Ricky Dimon
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The NBA may not have too many eyeballs on it today since there is plenty of ratings competition in the form of the NFL playoffs, but there is a fair share of hardwood action on offer. A classic Boston Celtics vs. New York Knicks rivalry game will tip thigs off in the afternoon before the slate gets spiced up in a big way with the likes of Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic, Zion Williamson, and Kawhi Leonard taking the court.
Here’s our five-team parlay for Sunday:
Celtics -7.5 (-110)
Bulls +7.5 (-110)
Jazz ML (-105)
Pelicans -2 (-110)
Clippers ML (-230)
Parlay odds: +1813
For this play we mix in two favorites against the spread, one underdog and the points, and two outright winners (one favorite and one underdog). Let’s break down each of the five legs one by one.
Boston Celtics -7.5 over New York Knicks (-110)
The Knicks have taken an unsurprising dive since an early-season hot streak (“hot streak” by their standards, at least), losing and failing to cover in each of their last five games. They have looked lifeless at times over this stretch losing to teams that they should be beating. The Celtics, of course, are not a team they should beat. Boston returned from a brief coronavirus hiatus and promptly humiliated Orlando 124-97 earlier this week. The Celtics now lead the Eastern Conference with an 8-3 record. They are also 7-4 against the spread this season and have covered each of their last four games by an average of 12.8 points per game. Even without Jayson Tatum, this spread is way too small given the skill level of these teams.
Chicago Bulls +7.5 over Dallas Mavericks (-110)
The Bulls may have a losing record (4-8) on the season, but that does not do justice to how competitive this team has been of late. Chicago will be heading into the final game of its six-game road trip having won just one of the five games so far. The four losses have all been tight, with the biggest loss being by just four points to the Kings. These two teams met in early January, when the Bulls pulled off a 10-point win against the shorthanded Mavericks. The Mavs have since welcomed back Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis to the lineup and have won four of their last five games, although Porzingis is questionable for tonight. They are still missing several key defenders due to health and safety protocols, which will benefit this high-scoring Bulls team. Chicago is fourth in the NBA in points per game (116.8 ppg). Zach LaVine has been a nightmare for defenses, scoring at least 30 points in four consecutive contests.
Utah Jazz ML over Denver Nuggets (-105)
Led by Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, the Jazz lead the Northwest Division with an 8-4 record. They have won four in a row heading into this showdown against the Nuggets. Mitchell is averaging 23.6 points and 4.8 assists per game with a 39.8 three-point shooting percentage, while Gobert is averaging a double-double with 11.9 points and 13.3 rebounds per outing. For Denver, everything is clicking offensively (ranking fourth in effective field-goal percentage), but on defense this team allows 112.8 ppg—which ranks in the bottom 10 of the association. Denver could be shorthanded on Sunday with Gary Harris and Michael Porter questionable.
New Orleans Pelicans -2 over Sacramento Kings (-110)
The Pelicans enter this matchup on a five-game losing streak, but they are a much better team than their record suggests. In those five losses, they have blown three late leads and suffered a five-point loss to the Clippers—who are clearly legitimate title contenders. Despite being without Zion Williamson against the Clippers, New Orleans kept it close from start to finish. Obviously this team is capable of earning a win against the Kings, who have by far the worst defensive efficiency rating in the NBA. Sacramento’s weak frontcourt is in for a tough night on the glass. This is a matchup that plays strongly to New Orleans’ strengths.
Los Angeles Clippers ML over Indiana Pacers (-230)
A two-game winning streak for Indiana is probably coming to an end for Indiana. The Clippers are the best three-point shooting team in the NBA by a wide margin. That is especially bad news for the Pacers, who rank 24th in the league in defending shots from beyond the arc. In their last game against Sacramento, the Clippers knocked down 18 threes and shot 58.4 percent from the floor in a 38-point victory. Kawhi Leonard appears to be hitting his stride, averaging 30.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game during a current three-game winning streak. Paul George has been spectacular all season, with averages of 25.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per contest.
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