NBA Parlay Picks For Wednesday: New York Knicks vs. Philadelphia Sixers, Heat vs. Bucks, And More
NBA Parlay Picks For Wednesday: New York Knicks vs. Philadelphia Sixers, Heat vs. Bucks, And More
Wednesday's Picks
- Utah Jazz Moneyline
- Phoenix Suns Moneyline
- Denver Nuggets Moneyline
Odds: -255 (Bet $255 to win 100)
NBA Parlay Breakdown
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I try not to lean into moneyline bets unless there's a league-wide injury crisis or there's a run of games that have clear favorites. Today's slate of games falls into the latter category and considering we're in this to make a profit (however slender) we have to go where the likely victories are going to be.
Our first game sees the Utah Jazz face off against the Houston Rockets, and like all the games in this parlay, there's a clear favorite and a total underdog. Here we have a Jazz team that sits first in offensive rating and 12th in defensive rating, who like to play a push-the-pace style of basketball, while the Rockets sit dead last in defensive rating and 27th in offensive rating - so you can see why this game figures to be a lop-sided affair. At the time of writing, the Rockets are yet to release their injury report, but we do know that the Jazz is fully healthy except for Jared Butler, who doesn't figure to impact how this game is likely to go. It's fair to assume that the better team is going to come out on top tonight, and we're going to profit from that assumption, assuming it's correct.
Next up, we have the Phoenix Suns taking on the Portland Trail Blazers. Sure, Portland is a better team than the Houston Rockets, but they're still nowhere near the Suns level, especially while Damian Lillard continues to recover from surgery. The Trail Blazers are missing Eric Bledsoe, Joe Ingles, Lillard, Nassir Little, Jusuf Nurkic, and Justise Winslow - so their team is already threadbare in terms of talent. Sure, Phoenix is missing some players too, Chris Paul and Cameron Payne are both big blows to the Suns' guard rotation, but we can expect Devin Booker to ease that pain with his improved playmaking. I've harped on about balanced rosters in recent weeks, pointing out their success and lack of weakness, and the Suns are as balanced as they come, ranking 3rd in both offensive and defensive rating. I can't see the Trail Blazers finding success against such a well-rounded team, especially given their current slate of injuries, which is why I've added this game to our money line parlay.
Finally, we have the Denver Nuggets vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder. This game is the toughest leg of the parlay. Not because the Nuggets aren't a good team, but because the Thunder doesn't know when to quit, they keep battling right until the final whistle. Unfortunately, Oklahoma itself themselves in a similar position to the Trail Blazers - lacking the required talent to compete with their opponent, and being hindered by a string of injuries across the roster. Josh Giddey, Luguentz Dort, Ty Jerome, Mike Muscala, Jeremiah Robinso-Earl, Aaron Wiggins, and Kenrich Williams are all out of tonight's game - that's 7 guys from a 15 man roster, all injured. While the Nuggets are without Michael Porter Jr. and Jamal Murray, with Zeke Nnaji a game-time decision. So, we have a team that boasts the reigning MVP and a solid supporting cast vs a team in the midst of a rebuild with half of its roster on ice. Of course, you're leaning towards the Nuggets - who wouldn't be?
New York Knicks vs. Philadelphia 76ers, Same-Game Parlay
- New York Knicks +13
- James Harden Over 23.5 Points
- James Harden Over 2.5 Threes
Odds: +410 (Bet $100 to win $410)
New York Knicks vs. Philadelphia 76ers Line Movement
It's early days right now, but it would seem the Joel Embiid and James Harden pairing is destined for success. The duo has been dominant in their first few games together and it will be interesting to see how teams try to slow the pairing down. Of course, the Philadelphia 76ers have other weapons too, and aren't solely reliant on their star duo getting hot every night. Of course, that doesn't bode well for the New York Knicks who face the Sixers later today and are tasked with somehow halting their own implosion while also keeping Embiid and Harden quiet for a full 48 minutes.
I don't know about you, but I think that might be asking too much of the Knicks, especially given the lack of camaraderie within the roster at present. Neither team has any new injuries to report, so we know what to expect from each side. The Knicks, who built their success last season on the basis of solid defense, are not the same roster that captivated New York, and currently sit 17th in defensive rating. I'm expecting Harden to punish the Knicks' perimeter defense and for Embiid to feast around the rim and in the mid-range despite the presence of Mitchell Robinson. I'm being incredibly generous here and giving the Knicks a +13-point spread to try and level the playing field, but even that might not be enough.
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Miami Heat vs. Milwaukee Bucks Same-Game Parlay
- Miami Heat +7
- Jimmy Butler Under 7.5 Rebounds
- P.J. Tucker Under 7.5 Points
Odds: +389 (Bet $100 to win $389)
Miami Heat vs Milwaukee Bucks Line Movement
The contest between the Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks is arguably the best game of the day, as we're seeing a potential Eastern Conference Finals preview. P.J. Tucker is facing off against his old team, and both rosters are coming into this game fairly healthy after both have struggled to put out their best lineups for the majority of the season.
The Heat is still without Kyle Lowry who is away from the team due to personal reasons, but the remainder of both injury reports consists of the usual suspects, so there's nothing new to report there. I think the Bucks are the slight favorite for tonight's game, as their form of late has been impressive - ranking first in offensive rating over the last two weeks of play. The Bucks, when healthy, is still one the premier teams in the NBA, but the Heat are one of the deepest, with talent oozing from every position. We're going to see a great battle of wills tonight, and while I expect the Bucks to come out on top, I'm hedging my bets by backing the Heat on a +7-point spread, as I can't see this game being decided by more than a couple of possessions.