while the Pacers were vicious and nailed 55% of their shots from three point territory.
Suggested Bet: Indian Pacers to cover the +4.5 line at $1.87
Suggested Same Game Multi:
Leg 1: Indiana Pacers to cover the +4.5 point spread
Leg 2: J. Butler to score over 21.5 points
Leg 3: M. Brodgan to score over 17.5 points
Combined odds = $4.5
new orleans @ denver
22nd march 6:00am
Two of the NBA’s hottest prospects in the form of Zion Williamson and Nikola Jokic duel for the first time this season.
‘Home sweet home’ is something the Nuggets can attest to having won three games in a row with all those being in Denver.
Meanwhile, the Pelicans began its road trip with consecutive losses in Portland to the Trailblazers as it slumped to a 17-24 record which includes a miserable 5-14 record away from home.
Denver rallied to down Chicago 131-127 in overtime at home Friday night in its most recent contest.
In the all-time regular-season series between the teams, the Nuggets own a 34-27 advantage, including a 113-106 road win in the most recent meeting on January 24, 2020.
We are going to bear witness to the fourth best and sixth best offence in the league to date with the Nuggets averaging exactly 116 points per game compared to the 115.4 points per game tallied up by the Pelicans thus far this season.
Suggested Bet: Denver Nuggets to cover -5.5 point spread at $1.90
Suggested Same Game Multi:
Leg 1: Denver Nuggets to cover the -6.5 point spread
Leg 2: N Jokic over 24.5 points
Leg 3: N Jokic over 6.5 assists
Leg 4: N Jokic over 7.5 rebounds
Leg 5: Total points scored over 230.5
Combined odds = $6.5
washington @ brooklyn
march 22nd 10:00am
The Washington Wizards hit the road on its way to the Barclays Center on Sunday evening for a battle with the Brooklyn Nets.
The Nets are fighting for the top spot in the Eastern Conference standings.
Brooklyn sits a half-game back of the Philadelphia 76ers for the No. 1 spot after going 28-14 in its first 42 games.
Brooklyn snapped a six-game winning streak with an ugly loss on the road in Orlando on Friday.
Meanwhile, Washington sits in 12th place in the East with a 15-25 overall record through 40 games.
Washington snapped a five-game skid with a 131-122 victory over the high flying Utah Jazz on Thursday evening.
Bradley Beal scored 43 points and Russell Westbrook finished with 35 points, 15 rebounds, and 13 assists for the Wizards, who shot only 17 3-pointers (7-for-17) in the win.
Brooklyn was unable to keep its winning streak alive on Friday night, falling short on the road against the Magic 121-113 despite 43 points from Kyrie Irving.
James Harden finished with 19 points and nine assists while Joe Harris chipped in 16 points for the Nets, who shot just 10-for-37 from 3-point range in the loss.
Suggested Bet: Washington Wizards to cover the +8.5 point spread at $1.91
Suggested Same Game Multi:
Leg 1: Washington Wizards to cover the +8.5 point spread
Leg 2: J. Harden over 8.5 assists
Leg 3: B. Beal under 31.5 points
Combined odds = $6.25
toronto @ cleveland
march 22nd 1:00pm
It has been nothing but a horror show for the Toronto Raptors in its last seven games as it ventures off to the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in preparation for its games against Cleveland.
The last seven games for the Raptors have all resulted in losses and have dashed any hope of them sneaking into the playoffs this year.
Cleveland also sits in a precarious position with a losing 15-26 record brought about by a horrendous run of form in February.
It’s the first time the teams meet this year, so there is no exposed form to get a guide on, but offensively the Raptors seem to have a big edge.
The Raptors score at a much more rapid rate than the Cavaliers.
Nick Nurse’s men average 112.4 points per game compared to the Cavaliers feeble 103.8 points per games.
With than in mind, the Cavaliers do boast one of the best scorers in the NBA by the name of Collin Sexton.
Averaging 23.9 points per games, Sexton will have to be on his ‘A-game’ if the Cavaliers are to resemble any winning chance.
Suggested Bet: Cleveland Cavaliers to cover the -7.5 point spread at $1.90
Suggested Same Multi:
Leg 1: Cleveland to cover the -7.5 point spread
Leg 2: C. Sexton over 23.5 points
Combined odds = $3.3
Los Angeles Lakers @ Phoenix
march 22nd 10:00am
LeBron James will miss the important battle of two of the top three teams in the Western Conference on Sunday evening when his Los Angeles Lakers travel to take on the Phoenix Suns.
Los Angeles saw their four-game winning streak come to an end when they lost 99-94 to Atlanta on Sunday and will now be without James after he suffered from high ankle sprain on his right foot.
Phoenix, meanwhile, defeated Minnesota on Friday, 113-101. That puts Phoenix head of Los Angeles by a few percentage points in the standings.
The Suns are the much deeper team and are still playing exceptional basketball.
Los Angeles is going to have a lot of trouble trying to score in this game, and they are going to be beaten in a way the defending champion is not accustomed to losing.
Suggested Bet: Phoenix Suns to cover the -9.5 point spread at $1.87
