Ricky Dimon
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March means the arrival of some good weather, and it also means basketball. The NBA is coming down the home stretch of the regular season, with intriguing daily schedules on the menu left and right. Friday offers a substantial 9-game slate, highlighted by a doubleheader on ESPN. It begins with the Bucks visiting the Bulls before the Suns host the Knicks.
Let’s take a look at today’s three-team mega parlay.
Pistons ML (+126)
76ers -7.5 (-110)
Timberwolves -13.5 alternate spread (+164)
Parlay odds: +1039
For this parlay, we are going with two favorites – one on an alternate spread – and one underdog straight up. Let’s break down each of the three legs one by one.
Detroit Pistons ML over Indiana Pacers (+126)
The Pistons were good to Pickswise last night. Their outright win over Toronto was part of our successful +1303 mega parlay and we also nailed Saddiq Bey as the first-basket scorer at +800. We are going right back to the well on Friday and backing Detroit to pull off another upset, this time over Indiana.
The Pacers have not won back-to-back games since mid-January. They have been abysmal on the road, too – tied for the fewest such wins in the NBA. From a matchup perspective, the Pistons will have an advantage at center and on the wings. Wendell Carter Jr. was able to dominate the Pacers on the boards in their last 2 H2H games and Isaiah Stewart is capable of following in his footsteps. On the wing, Indy’s combination of Oshae Brissett and Buddy Hield will have trouble dealing with Cade Cunningham and Jerami Grant of the Pistons.
Be sure to check out our full game preview for Indiana Pacers vs Detroit Pistons
Philadelphia 76ers -7.5 (-110) over Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavaliers have come out of the all-star break flat and last night suffered a 3rd loss in 4 games, but what’s concerning is that they got blown out by 21 points at home by a Charlotte squad that is 6 games behind them in the standings. Prior to this poor run, the Cavs were the best team against the spread in the NBA this season; they have since failed to cover in 6 consecutive contests. They now face the Sixers, who have already beaten them once this season by 10 points. Led by newly acquired James Harden, Philly is 3-0 since the break and has won its last 4 games. Count on the new-look 76ers to keep it rolling.
Be sure to check out our full game preview for Cleveland Cavaliers vs Philadelphia 76ers
Minnesota Timberwolves -13.5 alternate spread over Oklahoma City Thunder (+164)
The Timberwolves are coming off a dominant 15-point win over the Warriors earlier this week. Karl-Anthony Towns was sensational in that game, dropping 39 points and helping his team to its second straight win. The Wolves will be confident they can make it 3 in a row against an Oklahoma City squad that has lost 7 of its last 10 overall. The Thunder have also had issues at home. Their 9 home wins are tied for the 3rd-fewest in the league. Their last two games in Oklahoma City against the Suns and Kings resulted in 20 and 21-point losses, respectively.
The size of the Timberwolves frontline is what should cause the Thunder the most issues tonight. Due to several injuries for the home team, it could be left with Isiah Roby and Olivier Sarr at center. With his size, experience, and offensive arsenal, Towns should be able to dominate that pair. With Josh Giddey and Luguentz Dort likely to miss tonight’s game, the home team will likely struggle to turn its fortunes around on that end of the court.
Check out all our NBA previews and picks for Friday
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