Welcome back from the weekend. The 2023 year could be slowing down, but the NBA is full of action. There are eleven games being played today, with only one nationally televised game. The Dallas Mavericks travel to Ball Arena and take on the Denver Nuggets with a 9:00 PM ET tip off on NBATV. The bet of the night will come from this game, and be placed on an international superstar. There is also a proposition bet on a team that is undefeated this month, the Los Angeles Clippers. Paul George and the Clippers head to Indiana to take on Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers. It is a familiar barn for P. George and this column looks at one of his lines. There is also a bet in the Charlotte Hornets at Toronto Raptors and Fantasy Alarm NBA Best Bets looks at a puzzling line at near even odds. There are five units being bet today, and it could be a huge boost to the bankroll if they are all successful.

 

BET OF THE NIGHT: 

NIKOLA JOKIC OVER 12.5 REBOUNDS -125 MGM 2 UNITS

The Dallas Mavericks have their best center since Tyson Chandler in the 2011 season. Rookie Dereck Lively is playing like a rookie of the year candidate, but not receiving any credit. This month he is averaging thirty minutes per game with sixty-four rebounds in seven games. Unfortunately for the Mavericks he sprained his ankle Saturday and will not be available for this contest, nor will his backup Maxi Kleber. The Dallas Mavericks will be utilizing Dwight Powell, who is a below average center against Nikola Jokic, with Grant Williams and Derek Jones playing minutes although they are not true centers. Nikola Jokic is a true center, and he leads the Association in rebounds per game, 12.4. The Mavericks allow the fifth most rebounds per game at 55.1, and that was with their outstanding rookie in the game. N. Jokic had 6 last game and the Nuggets blew the game late in the fourth against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Denver usually responds to losses with intensity, and Dallas will not have a rebounding answer for N. Jokic.

PROP BETS:

PAUL GEORGE OVER 22.5 POINTS -140 MGM 2 UNITS

The Los Angeles Clippers have not lost a game this month, but tonight will be only their second game on the road. The Clippers begin their road tour against the Indiana Pacers, followed by two more road games in back-to-back nights. For Paul George this is a semi home game, and although he has been yielding to Kawai Leonard lately, tonight could be a different story. PG13 has played thirty-seven minutes or more in all but two games in which he has been active this month. The opportunity will be there and he has scored twenty-five points in fifty percent of those games. The Indiana Pacers allow the second most points per game in the Association with 125.9. The analytics are supportive of the over, and this line has been as high as -175 on other books, which is still worth putting two units on. Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle has installed a fast pace version of Don Nelson’s offense, with a true top ten talent in Tyrese Haliburton. This is the place where P. George became a legend though. He made the Pacers a perennial playoff team in the 2010s, and it is a place where he is still beloved by the fans. Look for Paul George to drive to the hole more than usual, and he should have twenty or more field goal attempts against his former team.

SCOTTIE BARNES OVER 21.5 POINTS -105 DK

Scottie Barnes and the Toronto Raptors host the Charlotte Hornets tonight. Although the Raptors are not playing well they are capable of high scoring games. They scored 116 against the Hornets when they played earlier this month, and Scottie Barnes had a thirty-one point triple double. S. Barnes also has gone over this point prop in his last two games. The Raptors have only won one game this month, but it is allowing S. Barnes to have more field goal attempts, He had eighteen in their previous match, and should have at least that again. Charlotte allows the fifth most points per game with 121.0, and the odds seem a bit off considering S. Barnes and Pascal Siakham are the Raptors best scoring options. However with two, two unit bets already suggested, placing one unit at near even odds seems like a smart bet. 

 

Remember to check out Fantasy Alarm for all your NBA fantasy needs. Basketball stats, rankings, DFS picks, tools to help your lineups, and the NBA DFS show with Jon and James.

Thank you for reading.

Bet Smart, Be Lucky - Iggy

*All Bets to be placed at 1 unit unless specified otherwise