Follow along on Twitter (@julianedlow) for any potential updates — things can always change with lineup moves leading up to tipoff. Here’s what jumps out to me on DraftKings Sportsbook.
All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
What a wild Tuesday in the NBA, with teams starting to drop pretty significant trades prior to the deadline. In some ways, it’s opening up strong spots for us to chase or fade certain players or teams, as you’ll see below. With so many moving parts on all these teams this week, I’ll likely stay away from any first quarter/half trends, unless we get a really strong spot with teams involved that are standing pat.
Per usual, I’ll put everything official up on Twitter that I bet on personally. This is a betting guide for this NBA card, and anything I’ve actually bet will include a unit amount.
Best Bets and Potential Plays
Boston Celtics at Brooklyn Nets
BOS -5 (-110) — 1.5-unit Twitter Play
I jumped on the Celtics early Tuesday morning and put it out on Twitter. I thought the line seemed way too short, and was set for James Harden and Nic Claxton to play, both of whom I assumed would be ruled out. They since have been. The Nets are a mess right now, and since they’re returning home, Kyrie Irving will go back to sitting out games. I faded the Nets their last two games of the west coast trip and they were blown in out both, while getting solid efforts from Kyrie. I don’t see how they have the firepower to hang with a Celtics team that’s suddenly clicking — winners of five in a row, four of them by nine or more points. If it comes down to it, I don’t mind laying the -8.5 that the spread has since moved to. Boston is now playing at full strength and looks good with the current eight-man rotation.
Minnesota Timberwolves at Sacramento Kings
MIN -7 (-110)
I was keeping an eye on this one at -4 and -5 earlier in the day, with the thought process being the same as it has for many recent Kings games — if De’Aaron Fox remains out, I’ll back the Wolves. Then we got massive news that the Kings will be acquiring a package centered around Domantas Sabonis, but it involves parting ways with Tyrese Haliburton and Buddy Hield.
I’m still hoping for Fox to remain sidelined for another game as the cherry on top in this one, but regardless, this should be a game that Minnesota can blowout a shorthanded team.
PARLAY PIECES: You have to lay a bit north of -130 at this stage, but I think a Celtics/Timberwolves moneyline piece is a terrific play. I’m on it at -130 for another 1.5-unit play.
Potential Props
Minnesota Timberwolves at Sacramento Kings
Kings Points OVERS
Not rocket science here, but if Fox remains out, and Haliburton and Hield now shipped out, somebody has to makeup the volume on the perimeter. Harrison Barnes and Davion Mitchell are the two players I have in mind if we get the news we’re looking for. Barnes has scored 24-plus in each of his last two. Mitchell is averaging 19 points over his last six games.
Orlando Magic at Portland Trail Blazers
Ben McLemore OVER 15.5 Points (-115)
We had another blockbuster in the NBA, with Portland moving on from C.J. McCollum, among other pieces. The Blazers couldn’t be more thin on the perimeter, leaving a massive role for McLemore against a poor Magic squad. He dropped 19 points last game, and now an even larger portion of wing scoring has been shipped out.
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