NBA Parlay Picks For Tuesday: Miami Heat vs. Toronto Raptors, Warriors vs Spurs, and More
NBA Parlay Picks For Tuesday: Miami Heat vs. Toronto Raptors, Warriors vs Spurs, and More
Tuesday's NBA Parlay
- New Orleans Pelicans +6 (Pelicans vs Pistons Odds)
- Orlando Magic +11 (Magic vs Bulls odds)
- Denver Nuggets +8 (Nuggets vs Timberwolves odds)
Odds: +297 (Bet $100 to win $297)
Tuesday's NBA Parlay Breakdown
There's a term among NBA fans, given to matchups between two unappealing teams that won't draw national attention, these games are known as "league pass games" and tonight's contest between the Detroit Pistons and New Orleans Pelicans certainly fits the bill. Outside of each team's fanbase, nobody is going to tune into two of the worse teams in the NBA duking it out midway through the regular season. But, with Cade Cunningham and Brandon Ingram sharing the floor, there's bound to be some enjoyable basketball - even if it does project to be scrappy. The good news is, neither team is missing any of their primary rotation (except for Zion Williamson, of course) so we know what we're getting heading into the contest. Both rosters are towards the bottom of the league for defensive efficiency, and neither have an offensive scheme to shout home about, so this matchup will be wide open. Technically, the Pelicans have the better players, but the Pistons seem to be more cohesive as a unit. It's a tough game to call, as both sides have their flaws, but I like Detroit for the victory tonight, which is why I'm running with the Pelicans on a +6 spread.
Next up, we have the Orlando Magic vs. the Chicago Bulls. There are no new injuries for either team, so again, we know what to expect coming into the game. For all the enjoyment I get watching the Magic play - mainly due to Cole Anthony - they're not at the required level to be considered tough opponents, especially when facing a roster as deep and talented as Chicago's. Another thing to look out for is how Nikola Vucevic performs against his old team, now that they're rather thin in the middle. From a numbers standpoint, the Bulls are far superior offensively, but similar on defense. As such, we can expect Chicago to push the pace and create early scoring opportunities to begin the game, as they try to build a sustainable lead. The Bulls won't want to get into a slug-fest, especially since Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso (their two best perimeter defenders) are out for this contest. However, I'm expecting Zach Lavine and DeMar DeRozan to feast on Orlando's 23rd ranked defense, which is why I'm giving Orlando a liberal +11-point head start for tonight's game.
Finally, we have the Denver Nuggets against the Minnesota Timberwolves. For anybody that hasn't been following Minnesota's recent games, they're been a vastly improved unit, and Karl Anthony-Towns has upped his game as a result - ending Sunday's game against the Utah Jazz with a triple-double. Still, the Denver Nuggets have continued to plod along, despite their injury issues, and will pose a stern threat to the Timberwolves' current confidence. This game will be the third time these two teams have played each other this season, with each roster taking a victory, yet it's worth noting that Denver is missing Michael Porter Jr now, as opposed to when they won their first meeting between the two teams back in late October. Numbers-wise, there's not much to separate these two rosters, as both seem to be middle of the pack in their efficiency metrics. Obviously, Nikola Jokic (questionable for today's game) will be a big swing factor tonight, and should he play, will be tasked with containing Towns while quarterbacking Denver's offense. When looking at the available rosters, and recent form, things get even trickier. The Nuggets have won 6 of their last 7 games, while the Timberwolves are 4-3, the weird part is, Denver is the team dealing with the litany of injury issues. However, I do favor Minnesota to win tonight, even if it's by a small margin, but I know how easily this game could swing the other way, which is why I'm hedging my bet by backing the Nuggets on a +8-spread.
Miami Heat vs. Toronto Raptors Same-Game Parlay
- Miami Heat +9
- Over 208.5 Points
Odds: +145 (Bet $100 to win $145)
Miami Heat vs. Toronto Raptors Line Movement
The Miami Heat are coming into tonight's game against the Toronto Raptors on the second night of a back-to-back and nursing a bruised ego after a 30-point drubbing at the hands of the Boston Celtics. Kyle Lowry, Jimmy Butler, Markieff Morris, and Victor Oladipo all remain out for this contest too, meaning the Heat's rotation continues to be under-manned and will have some seriously tired legs. The sad thing is, Toronto's roster is relatively healthy, but has the same record as the hobbled Heat over the last two weeks, with both teams 4-3 in that timespan. Furthermore, both franchises boast one of the better tacticians in the NBA and have high demands placed on their heads because of it. In terms of talent, the Heat, despite their current rotation crunch, is the better and deeper roster, and I would hope that sees them through tonight's contest. But, I doubt it. Toronto has the size, speed, and length to damage this Miami team's - especially without Butler to lead the line as a physical presence. So, I'm running with the Raptors, and giving the Heat a +9 head start to try and even the playing field.
Golden State Warriors vs. San Antonio Spurs Same-Game Parlay
- San Antonio Spurs +8
- Over 224.5 Points
Odds: +155 (Bet $100 to win $155)
Golden State Warriors vs. San Antonio Spurs Line Movement
It's worth remembering that the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Golden State Warriors earlier this season, and while Steph Curry and co. have lost a few recently, the Spurs served them an L while they were on a tear to begin the season. However, expecting lightning to strike twice is never a good strategy when the goal is to make money, so we won't be doing that today. Rather, we will be backing the team that sits 1st in defensive rating and 12th in offensive rating - yes, the Warriors. Neither team has released their injury report at the time of writing, but we can expect Draymond Green's name to remain on there, which continues to be a hammer blow to the Warriors' offensive game-plan. A nice side note is that over the last 14 days, the Spurs have been a top-5 offense, although their defense continues to let them down, which is probably why the team has won just 3 of their last 7 games. Meanwhile, the Warriors have blasted 7 wins from their last 8 games, again over a 14 day period, and look to be figuring things out with Klay Thompson back on the floor. I like how Greg Popovich has the Spurs playing this season, and think Dejounte Murray continues to be a candidate for "most improved player", but against this Warriors team, it doesn't matter much. I've stuck with Golden State (almost to a fault) all season, and won't be changing my stance today, which is why I'm taking them on a +8 spread and expecting the Warriors to tie up the season series at 1-1.