The NBA is the Wild West right now with COVID-19 and the league’s health protocols, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t edges to be had. Following a tough week, we’re off to a 6-1 start this week to improve to 57-51-1 on the season for article plays. Let’s look to keep rolling tonight.
Follow along on Twitter — @julianedlow — for what we hope to be another great season, as some plays jump out late due to news, particularly in the player prop market. Here’s what jumps out to me on DraftKings Sportsbook.
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Memphis Grizzlies at Chicago Bulls
MEM -3.5 (-110)
This is my favorite play on Friday, and most likely will wind up my biggest play. The Grizzlies have been absolute road warriors this season, going 14-10 SU and 15-9 ATS. They’ve also been red-hot lately, riding a 12-3 ATS run into Friday’s matchup in Chicago. Meanwhile, the Bulls have lost four in a row, failing to cover all four contests. The largest dog they’d been in any of the last four was 2.5 points, and their last game was an outright loss to the Magic as a 9.5-point favorite. This team is crumbling out of a postseason position, and now it’ll be playing the first game of an extended absence for Zach LaVine — who’s averaging 27.5 PPG this season. LaVine just went for a 21-9-4 line in a prior 11-point loss in Memphis, and will be missed in the rematch. I like the Grizzlies to coast in this one.
Los Angeles Clippers at Philadelphia 76ers
PHI -3 (-110)
The Clippers admittedly come into this one hot, winning seven in a row. But the 76ers are one of the most difficult teams to get a road win against, as Philly sits 21-5 at home. The 76ers are finally getting healthy, collecting some nice wins with Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons and Tobias Harris all on the floor. While the Clippers won the matchup in Los Angeles this season, it was during Embiid’s absence, which makes all the difference. Ultimately, this comes down to Kawhi Leonard, who has missed the last few games with a foot injury, and is questionable on Friday. If ruled out, I’ll be rushing to get my Sixers bet in, but we’ll need to be patient.
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Oklahoma City Thunder at Detroit Pistons
DET -3 (-105)
I’ll give fair warning that this is a lean for now, and I’ll update on Twitter if it’s actually a play. This game is so gross. The Pistons are without Jerami Grant, Mason Plumlee, Cory Joseph, Dennis Smith Jr., Wayne Ellington and Rodney McGruder ...and they’re favored! No matter who the Pistons have had on the floor, they’ve at least competed this season. But this really speaks to just how dreadful the Thunder are right now, so I’ll consider getting my hands dirty with this game by fading OKC. The Thunder have lost eight in a row, and are 1-7 ATS in that span — they still lost to Utah by double-digits, but covered the 16.5-point spread. During this eight-game losing streak, OKC is dropping games by an insane 27.4-point average — including a 24-point home loss to the Pistons. Basically, fading the Thunder against anyone deserves consideration right now.
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