Xam’s Daily Gems:
76ers Money Line -158
The 76ers are coming into this game well rested, as they have only played one game since January 30th. They are still learning to play without MVP Joel Embiid. Paul Reed has filled in admirably in his absence. To win this game, the 76ers will need guys like Tyrese Maxey, Tobias Harris, and Kelly Oubre Jr. to continue stepping up. The Nets are giving up 115 points per game this year, so the 76ers should still be able to produce offensively. The key will be containing Cam Thomas and Mikal Bridges. Expect the defensive gameplan to focus on them. The 76ers still have championship aspirations, and to get there they will need to win games like this.
Hawks Money Line -134
The Hawks are coming into this game with momentum. They have won 3 straight games and haven’t scored less than 126 points in 4 straight! It’s the 2nd night of a back-to-back and their 3rd game in 4 nights, but the same is true for the Warriors. Neither team is playing particularly good defense this year, which explains why the total is so high on this game. The Hawks should continue their offensive prowess in this game. The key will be what kind of defense we can expect from the Hawks tonight. They’re giving up 123 points per game and may be tired in this game. Fortunately, they shouldn’t need too much defense to win. If they can just slow down Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Jonathan Kuminga a little bit, the offense should be able to do the rest tonight.
Lakers/Knicks Over 226 Points -110
LeBron James and Anthony Davis are coming into this game rested after getting their last game off. Without them, and against a quality team, they scored 114 points. They’ve been scoring points all year. They’re also giving up a ton of points. They are giving up 117 points on average this year. The Knicks have been playing solid defense lately, but the Lakers should be able to figure out how to score in this game. The Knicks getting back OG Anunoby would be helpful for this game. Without him and Julius Randle, it’s been largely left to Jalen Brunson and Donte DiVincenzo for offense. The key tonight what kind of offense the Knicks can generate. The Lakers should be able to score like they normally do. If the Knicks bring their offense, we could be in store for a shootout at MSG.
Cavaliers/Spurs Over 229 Points -110
The Spurs have been dreadful this year defensively, and now they’re on the second night of a back-to-back and their 3rd game in 4 nights. This will be Cleveland’s 3rd game in 4 nights as well, but they were off last night so they should be rested for this matchup. The Spurs, led by rookie phenom VIctor Wembanyama and Devin Vassell, have been playing better offense recently. The blowout potential is high in this game, with the lopsided point spread and the Spurs playing the 2nd night of a back-to-back. The key will be what the Spurs do offensively. They’ll likely need to score early and often. Cleveland shouldn’t have any issues scoring tonight. If San Antonio can keep the Cavs engaged, Cleveland should do the bulk of the scoring tonight.