Ricky Dimon
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Super Bowl weekend is here, but let’s not forget about the NBA. Friday’s schedule on the professional hardwood is an intriguing one, with nine games highlighted by a double-header on ESPN. Among the teams in action are the Brooklyn Nets, Milwaukee Bucks, Utah Jazz, Phoenix Suns, Boston Celtics, and Los Angeles Clippers.
Here’s our five-team parlay for Friday:
Bulls -2 (-110)
Nets -4.5 (-110)
Wizards +6.5 (-110)
Timberwolves ML (+110)
Suns -8 (-110)
Parlay odds: +2783
For this parlay we mix in three favorites against the spread, one underdog and the points, and an underdog outright winner. Let’s break down each of the five legs one by one.
Chicago Bulls -2 over Orlando Magic (-110)
The Bulls have dropped four of their last five games, but this is a buy-low opportunity at -2 against the Magic. Chicago is all about pushing the pace and against a team like Orlando that strategy should work because the Magic are limited right now. With the exception of a setback against the Knicks, the Bulls’ recent losses have come against teams that know how to score and punish bad defenses. Orlando is not one of those. The Magic won some games early in the season, but they have been terrible for a while now. Since Markelle Fultz got hurt, they have only won twice and most nights they are losing by double-digits. Aaron Gordon is also out now. If it’s bad news for the Bulls at the moment, it’s even worse news for the Magic.
Brooklyn Nets -4.5 over Toronto Raptors (-110)
Toronto guard Fred VanVleet set a new franchise record with a career-high 54 points during a 123-108 win over Orlando on Tuesday, but now the Raptors face a much tougher test. As if going up against the Nets is not difficult enough in itself, the Raptors will be shorthanded because OG Anunoby and Patrick McCaw remain sidelined by injuries. Brooklyn has lost only once this season when the new Big Three of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden is intact, and that setback came almost immediately after Harden was acquired from Houston. Granted they have only played together four times, but recent returns are encouraging. The Nets are now looking like a well-oiled machine—at least on the offensive end of the floor, of course. They lead the NBA in shooting percentage at 50.1, they are second behind the Clippers in three-point shooting percentage at 40.1, and they are fifth in assists at 27 per game. It is also worth noting that Toronto is just 2-6 ATS in its last eight against opponents with a winning records.
Washington Wizards +6.5 over Miami Heat (-110)
This marks the third time these two teams have faced each other this season, with the series currently tied at one win apiece and the road side having prevailed on each occasion. The Wizards most recently got the job done 103-100 on Wednesday without Russell Westbrook and now the two Eastern Conference rivals meet again in Miami. Westbrook is back for this one, so a Washington team that seems to be improving should feel good about its chances of being competitive if not even winning outright. Bradley Beal has reached the 30-point mark on six consecutive occasions. The Wizards’ advantage in the backcourt will keep this game close.
Minnesota Timberwolves ML over Oklahoma City Thunder (+110)
The Thunder are missing their overall best player (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander) and their best defender (Luguentz Dort). In other words, they are going to be in trouble against the Timberwolves. Minnesota will never be confused with one of the better teams in this league, but it is showing signs of improvement as it has gotten accustomed to playing without Karl-Anthony Towns (Covid-19). D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, and rookie Anthony Edwards have all been productive of late, especially over the past three games.
Phoenix Suns -8 over Detroit Pistons (-110)
The last time these two teams squared off, the Suns led by 23 points in the second quarter before collapsing and losing 110-105 in overtime. Now they are meeting in Phoenix, and the favorites are not going to make the same mistake again. They are 3-1 in their last four contests to two games over .500. Detroit, on the other hands, is a horrendous 4-11 and Blake Griffin (career-low 12.4 ppg on 37.1 percent shooting) is a shadow of his former self. Despite that, Griffin is logging the second-most minutes on the team and is the Pistons’ third-leading scorer. That’s how bad this roster is right now.
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