Xam’s Daily Gems:
Lakers +12 -110
No LeBron? No Anthony Davis? NO PROBLEM! The line has moved a couple of points since the Lakers announced that both of their superstars wouldn’t be playing tonight. However, we still like them! To cover this number in such a hostile environment against a great team like the Celtics, guys like D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves, and Taurean Prince will need to step up. Guys like Jaxson Hayes, Rui Hachimura, and Jarred Vanderbilt will also likely see expanded roles. The Lakers will need to play supreme defense tonight if they want a shot to cover and especially to win, because LeBron and Davis are their two best scorers. The Lakers are giving up 117 points per game and the Celtics are averaging 120 points a game. Both teams are playing their 3rd game in 4 nights, so we may see more time for role players for both teams tonight. This is exactly the type of game that a team like the Celtics can sleepwalk through. They’re fully expected to win and they have played some tough games recently. It’ll take a Herculean effort for the Lakers to win, but if they can contain Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, they should be able to score enough and keep this thing close.
Knicks Money Line -144
The Knicks may be the hottest team in the league right now. They have won 8 straight games and went 14-2 in the month of January. It was one of the best months in the history of the franchise! There’s some concern for a letdown, as it’s their 3rd game in 4 nights. However, they have all the momentum between these two teams. The Pacers are one of the worst defensive teams in the league, giving up nearly 123 points per game. Tyrese Haliburton is back from his hamstring injury, but he still may be eased back into the lineup and not play his usual compliment of minutes. One thing the Pacers know how to do is score. They’re averaging about 125 points per game this year! The counter there is that the Knicks are one of the best defensive teams in the league. They’re giving up just 109 points per game. They’ll have their work cut out for them tonight. Even without Julius Randle, they should be able to do whatever they want offensively. If they can play just a little defense tonight, they should be able to reward the home crowd with a win and keep their hot streak going.
Grizzlies +8 -114
The Grizzlies have a significant edge when it comes to rest in this matchup. The Grizzlies haven’t played since January 29th, while the Cavaliers will play their 3rd game in 4 nights and the 2nd night of a back-to-back tonight. After being the 2nd seed in the Western Conference last year, Memphis may be the biggest disappointment in the entire league right now. However, defense hasn’t been their issue, as they’re only giving up 112 points per game this year. The Cavs are only scoring about 114 points per game this year, so Memphis should be able to play good defense tonight. The key will be what kind of offense they can produce. They’ve been decimated by injuries and are only averaging 107 points per game this season. The key will be Jaron Jackson Jr. He is the biggest offensive weapon the team has by far right now. If he can bring his A game tonight and the Grizzlies can play their usual capable defense, they just might be able to catch the Cavs sleeping in this game and keep it close to cover this number.