NBA: Hornets (+5) @ 76ers $$
I am going to keep riding the Hornets as they come off of back to back wins over the Bucks. LaMelo Ball is establishing himself as a premier PG in the NBA and he is surrounded by a young and talented team that is deep at every position. They are still undervalued by the lines maker and I expect them to move up the standings into a playoff spot as the season progresses.
The 76ers are still a power team in the east, but they are currently short handed at the guard positions. Tyrese Maxey is in quarantine and Shake Milton is out with a back injury. PHI has been relying heavily on Seth Curry this season and he has responded with the best play of his career so far. Seth is currently dealing with an ankle injury that has him listed as a questionable for tonight, but I do expect him to play.
Considering the current absences for the 76ers tonight and the value on the surging Hornets, the visiting team taking the points is the clear play in this matchup.
NBA: Mavericks (-2.5) @ Knicks $
The Mavericks have been on a tear since Luka returned from quarantine and injury. They have reeled off six straight victories including impressive wins against the Bulls and Warriors. The team is healthy with the notable exception of Porzingis who will be missed but the team is deep enough cover up his absence. Most notably the team has playing excellent defence of late as they take on the offensive challenged Knicks tonight.
The Knicks emergence of being a playoff team last season is looking more and more like a mirage rather than something repeatable. This team struggles badly to score points and if their defence isn’t top notch, they will be trailing most nights. RJ Barrett had two 30 point games last week after struggling much of the season. They will need him to do that more consistently if they want to remain competitive in the East.
NBA: Nets (+2) @ Bulls $
The Nets simply cannot manage to stay healthy. Kyrie is just a couple games into his return and his already struggling with a sore ankle. Harden too is coping with a sore knee but his is now listed as probable for tonight. This is a key matchup for the Nets tonight so I expect all hands on deck as they face the red hot Bulls. The Nets are the best team in the east on paper, but it remains to be seen if they avoid injuries and live up to their potential. A road victory tonight in Chicago would do much to silence their critics.
The line has finally caught up to the Bulls as they would have been home underdogs in this matchup only a few weeks ago. The Bulls are playing great right now, but I still feel they are the inferior side in this matchup and I look for the Nets to make this a statement game.
Legend $$ – two unit bet $ – one unit bet
My NBA picks for the season are still red hot and are now 25-13 (65.8%) for the season. Be sure to be following my Daily Picks page regularly for all my Free NBA Picks and game analysis.
