NBA Betting: Vol. 2

30w/29l ; +31,664 units ; ROI: +11.03%

Minnesota Timberwolves - Sacramento Kings
Pick: Sacramento

Odds: 3.39

Betting shop: Pinnacle

Stake: 2/10

I have to take this—it’s practically mandatory. The Timberwolves are missing Kevin Love, the guy essentially carrying them this season with 25.0 points (4th in the league) and 13.7 rebounds (2nd in the league)—including 4.2 offensive boards. That's an extra four possessions per game just from him. He's out tonight due to a suspension after taking issue with Luis Scola in the last matchup. The rest of the Minnesota roster isn't bad, per se. You have Ricky Rubio, who sees the floor well but lacks a reliable jumper; the speedy Bare, whom Evans will need to contain; Ridnour, whose recent play has arguably outpaced his actual talent level; and the volatile Michael Beasley, whose shooting percentages tend to swing wildly between desperation and decent. I suspect Beasley becomes the primary scoring option tonight. They are capable players, sure, but without Love to step up when things get tight—whether it’s via a three, a layup, or free throws—they lack leadership. I simply don't see anyone else in this Minnesota group capable of pulling them out of a hole.

The Sacramento Kings have picked up two straight wins. They're playing on a back-to-back tonight—a minor nuisance, but ultimately irrelevant. DeMarcus Cousins is an elite center; one of the better offensive bigs in the league, a strong rebounder, and quick enough that opposing centers struggle to stay with him. Both him and Beasley are inconsistent, though hopefully they find some discipline tonight. Sacramento is dealing with zero injuries—Hayes is back to bolster the defense, and their leading scorer, Thorton, has returned to provide much-needed offensive dimension.

Minnesota enters as the favorite here. Their record sits at 50% this season, while Sacramento is 9-15. However, in my view, the Kings aren't nearly the massive underdogs that these 3.39 odds suggest.

Joshua Gonzalez33 said:Derby Games 2317: Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City) (-27.5+) 02/07 11:55 PM... more @1,85
Kevin Durant is averaging 27 points, but he jumps to 29 when he's on the road. The main reason? He just isn't blowing teams out of the water away from home like he should. I’m expecting a high-scoring affair here. The line is set at 205, and honestly, I think both teams will blow right past that... The heavy hitters for Oklahoma City are Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and you can't forget James Harden. I don't see Westbrook scoring much tonight, though. The Golden State Warriors have the second-best perimeter defense in the league, giving up only 16.6 points per game. Even better, their home defense against point guards is elite—they only allow 13.5 points from that position. That's incredibly low. So, if Russell Westbrook struggles tonight, who else is going to step up besides Kevin Durant? That alone makes this risk worth taking. But there's more... Golden State has the worst small forward defense in the league, giving up 21.8 points per game. At home, they give up as many as 23.4 from that spot. I think Kevin Durant is going to absolutely tear them apart tonight...

Post by: Bubreg ☕

I'd bet my left kidney that West stays under 23.5... 🙂

N/A 😁

I'm following the spread with James Taylor3 and Joshua Gonzalez33. ☕

Scott Jackson said:I'd bet a kidney that Westbrook averages less than 23.5... 🙂

Put those two together ☕

You’re really going after Ivica Klasnić now, aren't you? ☕

Arthur Hill2 said:You're really out here defending Ivica Klasnić ☕

🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂

...much like Stephen Curry, who's dealing with some minor groin issues and both ankles

Is this actually accurate?

I honestly think his ankles have been an issue since last season, which is why he ended up missing a few games this year too, if I recall correctly.

Stephen Curry caught a stray knee right in the groin during Saturday's matchup, but he powered through to finish with 11 points, nine assists, and three triples on 4-of-14 shooting.

The Warriors' starters sat out the entire fourth quarter under Mark Jackson, but Curry came back to lead the charge in overtime. He looked a little shaky coming back into the action, but honestly, the silver lining is that he toughed it out and it doesn't seem like anything major. He should be good to go moving forward.

Is Ellis actually going to suit up today, or what?

I put together a bit of a consensus based on what most of you guys have been saying here. So far, Danny Granger is off to a rough start. 🙂

shadowgardener10 said:I’ve put together a bit of a consensus based on most of what you guys have been saying here. So far, Danny Granger's start hasn't looked great... 🙂

0-4 😁

he isn't bad 😁

So here we go, 0-5 🤦

swiftbadger30 said:0-4 😁

Not bad. 😁

I'm just sitting here waiting for him, and of course, he can't hit a single shot. 🙂 🙂

Garnett is the better bet here—he's looking sharp lately—whereas Nash is a definite under; I mean, let’s be real, after dropping 25 three-pointers yesterday, there is zero chance he hits even one today. It's basically Miami vs Cleveland at this point.

Man, I’ve got Danny Granger on my squad too, and we are sitting at a pathetic 0-6 after starting 0-2. 🤣

Danny Granger is basically mocking the entire league at this point... 🤣

0-6 🤦

I wouldn't want that job either. 😁

2 points at the half.

Bet they won't even hit double digits by the end of this.

Man, Jamison is absolutely tearing it up right now. 😬