Can it get worse? The Bucks have been one of the most sorry teams in the league. Despite this, Giannis and Damian Lillard have been great in most games. In fact, in the loss to Cleveland over the weekend, they combined for over 70 points. This roster just has nothing underneath it. However, the freefall has to start sometime, and considering how close this game was in their last matchup, we could see the Bucks get over the hump tonight. They just need someone else on this roster to step up and help these guys out. Otherwise, the Bucks are in huge trouble.
Cleveland has been killing it this year, with an undefeated record after seven games. They have figured out this roster. Donovan Mitchell has been electric, and Garland has been an excellent partner in crime. With size down low, speed, and strength at the guard spots, it’s easy to see his team winning again tonight. As the favorite, the odds aren’t great, but there is a chance Giannis will miss this game, too, so we’d say stick with the favorite tonight.
Props
Jarrett Allen Under 12.5 Rebounds: Allen has been a beast on the boards this year, but under 13 rebounds seems reasonable. He only grabbed 12 in the last matchup between the Bucks and Cavs. If Mobley gets more involved on the boards tonight, this will be an easy line to hit.
Donovan Mitchell Over 27.5 Points: Mitchell has been a killer this year, and with the defense of the Bucks, he could have a game. All he has to do is shoot the three ball decent, and he could easily hit the 28 mark this game.
The Lakers have come out hot this year, with a 5-2 record today; they have been looking elite. LeBron and AD have been playing some of their best basketball, as this roster seems far more complete than we expected. Even their rotation players have taken a step up, and the team is in a great spot under head coach JJ Redick. However, the situation in LA hasn’t all been sunshine and rainbows. Even with a solid early record, we have concerns about this roster's defense. Most of these games have turned into a foot race to 130 points, which seems unsustainable. We think they might struggle against a deservingly pesky Pistons team.
The Pistons only have a 2-5 record, so this team isn’t amazing, but they are gritty. At the very least, their defense has been a little more encouraging. Scoring is still where this team falls short, relying too much on the 3 ball without competent shooters. Still, this matchup might actually be decent for the Pistons. They have some size down low to toss at AD and LeBron, while LA doesn’t have a meaningful counter to Cade Cunningham. We could see him having a big game here. Overall, we like the Pistons, but this is mainly the value we’re getting with plus money on the money line.
Props
Jalen Duren Under 10.5 Rebounds: Duren has been solid for the Pistons this year. However, he’s only pulled in 11 or more boards twice this year. The fact he’ll be rebounding against AD most of this game, he may struggle to sneak over the 11 rebound mark.
Anthony Davis 3+ Blocks: AD has been elite this year defensively. He is currently averaging 2.2 blocks a game, so it’s not wild to think he’ll pick up a 3rd one in this game. He’s already had 2 games this year with 3 blocks, so he could do it again against a shooting Pistons team.
This should be one of the best matchups of the night. Both teams are looking to work on their middle-of-the-road records. With the Knicks coming into this game with a 3-2 record, they’ve been solid this year. Scoring has often been an issue for them, as their 3 ball has been streaky, and they have heavily relied on Brunson to do most of the scoring. This team seems to be settling, as they have been much more consistent in their last couple of games. We expect the length and experience of this roster to be a problem for a streaky Houston team.
Houston has been one of the most up-and-down teams this year. At 3-3, they have the talent to beat anyone, but it doesn’t always show up. The good thing about this team is that they can still get the job done shooting poorly. They can find points nearly anywhere on the court, and with its size, New York might struggle to stop them. However, we still think the talent in New York will win out.
Props
Jalen Green Under 22.5 Points: This game will be challenging for Green. As the lead scorer, he’ll most likely have OG on him. The combination of OG's size and strength might force Green to the perimeter, where he’s historically been streaky.
Jabari Smith Jr 22+ Combined Points + Rebounds + Assists: This line just feels low for Smith Jr, who has been finding his shot lately. If Smith can sink some threes early, he will hit this line.
The Trail Blazers have been surprisingly lively so far. They may not be winning games, but they have stuck around some games against solid talent. Losing to the Phoenix by 6 points and beating the Clippers, this team has had more pop than expected. They’re still coming into this matchup with a 2-5 record, but this will be the 3rd time Portland and New Orleans have played this year. In both matchups, Portland made it a close game or won, and the fact that they are underdogs in this one is tempting.
On the other hand, the Pelicans are very banged up for this game. Even though it’s a home game, they could be down four starters if Zion Williamson doesn’t play tonight with a hamstring injury. Sitting out against the Hawks last night, we don’t have high hopes for this Pelicans roster that already struggled against Portland while healthier. With Portland sitting at plus money on the money line right now, we’d say take Portland in this matchup!
Props:
Brandon Ingram 30+ Points: Ingram might be the only scorer left on this team due to injuries. He’ll probably have a permanent green light this game, so expect to see him take most of the Pelicans shots.
Deandre Ayton 30+ Points and Rebounds: Ayton has done well against this roster. Without an experienced starting-level center, Portland will likely attack the paint a ton, which could land Ayton some easy baskets and rebounds.