Xam’s Daily Gems:
Cavaliers Money Line -138
The Cavs may just be the hottest team in the league right now, having won 7 straight games. They’ve been led for the most part by their defense, as they’ve only given up 110 points per game this year on average. That can pose a problem for the Magic tonight. They only score about 111 points per game on average. Cleveland should be pretty rested coming into this game, as they’ve only played once since January 17th. For Orlando, it’s a different story. This is the 2nd night of a back-to-back and their 3rd game in 4 nights. Their offense has been in a slump recently, averaging about 100 points per game in their last 7 games. This game will come down to what Cleveland can do offensively. If guys like Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen can be productive on the offensive end, the Cavs should be able to do enough defensively to push their winning streak to 8 games.
Celtics Money Line -146
Even without Kristaps Porzingis playing tonight, the Celtics boast one of the deepest rosters in the league. Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday, and Derrick White round out a deep roster that can score and play effective defense. This is a team that feels like they’re on a mission. They’re the top seed in the East for a reason, after all! This will be the 2nd night of a back-to-back and 3rd game in 4 nights, which is concerning. However, the Celtics have been in these spots before and know how to take advantage. The Mavericks are horrible defensively. They’re giving up on average 117 points per game on the season. The key for Boston tonight will be the defense. This game has a very high projected total, and guys like Doncic and Irving usually find a way to score at home. If Boston can play just a semblance of defense tonight, they should be able to score enough to get the job done.
Scottie Barnes Over 1.5 Made 3s -118
Barnes didn’t hit a single 3-point shot in his last game, and hasn’t been above 50% from beyond the arc in any of his last 5 games. However, he’s simply too good to not get his mojo back. He’s shooting at 38% from beyond the arc at home this year, and the Grizzlies give up a ton of 3-point shots. Their opponents have averaged over 42 3-point shots per game in the last 10 games. The Raptors have only played one game since January 18th, so Barnes should be ready to shoot tonight. The Raptors are favored tonight against a team that has seen a lot of injuries recently. The blwoout concern is there, but the Raptors should score plenty of points tonight, which should give Barnes even more chances to score from beyond the arc.