The NBA is back in full swing and Friday brings us a four-game betting card, spaced out throughout the afternoon and evening. It’s rare that I have enough plays to get a full article out a day in advance, but this slate of games has spots that jump out to me right away on DraftKings Sportsbook.
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Denver Nuggets vs. Utah Jazz: DEN ML (-120)
The Nuggets got dominated by the Jazz in Game 2, but it was the first time in five tries that Utah got the win in this matchup this season — Denver actually won the first three as underdogs. The Jazz couldn’t miss in the 124-105 blowout, shooting 52% from the field, and hitting 20-of-44 triples. Mike Conley Jr. is expected to return for Utah, but this line is still shaving some points off from what we saw in Game 2. The Nuggets were 3.5-point favorites before we learned Conley would miss Game 1, so setting this line at 1.5 just because he’s returning means we’re getting two free points here, also making the ML an appealing option. Even with Conley back, Denver’s bench has a clear advantage in this series. The Nuggets are 19-8 straight up after a loss this season. Expect the better team to thrive in a bounce-back spot.
Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers: BOS -5 (-110)
This series looks pretty over, and I expect the Celtics to continue dominating in Game 3. The Sixers stayed competitive in Game 1, but still failed to cover and lost by eight. Even with Gordon Hayward sidelined in Game 2, they were unable to hold onto a good start. The 76ers seem to be coming out with solid game plans, dumping the ball down to Embiid and playing through him. But as soon as they get away from that and have some defensive breakdowns, things get out of hand. After building a 14-point lead in the first quarter, Game 2 was looking like a blowout by halftime. Boston took 34 points and 10 boards from Embiid, and turned it into a 27-point win. The Celtics are the better team, and the better coached team. Boston has also been very good carrying momentum from win to win this season, going 28-19-2 ATS following a win. Feel free to get your brooms out, and bet the Celtics to complete the sweep on Sunday afternoon for even odds.
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Los Angeles Clippers vs. Dallas Mavericks: LAC -4.5 (-114)
The Clippers won and covered for the fourth time in four matchups between these teams in Game 1, but Dallas didn’t get a fair crack at it with the ejection of Kristaps Porzingis. Everything lined up for the Mavs to bounce-back in Game 2, and that’s exactly what happened. Now the series sways the other direction. The Clippers got frustrated during the 13-point loss, and got almost nothing from Paul George — 4-17 FG and 2-10 from downtown. The Clippers off a loss have been one of the strongest spots all season — 20-3 SU and 18-5 ATS. They faced Dallas off a loss in the bubble during the seeding round, winning by 15. I don’t expect this time to be much different. PG and Kawhi should have big games not just offensively, but also limiting Luka Doncic. We saw how title contenders like the Bucks and Lakers responded to losses on Thursday. The Mavericks are a tougher opponent, but I think we’ll see a similar result.
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is jedlow) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
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