Author: Marc

Both the Denver Nuggets and Charlotte Hornets are coming off of a big win for their team. With Denver’s recent win over the Thunder, they were able to keep their position in the Western Conference.

Today, they face off against the Charlotte Hornets, one of the best offenses in the NBA. They’ll look to Nikola Jokic to lead them to another win as the NBA season nears the end.

The Charlotte Hornets were able to beat the Durant-led Brooklyn Nets yesterday. Leading the Hornets was LaMelo Ball, who put up 33 points in the win. They’ll need another game like this as they host the Denver Nuggets.

The biggest question for the Hornets is can they find a way to stop Nikola Jokic. He’s by far the main attraction in Denver and can dominate the game easily.

Game Preview: Denver Nuggets at Charlotte Hornets

Each of these offenses ranks in the top ten for scoring in the NBA. The Nuggets, averaging 111.81 points per game, shoot 47.92% from the field. With such efficiency, it’s not hard to see why they’re the sixth-best team in the Western Conference.

However, this offense has had its troubles lately. Our main concern with Denver is how they can stop the high-powered Hornets.

Charlotte has the No.5 spot in points per game, averaging 114.73. This offense has been incredible to watch lately, especially in their recent game against the Nets.

The Hornets pulled off a 119-110 victory on the road against one of the best teams in the NBA. As we noted above, the biggest question for the Hornets is stopping Jokic. Mason Plumlee will be tasked with that.

Against the Spread: Denver Nuggets -4

The Nuggets come into this game as only four-point favorites, so we have to take the. Not only that, the matchup between Jokic and Plumlee is massively in Jokic’s favor. On average, Jokic scores 29.0 points per game against the Hornets.

Over their last three games, the Nuggets are 2-1 against the Hornets. Four points isn’t a lot to cover, so expect the Nuggets to pull it off. 

The Total: OVER 233

In most games between these two teams, the total goes over. Although the total is set at a whopping 233, we think it’ll go over again in this game. Both of these defenses have weak points; not long ago, the Nuggets gave up 140 to Phoenix.

Because of the defensive hiccups, we’ll take the over. It helps that the total has gone OVER in 5 of Denver’s last six games.

Player Points: Nikola Jokic OVER 27.5 (-102)

As we mentioned above, Jokic averages 29.0 points per game against the Hornets. Plumlee is no match for Jokic in the interior. Take into consideration how many plays are designed for Jokic.

He’s the Nuggets leading scorer, leading rebounder, and leads in assists. Scoring over 27.5 points in this game shouldn’t be a problem, so add it to your single-game parlay tonight.

After suffering two straight losses, the Utah Jazz finds themselves facing the Charlotte Hornets. Charlotte has one of the best offenses in the NBA, and the Jazz have struggled against great offenses.

With a few players ruled out for the Jazz, they’ll look to Gobert and Mitchell to lead them to a win. However, with how they’ve performed lately, the Hornets could be the better pick.

The Charlotte Hornets are coming off of a 121-106 loss to the New York Knicks. For one of the best offenses in the NBA, the Knicks found a way to keep them from scoring.

Tonight, they face a strong interior defense led by Rudy Gobert. LaMelo Ball will look to get his team needed win on Friday night, but it’s easier said than done. Let’s build a single-game parlay for this game.

Game Preview: Utah Jazz at Charlotte Hornets

The Utah Jazz has one of the top-ranked offenses in the NBA, although they haven’t shown it lately. On average, Utah scores 113.66 points per game, ranking sixth in the NBA.

However, in their last two losses, they’ve barely scored over 100 points. A few nights ago, the Boston Celtics beat them 125-97. Another performance like that, and the Hornets will walk away with this one.

The Charlotte Hornets average 114.84 points per game, ranking fifth in the NBA. However, similar to the Jazz, this hasn’t translated to wins lately. Falling to the New York Knicks by nearly 20 points was a bad look for the Hornets.

Still, leading up to that loss, the Hornets had won five straight games. Team basketball is how they win games, and that’s how they’ll beat the Jazz.

Against the Spread: Charlotte Hornets +3.5

This is a great margin for the Charlotte Hornets because even if they lose, there’s a little bit of room. However, we don’t believe the Hornets will lose this game; in fact, we think they’ll win by more than five.

At home, the Charlotte Hornets are 19-17-1 against the spread, while the Jazz is 15-20-1 ATS on the road. Overall, the Hornets have a 39-32-2 record ATS this season. 

The Total: UNDER 230.5

Although both of these teams have high-powered offenses, something strange happens when they face each other. In their last game, in December of 2021, the total was set at 237.5.

By the end of the game, the total went well under the spread when the game finished, 112-102. It would seem that these two offenses often cancel each other out, so we’ll take the under in this one. 

Win Margin: Charlotte Hornets 1-10 (+230)

This is a great pick to add because it will increase your winnings for the night. Charlotte is a great team and has taken down teams like the Cavaliers and Mavericks.

Both of those teams have strong defenses, and the Hornets were able to overcome them. Look for Charlotte to win this game, with the winning margin staying between 1-10. 

To Score 15+ Points: LaMelo Ball (-500)

LaMelo Ball plays some of his best basketball against the Utah Jazz. On average, Ball scores 19.8 points per game; however, when facing the Jazz, it goes up to 21 points. We wish there was a wager on how many assists he’ll have since he averages 11 per game against Utah. Check out all of our NBA computer predictions.

One of the teams rising in strength in the Western Conference faces a red hot team from the East. The Timberwolves, fresh off of a 116-95 victory over the Dallas Mavericks, face off against the Boston Celtics. We have our SGP Picks below, which are all based off our NBA computer predictions.

Each of these teams has a lot to gain from a win in this game, primarily positioning. If the Timberwolves come away with a win, they could pass the Denver Nuggets.

The Boston Celtics have won five games in a row, most recently over the Utah Jazz. After beating the Jazz 125-97, the Celtics are ready to face the Timberwolves. Jayson Tatum is listed on the “day-to-day” list, however, so keep that in mind.

Boston has moved to the No.3 spot in the Eastern Conference, passing the Milwaukee Bucks. Another win could put them at No.2. 

Game Preview: Minnesota Timberwolves at Boston Celtics

The Timberwolves have the first-ranked scoring offense in the NBA, averaging 115.43. With an offense this effective, they’ll try to overwhelm the Celtics defense. Unfortunately for them, the Celtics have the No.1 ranked defense in points allowed.

This will be a tough game for the Timberwolves to overcome. They’ll have to rely on Karl-Anthony Towns to dominate the paint.

Boston will focus on what they do best, limit scoring opportunities. They’ll try to force Minnesota to take bad shots from the perimeter and eliminate Karl-Anthony Towns from the game. Tasked with this project will be Robert Williams III.

Unfortunately for the Celtics, Al Horford is out, which could be trouble. Still, the Boston Celtics only allow an average of 103.76 points per game.

Against the Spread: Minnesota Timberwolves +6

When these two last faced each other in December 2021, the Boston Celtics were 5.5-point favorites. This time, they come in as six-point favorites and are playing at home. In December, Minnesota beat them, 108-103, and we think Minnesota will win again here.

The injuries dealt to the Celtics might be too much to overcome. Especially since Minnesota’s offense is so efficient.

The Total: UNDER 227.5

As you can see from the score of the previous game, we doubt the total will go over 227.5. The Celtics’ defense will limit how many points the Timberwolves score, and this game will be close. This season, the Celtics are 35-38-1 against the total.

The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Minnesota’s last ten games. The best bet against the total on Sunday night is taking the under.

To score 15+ Points: Anthony Edwards (-530)

This pick is an easy one, especially with so much attention on Karl-Anthony Towns. Anthony Edwards has averaged 18.1 points over his last nine games against the Boston Celtics.

He put up 12 points against the Dallas Mavericks, one of the best defenses in the NBA. This game will come down to the wire, and Edwards could be the difference-maker on Sunday. 

Player Points: Karl-Anthony Towns OVER 23.5 (-104)

Towns is coming off of a tough game against the Dallas Mavericks. He was only able to score 20 points in that one, but we feel he’ll bounce back here.

Against the Celtics, Towns averages 24.8 points per game, slightly over the 23.5 required. With Al Horford out, Towns can really go to work in the paint. Expect a huge game from him tonight.

After suffering two straight losses, the Utah Jazz finds themselves facing the Charlotte Hornets. Charlotte has one of the best offenses in the NBA, and the Jazz have struggled against great offenses.

With a few players ruled out for the Jazz, they’ll look to Gobert and Mitchell to lead them to a win. However, with how they’ve performed lately, the Hornets could be the better pick.

The Charlotte Hornets are coming off of a 121-106 loss to the New York Knicks. For one of the best offenses in the NBA, the Knicks found a way to keep them from scoring.

Tonight, they face a strong interior defense led by Rudy Gobert. LaMelo Ball will look to get his team needed win on Friday night, but it’s easier said than done. Let’s build a single-game parlay for this game, but can also be a parlay pick.

Game Preview: Utah Jazz at Charlotte Hornets

The Utah Jazz has one of the top-ranked offenses in the NBA, although they haven’t shown it lately. On average, Utah scores 113.66 points per game, ranking sixth in the NBA.

However, in their last two losses, they’ve barely scored over 100 points. A few nights ago, the Boston Celtics beat them 125-97. Another performance like that, and the Hornets will walk away with this one.

The Charlotte Hornets average 114.84 points per game, ranking fifth in the NBA. However, similar to the Jazz, this hasn’t translated to wins lately. Falling to the New York Knicks by nearly 20 points was a bad look for the Hornets.

Still, leading up to that loss, the Hornets had won five straight games. Team basketball is how they win games, and that’s how they’ll beat the Jazz.

Against the Spread: Charlotte Hornets +3.5

This is a great margin for the Charlotte Hornets because even if they lose, there’s a little bit of room. However, we don’t believe the Hornets will lose this game; in fact, we think they’ll win by more than five.

At home, the Charlotte Hornets are 19-17-1 against the spread, while the Jazz is 15-20-1 ATS on the road. Overall, the Hornets have a 39-32-2 record ATS this season. 

The Total: UNDER 230.5

Although both of these teams have high-powered offenses, something strange happens when they face each other. In their last game, in December of 2021, the total was set at 237.5.

By the end of the game, the total went well under the spread when the game finished, 112-102. It would seem that these two offenses often cancel each other out, so we’ll take the under in this one. 

Win Margin: Charlotte Hornets 1-10 (+230)

This is a great pick to add because it will increase your winnings for the night. Charlotte is a great team and has taken down teams like the Cavaliers and Mavericks.

Both of those teams have strong defenses, and the Hornets were able to overcome them. Look for Charlotte to win this game, with the winning margin staying between 1-10. 

To Score 15+ Points: LaMelo Ball (-500)

LaMelo Ball plays some of his best basketball against the Utah Jazz. On average, Ball scores 19.8 points per game; however, when facing the Jazz, it goes up to 21 points. We wish there was a wager on how many assists he’ll have since he averages 11 per game against Utah.

The Golden State Warriors are struggling without Stephen Curry in the lineup. They’ve lost the last three games of the season, one of which was to the Orlando Magic.

They haven’t lost their third-place spot in the Western Conference yet, but they’re close. The Warriors need a win to get their season back on track. Unfortunately, they face off against the Miami Heat tonight.

The Miami Heat are leading the Eastern Conference, led by Jimmy Butler. Similar to the Warriors, the Miami Heat are coming off of a loss as well.

However, the caliber of the team that beat the Heat is much higher than the Orlando Magic. Miami was recently defeated by the 76ers, one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. Today, they’ll get a chance to rebound, in our Single Game Parlay, and NBA computer picks.

Game Preview: Golden State Warriors at Miami Heat

The Warriors aren’t missing nearly as many people as the Miami Heat are. However, what they are missing is one vital piece of their offense, Stephen Curry. With Curry out, their offense has suffered drastically, only scoring 90 points against the Magic.

Now, they face one of the best defenses in the NBA. On average, the Miami Heat allows just 104.90 points per game. 

The Miami Heat might not have a great offense, but they make up for it with their fourth-ranked defense. This team has a two-game hold on the Eastern Conference, and they aren’t looking to surrender that.

However, a few players are questionable for the game tonight. Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro, Victor Oladipo, and more still remain listed as questionable for tonight’s game.

Against the Spread: Miami Heat -6.5

We’ll begin our picks with the who to take against the spread, which is a tough one. We’re going to go with the Miami Heat, based on the Warriors’ performance against the Orlando Magic.

The Magic is one of the worst teams in the NBA and has one of the league’s worst defenses. The Warriors only scored 90 points against them; we don’t see them doing better against Miami.  

The Total: UNDER 213.5

This is a very low total, but we believe the game will actually go under in this one. The Miami Heat have one of the best defenses in the NBA, and the Warriors are missing Stephen Curry.

Because of this, we don’t expect the score to be very high in this game. In their last seven games of the season, the Warriors have gone under the total six times.

Win Margin: Miami Heat 1-10 (+165)

This is a great pick to balance out your ticket and earn yourself some extra winnings. We have faith that the Heat can cover the 6.5 points spread.

However, Miami usually plays teams pretty closely, and this game should remain within a ten-point margin. You’ll also have to take into consideration that the Heat could be missing a few players. 

Double Result: Miami Heat / Miami Heat (-145)

Double Result picks are based on the leader at halftime and at the end of the game. From what we’ve seen from the Warriors, we don’t see them leading at many points in this game.

Missing Stephen Curry has dealt a serious blow to their offensive cohesion. This is a good pick to fill your single-game parlay and increase your winnings. 

After taking down the Sacramento Kings with ease, the Boston Celtics set their sights on the Denver Nuggets. This game will be a tough one for the Celtics, and finding a way to stop Nikola Jokic isn’t easy, and that’s exactly what our NBA computer picks are saying.

However, with the way that Jayson Tatum has been playing, the Nuggets have a lot to worry about as well. Can the Boston Celtics take down the Nuggets while in Denver?

The Denver Nuggets come off of a recent loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Nuggets couldn’t find a way to get past the defense of the Cavaliers and found themselves taking another loss.

They face another one of those tough defenses tonight when they play the Celtics. The Nuggets need to avoid taking too many more losses, especially with the playoffs quickly approaching.

Game Preview: Boston Celtics at Denver Nuggets 

Possessing the best defense in points allowed per game definitely will help the Boston Celtics. On average, the Celtics allow just 103.58 points per game, but the interior is what matters most.

Robert Williams III is who will guard Nikola Jokic, and he better be at his best. Jokic isn’t just a great scorer but an incredible distributor as well. The Celtics will need to find a way to stop him.

For the Denver Nuggets, all eyes should be on Jayson Tatum. Tatum scored 32 points against the Kings and has been a consistent scorer lately. If the Nuggets can’t keep him from putting up a lot of points, they’ll lose this game.

However, it’s not just Tatum that the Nuggets have to be concerned about. Jaylen Brown put up 30 points as well in the game against Sacramento.

Against the Spread: Boston Celtics -3

These are great odds to get the Boston Celtics at because they often keep games pretty close. For instance, in their last game against the Nuggets, they won 108-102, failing to cover the 6.5-point spread.

However, coming in as three-point favorites gives you a slightly larger margin of error. They’re 3-0 against the Nuggets in the last three games; they’re 2-1 ATS in those three.

The Total: UNDER 222

Although we’ve seen the offensive prowess of both of these teams, we think the total goes under. The reason for this is primarily the defense of the Boston Celtics.

Allowing 103.58 points per game doesn’t just mean they prevent teams from scoring. It means the Celtics can control the pace. In the last three games against each other, the total’s gone under in all three games.

Player Points: Marcus Smart OVER 13.5 (-108)

We particularly like this bet because Smart is a great shooter from beyond the arc. Currently, he averages 12.2 points each game, but he plays incredibly well against Denver.

In fact, his average points per game against Denver is 22.0, along with seven assists. With Denver focusing their efforts on Jayson Tatum, Marcus Smart can shine in this one. 

To score 15+ Points: Marcus Smart (+122)

This pick goes perfectly well with the one we placed above and gives you some extra winnings. Smart is likely to go over 15, especially with what his average normally is against Denver. Look for him to make a big impact in this game and at the sportsbook betting apps. 

In what could be a potential look at the NBA Finals, the Chicago Bulls face the Phoenix Suns. After suffering two straight losses, the Bulls really need to get back on the right track. Being able to claim a win over the Phoenix Suns could be exactly what this team needs right now.

Unfortunately, the Suns have been on a roll lately, winning their last three games with ease.

There’s a reason why the Phoenix Suns are at the top of the NBA with the best record. They play incredible team basketball and will be back at home after spending two games on the road.

They’re coming off a 17-point win over the Houston Rockets, the worst team in the NBA. However, the Suns also claimed wins over the New Orleans Pelicans and Los Angeles Lakers. See all our NBA computer predictions here.

Game Preview: Chicago Bulls at Phoenix Suns

The Chicago Bulls have looked like a shell of their former selves in recent weeks. These last two games were losses to the Sacramento Kings and Utah Jazz. The loss to the Jazz is understandable, but not the loss to the Kings.

Now, they face one of the best offenses in the NBA and will hope their defense holds up. The bad news is their defense is ranked 17th overall.

The Phoenix Suns have the fifth-best offense in the NBA, averaging 114.49 points per game. With an offense this good, they don’t need a strong defense, but they have it.

The Suns’ defense is ranked sixth overall, allowing only 106.27 points per game. As they prepare to host the Bulls, the one player they need to focus on is DeMar DeRozan. They’ll need to stop him.

Against the Spread: Phoenix Suns -6

Although the Chicago Bulls have a strong offense, they’ve been unreliable in recent weeks. Because of this, you shouldn’t trust them to cover the spread at a sportsbook.

The Suns are 29-8 at home, one of the best records in the NBA. When they last played the Bulls, they beat them 127-124. Although they failed to cover the spread, the Suns were also on the road.

The Total: OVER 230

This one is kind of tough because of how good the Phoenix defense is. However, we’d rather take the over here because, in their last three meetings, the total has gone over twice.

Their last meeting, as we mentioned, ended with a score of 127-124, well over the total. With that being said, we think the smarter bet is to take the over, even if it’s rather high. 

Win Margin: Phoenix Suns 1-10 (+170)

This is a great bet to add since these teams usually finish games pretty close. However, it still leaves room for you to cover the six-point spread as well. Phoenix only won by three points in their most recent meeting; it’s likely the margin will stay between 1-10 here. 

Player Points: DeMar DeRozan OVER 27.5

Although the Suns will likely try to find a way to stop DeMar DeRozan, he’ll still put up points.

DeRozan averages 27.9 points per game, slightly over the line here. His points per game against Phoenix, however, is 38.0. DeRozan performs well against Phoenix, and we suspect a big performance tonight. What do you think of our SGP Predictions?