PICKS & PARLAYS

The Washington Wizards (16-46), carrying a seven-game losing streak and a 5-24 road record that ranks among the league's worst, travel to Smoothie King Center to face the New Orleans Pelicans (20-44) on Sunday, March 8, tipping off at 7:00 PM ET. Trae Young suits up for just his second game as a Wizard, still shaking off ten weeks of rehab rust after logging 12 points and six assists on a 19-minute restriction in his Thursday debut against Utah. Anthony Davis (finger, season), Kyshawn George (elbow), Jamir Watkins (foot), D'Angelo Russell (non-injury related), Tristan Vukcevic (thigh), and Cam Whitmore (shoulder, season) all remain out for Washington. New Orleans returns home from a six-game road swing with Zion Williamson healthy after playing through his right ankle sprain in Friday's loss at Phoenix, and Trey Murphy III carrying a career-high 21.9 points per game and three straight outings at 21 or more. The Pelicans opened as 9.5-point home favorites, total sitting at 242.5, in what projects as a matchup between two bottom-ten defenses with a significant talent advantage sitting at home.

The Dallas Mavericks (21-42), sitting on a six-game losing streak and their fourth road game in five days, visit Scotiabank Arena to face the Toronto Raptors (35-27) on Sunday, March 8, tipping off at 6:00 PM ET, with Cooper Flagg listed as questionable due to a left midfoot sprain and both Kyrie Irving and Dereck Lively II confirmed out. This is a matchup between a Toronto team fighting for playoff seeding in the East and a Mavs squad that has won twice in their last 18 games, running on empty through a brutal stretch of road basketball with a rookie star who re-aggravated his foot injury on the floor at TD Garden just 24 hours ago. The Raptors opened as 10-to-10.5-point home favorites depending on the book, and the total sits at 228.5, setting up a number that asks both teams to score above what either has actually done in weeks.

The Detroit Pistons (45-17), owners of the East's best record and a three-game skid that nobody saw coming, fly into Kaseya Center to face the Miami Heat (35-29) on Sunday, March 8, tipping off at 6:00 PM ET, with Cade Cunningham listed as a game-time decision due to a left quad contusion and Ausar Thompson confirmed out with a right ankle sprain. Detroit is playing the second night of a back-to-back after dropping a Saturday home game to Brooklyn, a squad that entered the week with the NBA's longest losing streak. Miami, meanwhile, just knocked off Charlotte on Friday in a 128-120 thriller and has a full day of rest. The Pistons opened as -1.5 road favorites depending on the book, and the total sits around 222.5, setting up one of those spots where the favorite's credentials and the actual conditions they're walking into are telling two different stories.

The Boston Celtics (42-21) visit Rocket Arena on Sunday, March 8 to face the Cleveland Cavaliers (39-24) in an ABC national showcase with genuine East playoff-seeding stakes, tipping off at 1:00 PM ET. Jarrett Allen is out with knee tendinitis, Donovan Mitchell is probable after sitting four straight games with a groin issue, and Jayson Tatum clears the injury report entirely for his first road start since tearing his Achilles last May. Cleveland opened as a slim home favorite, with the line sitting between Cavaliers -1 and -1.5 depending on the book, and the total ranging from 223.5 to 224.5 across books. Two bottom-five pace teams on the floor, the #1 defense in the NBA showing up on the road, and a starting center on the shelf for the home squad: 224.5 is a number bettors should find very interesting.

The New York Knicks (41-23), riding the Eastern Conference's most convincing stretch run at 16-5 in their last 21 games, fly into Crypto.com Arena to face the Los Angeles Lakers (38-25) on Sunday, March 8, tipping off at 3:30 PM ET on ABC, one day after dismantling Denver 142-103 on the road while the Lakers pulled their own 128-117 win over Indiana with Luka Doncic torching the Pacers for 44 in the first three quarters. LeBron James (left elbow contusion, left foot arthritis) and Maxi Kleber (lumbar back strain) are both questionable for Sunday, while Deandre Ayton returns after sitting out Friday, and Miles McBride remains out for New York through the playoffs following core muscle surgery. New York opens as a 3.5-point road favorite with the total at 227.5, a number that looks clean on paper but comes loaded with a LeBron health question that could swing this line before tip, a Jalen Brunson who has quietly gone cold since the All-Star break, and a Lakers squad that is 19-12 at home and absolutely has the firepower to keep this one competitive.