Category: NBA

Thunder vs. Grizzlies same-game parlay predictions Feb. 8: Bet on Memphis alt spread, Gilgeous-Alexander points milestone

Thunder vs. Grizzlies predictions

The Memphis Grizzlies host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday night in a battle between the top two squads in the Western Conference.

The pregame narrative: OKC has a healthy lead for the West’s No. 1 seed, but I think Memphis can bridge the skill gap enough to cover an alt spread tonight. I’m also backing a pair of Canadians, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Zach Edey, to cash some overs on their prop markets.

Check out my Thunder vs. Grizzlies same-game parlay predictions for Feb. 8.

Thunder vs. Grizzlies predictions

Parlay: Grizzlies +5.5 | Gilgeous-Alexander 30+ points | Edey 8+ rebounds (+275)

Embed: #108966

Grizzlies +5.5 (-186): The Thunder steamrolled the Grizzlies when these teams last met (Dec. 29), but that game was played in Oklahoma City. Also, Edey and Ja Morant were both out.

I expect a much different result tonight as Memphis plays host at FedExForum.

  • The Grizzlies are a league-best 18-8 ATS at home, per Team Rankings, as well as 21-5 SU.
  • Memphis has covered a +5.5 spread in 24/26 home games and 44/51 overall games.

Memphis also has the rest advantage, having last played Wednesday in Toronto. OKC just faced the Raptors last night.

Other SGP legs

Gilgeous-Alexander 30+ points (-205): If there’s one guy I’m not worried about on a back-to-back, it’s SGA.

The odds-on MVP favourite had a lighter load than usual last night (12 shots in 29 minutes) as his team authored a wire-to-wire victory over Toronto.

For a guy who averages 34.0 minutes and 21.4 shot attempts, it was almost like working a half-day.

Gilgeous-Alexander leads the NBA in scoring (32.7 PPG) and has cashed this milestone in 30 of 49 games (61.2%).

In eight back-to-backs this year, he’s averaging 32.1 PPG and has hit the 30-point mark three straight times.

Edey 8+ rebounds (-177): Now that OKC can deploy two 7-footers in its starting lineup (Isaiah Hartenstein, Chet Holmgren), the Thunder’s rough rebounding numbers should improve.

But on a back-to-back in what will be Holmgren’s second game since November (if he plays), I’m not scared off by that towering tandem.

Edey (7-foot-4, 305 pounds) is bigger than both of them, and he’s finally rounding back into form on the glass.

  • Over his past seven games, Edey has averaged 22.4 minutes and 10.1 rebounds, cashing this bet five times.
  • In the 10 games before that, Edey averaged just 17.8 minutes and 5.7 rebounds.

I believe the Grizzlies were taking it slow with their rookie centre after he sustained a concussion on Dec. 27. He’s ramped up over the past seven games and should grab plenty of boards tonight.

OKC ranks 23rd in rebounding rate (49.1%).

Picks made at 11:50 a.m. on 02/08/25.

Anthony Davis props vs. Rockets Feb. 8: Fade Davis’ assist total in Mavericks debut

Anthony Davis props

For the first time since the seismic trade that caused Anthony Davis and Luka Doncic to trade places, AD will suit up for the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday afternoon.

The pregame narrative: In the first NBA game of the day, all eyes will be on Davis as he looks to steer the Mavericks out of the middle of the Western Conference standings. After missing a week and a half due to injury, Davis looks like a fade candidate to me.

Check out these Anthony Davis props for the Feb. 8 matchup against the Rockets.

Anthony Davis props vs. Rockets

AD marketsBetting odds
Over 24.5 points-118
Under 24.5 points-120
Over 10.5 rebounds-150
Under 10.5 rebounds+105
Over 3.5 assists-120
Under 3.5 assists-118
Over 35.5 points/rebounds-120
Under 35.5 points/rebounds-118
Over 1.5 blocks-209
Under 1.5 blocks+145

Best Davis prop bet

Best bet: Under 3.5 assists (-118)

Dallas didn’t bring in Davis to be a facilitator. He’s in the Lone Star State for his rim protection and scoring touch.

Keeping that in mind — along with his 3.4 assists-per-game average — this isn’t a line I expect him to clear very often in his new home.

I’m especially bearish on his assist potential today for a couple of reasons:

  • The Rockets allow the fewest assists per game in the NBA (22.7).
  • Davis hasn’t played since Jan. 28 due to an abdominal injury and could be brought along cautiously.

Davis has gone under 3.5 assists in 24 of 42 games this season (57.1%). In his final 10 games as a Laker, he hit the under eight times.

Say what you will about the unbelievable nature of the Doncic-AD trade, but Davis can still hoop at an elite level. He’s just not a prominent passer, and a fade in this spot makes perfect sense.

Key stat: Houston allows the fourth-fewest assists to opposing power forwards, per Betting Pros.

Pick as of 11:00 a.m. ET on 02/08/2025.

Anthony Davis props vs. Rockets Feb. 8: Fade Davis’ assist total in Mavericks debut

Anthony Davis props

For the first time since the seismic trade that caused Anthony Davis and Luka Doncic to trade places, AD will suit up for the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday afternoon.

The pregame narrative: In the first NBA game of the day, all eyes will be on Davis as he looks to steer the Mavericks out of the middle of the Western Conference standings. After missing a week and a half due to injury, Davis looks like a fade candidate to me.

Check out these Anthony Davis props for the Feb. 8 matchup against the Rockets.

Anthony Davis props vs. Rockets

AD marketsBetting odds
Over 24.5 points-121
Under 24.5 points-110
Over 11.5 rebounds+106
Under 11.5 rebounds-141
Over 3.5 assists-118
Under 3.5 assists-113
Over 39.5 PRA-120
Under 39.5 PRA-112
Over 3.5 steals/blocks+128
Under 3.5 steals/blocks-175
To record a double-double-265

Best Davis prop bet

Best bet: Under 3.5 assists (-113)

Embed: #108962

Dallas didn’t bring in Davis to be a facilitator. He’s in the Lone Star State for his rim protection and scoring touch.

Keeping that in mind — along with his 3.4 assists-per-game average — this isn’t a line I expect him to clear very often in his new home.

I’m especially bearish on his assist potential today for a couple of reasons:

  • The Rockets allow the fewest assists per game in the NBA (22.7).
  • Davis hasn’t played since Jan. 28 due to an abdominal injury and could be brought along cautiously.

Davis has gone under 3.5 assists in 24 of 42 games this season (57.1%). In his final 10 games as a Laker, he hit the under eight times.

Say what you will about the unbelievable nature of the Doncic-AD trade, but Davis can still hoop at an elite level. He’s just not a prominent passer, and a fade in this spot makes perfect sense.

Key stat: Houston allows the fourth-fewest assists to opposing power forwards, per Betting Pros.

Pick as of 10:00 a.m. ET on 02/08/2025.

Best NBA prop bets Feb. 8: Fade Reaves, back Zion Williamson and Nikola Jokic

NBA prop bets

Saturday’s NBA slate is loaded with 11 games running from 3:00 p.m. ET ’til midnight. I’ve got three prop bets for the action.

The pregame narrative: Zion Williamson holds value to fill the basket in a plus matchup while Austin Reaves is worth fading against a stingy defence. Elsewhere, I’m backing Nikola Jokic to hit a pair of 3s against the Phoenix Suns.

Check out the best NBA prop bets for Feb. 8.

Best NBA prop bets

Best bet: Reaves under 26.5 points (-125)

I’m a huge fan of Reaves’ game but this line is a bridge too far, even with LeBron James doubtful to play.

The dynamic shooting guard is averaging 18.5 PPG (a career-best) and has gone under this mark in 10 straight games. LeBron played in all of those contests but Reaves doesn’t clear this number often with the King out of the lineup:

  • Reaves is averaging 19.7 PPG in his last 15 games without James.
  • He’s 2-13 against this line in those contests, scoring 20 or fewer points 10 times.

It’s worth noting Anthony Davis played in some of those games and he’s no longer in the mix. Luka Doncic isn’t ready to go, either, so Reaves should be the alpha dog on Saturday.

Still, the Indiana Pacers have hit their defensive stride and I expect them to key in on Reaves.

Indiana has the fourth-best defensive rating in the NBA since Jan. 1 while allowing the ninth-fewest points per game.

Key stat: Reaves is 0-4 against this line lifetime versus the Pacers while averaging 14.0 PPG.

Quick picks

Williamson over 25.5 points (-118): The biggest knock on Williamson is his durability. But when the big man plays, he’s a force to be reckoned with.

Zion has nine games under his belt since returning from injury on Jan. 7 and the results have been encouraging:

  • 23.7 PPG
  • 56.2 FG%
  • 28+ points in four of his last five

Williamson appears to be on some kind of minutes restriction — he hasn’t played north of 30 minutes since returning — but that hasn’t slowed him down lately.

And tonight, he gets to go up against a Sacramento Kings team that allows the fourth-most points per game to power forwards.

Jokic over 1.5 threes (-188): Making bets with these odds is understandably not for everyone, but I’ll bite.

Jokic is having his best offensive season yet and is averaging career highs in 3-point makes (2.1) and attempts (4.5). That nets out to a 46.2 3PT%, which ranks No. 2 in the league.

He’s gone over this mark in five of his last six games and cleared this mark in both contests against the Suns this year.

Phoenix is playing on a back-to-back after losing in overtime on Friday, which means there’s some blowout potential here. But this line doesn’t ask a lot of Jokic, so I’m not worried.

Picks made at 9:21 a.m. ET on 02/08/2025.

Best NBA prop bets Feb. 8: Fade Reaves, back Zion Williamson and Nikola Jokic

NBA prop bets

Saturday’s NBA slate is loaded with 11 games running from 3:00 p.m. ET ’til midnight. I’ve got three prop bets for the action.

The pregame narrative: Zion Williamson holds value to fill the basket in a plus matchup while Austin Reaves is worth fading against a stingy defence. Elsewhere, I’m backing Nikola Jokic to hit a pair of 3s against the Phoenix Suns.

Check out the best NBA prop bets for Feb. 8.

Best NBA prop bets

Best bet: Reaves under 27.5 points (-127)

Embed: #108959

I’m a huge fan of Reaves’ game but this line is a bridge too far, even with LeBron James doubtful to play.

The dynamic shooting guard is averaging 18.5 PPG (a career-best) and has gone under this mark in 10 straight games. LeBron played in all of those contests but Reaves doesn’t clear this number often with the King out of the lineup:

  • Reaves is averaging 19.7 PPG in his last 15 games without James.
  • He’s 2-13 against this line in those contests, scoring 20 or fewer points 10 times.

It’s worth noting Anthony Davis played in some of those games and he’s no longer in the mix. Luka Doncic isn’t ready to go, either, so Reaves should be the alpha dog on Saturday.

Still, the Indiana Pacers have hit their defensive stride and I expect them to key in on Reaves.

Indiana has the fourth-best defensive rating in the NBA since Jan. 1 while allowing the ninth-fewest points per game.

Key stat: Reaves is 0-4 against this line lifetime versus the Pacers while averaging 14.0 PPG.

Quick picks

Williamson 25+ points (-117): The biggest knock on Williamson is his durability. But when the big man plays, he’s a force to be reckoned with.

Zion has nine games under his belt since returning from injury on Jan. 7 and the results have been encouraging:

  • 23.7 PPG
  • 56.2 FG%
  • 28+ points in four of his last five

Williamson appears to be on some kind of minutes restriction — he hasn’t played north of 30 minutes since returning — but that hasn’t slowed him down lately.

And tonight, he gets to go up against a Sacramento Kings team that allows the fourth-most points per game to power forwards.

Jokic over 1.5 threes (-152): Making bets with these odds is understandably not for everyone, but I’ll bite.

Jokic is having his best offensive season yet and is averaging career highs in 3-point makes (2.1) and attempts (4.5). That nets out to a 46.2 3PT%, which ranks No. 2 in the league.

He’s gone over this mark in five of his last six games and cleared this mark in both contests against the Suns this year.

Phoenix is playing on a back-to-back after losing in overtime on Friday, which means there’s some blowout potential here. But this line doesn’t ask a lot of Jokic, so I’m not worried.

Picks made at 9:21 a.m. ET on 02/08/2025.

Raptors vs. Thunder prop picks Feb. 7: Isaiah Hartenstein should dominate as a rebounder

Raptors vs. Thunder prop picks

In their first post-trade-deadline matchup, the Toronto Raptors hit the road to face the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The pregame narrative: The Raptors were active at the deadline, and they have some key injuries, which means the roster will be a shell of itself on Friday. Look for Immanuel Quickley to do his part as a facilitator and for Isaiah Hartenstein to feast on the glass.

Check out my Raptors vs. Thunder prop picks for Feb. 7.

Raptors vs. Thunder prop picks

Best bet: Hartenstein over 10.5 rebounds (-134)

Without Jakob Poeltl in Toronto’s lineup, Hartenstein should have his way as a rebounder tonight.

Poeltl, who’s out with a hip injury, is an adept rim protector with enough size (seven feet, 245 pounds) to push other bigs around.

On Wednesday, Memphis Grizzlies centre Zach Edey went to work against the Poeltl-less Raptors. He finished with 15 rebounds in just 25 minutes.

The only time Toronto came close to slowing down Edey was with Kelly Olynyk on the floor. But Olynyk was dealt to the New Orleans Pelicans just hours after that game.

Orlando Robinson, come on down. The undrafted centre is on his third team in three seasons, and he just might get the start for Toronto on Friday due to process of elimination.

Let’s get back to Hartenstein for a second. The primary risk for him is the reinsertion of Chet Holmgren into the lineup, but Holmgren hasn’t played since Nov. 10 and will likely be on a minutes restriction.

Hartenstein is averaging 12.2 rebounds. And now he’s facing a squad that doesn’t have a healthy NBA-calibre centre.

Facing a Poeltl-less Raptors squad in December, Hartenstein grabbed 16 rebounds in 28 minutes.

Key stat: Hartenstein has gone over 10.5 rebounds in seven of his past nine games.

Quick pick

Quickley over 4.5 assists (-134): OKC is arguably the best defensive team in the NBA, so this isn’t a good matchup for many overs on the Toronto side. But I’m intrigued by this assist number for Quickley.

Injuries have plagued Quickley this season, but he’s not on the injury report for Friday. That means the starting point guard spot is his.

And as a starting PG, isn’t a five-assist performance awfully reasonable? After all, he’s averaging 5.7 assists in 12 games this year.

Quickley has cashed this bet in six of nine games since Jan. 1. I’m hoping Scottie Barnes assumes more of a scoring role tonight and allows IQ to do his thing as a facilitator.

Picks made at 2:15 p.m. ET 02/07/2025.

Jazz vs. Suns same-game parlay predictions Feb. 7: Back Utah on alt spread, Markkanen from deep

Jazz vs. Suns predictions

The Phoenix Suns host the Utah Jazz in Friday’s NBA nightcap.

The pregame narrative: Phoenix’s season is spiralling out of control and I expect Utah to keep this one close with Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal questionable. Bet on Lauri Markkanen to make it rain from deep and Devin Booker to clear a modest points milestone.

Check out my Jazz vs. Suns same-game parlay predictions for Feb. 7.

Jazz vs. Suns predictions

Parlay: Jazz +11.5 | Markkanen 3+ threes | Booker 25+ points (+300)

Embed: #108918

Jazz +11.5 (-200): Vibes are low in the desert.

Durant missed Wednesday’s game with an ankle injury and is listed as questionable as of 12:30 p.m. It’s also been reported he’s unhappy with being shopped at Thursday’s trade deadline and is likely to be moved in the offseason.

Phoenix has been a horrible ATS team all season — especially as a home favourite (4-14-1) — so this sets up as a smash spot to back Utah.

The Jazz are far from a competitive team but they’ve covered this mark in four of their last five, winning two of those games outright.

Utah is 0-3 against Phoenix this year but never lost by more than eight points. Durant played in two of those matchups.

Other SGP legs

Markkanen 3+ threes (+130): Markkanen is having a down year but he’s still been consistent against this number.

The Finnish forward is shooting 35.2% from deep, which is his worst mark over the last five seasons. But he’s also shooting a career-high 8.5 threes per game, which evens things out.

He’s gone over this mark in seven of his last nine games while averaging 3.6 threes a night.

Markkanen has also cleared this mark in back-to-back games against the Suns, who allow the 13th-most 3s per game.

Booker 25+ points (-315): Booker is coming off a bizarre night where he dropped 19 points on just nine field goal attempts. But before that, he was on a roll:

  • Booker was averaging 30.1 PPG in his last 15 games prior to Wednesday.
  • He scored 25+ points in 12 of those 15 contests.

If Durant is out, all the better. But even if he’s in, this shouldn’t be a problem.

Booker scored 34 points on two separate occasions against Utah with Durant playing this season. In the game without Durant, he dropped 31.

Picks made at 1:10 p.m. on 02/07/25.

Raptors vs. Thunder prop picks Feb. 7: Isaiah Hartenstein should dominate as a rebounder

Raptors vs. Thunder prop picks

In their first post-trade-deadline matchup, the Toronto Raptors hit the road to face the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The pregame narrative: The Raptors were active at the deadline, and they have some key injuries, which means the roster will be a shell of itself on Friday. Look for Immanuel Quickley to do his part as a facilitator and for Isaiah Hartenstein to feast on the glass.

Check out my Raptors vs. Thunder prop picks for Feb. 7.

Raptors vs. Thunder prop picks

Best bet: Hartenstein over 10.5 rebounds (-125)

Embed: #108881

Without Jakob Poeltl in Toronto’s lineup, Hartenstein should have his way as a rebounder tonight.

Poeltl, who’s out with a hip injury, is an adept rim protector with enough size (seven feet, 245 pounds) to push other bigs around.

On Wednesday, Memphis Grizzlies centre Zach Edey went to work against the Poeltl-less Raptors. He finished with 15 rebounds in just 25 minutes.

The only time Toronto came close to slowing down Edey was with Kelly Olynyk on the floor. But Olynyk was dealt to the New Orleans Pelicans just hours after that game.

Orlando Robinson, come on down. The undrafted centre is on his third team in three seasons, and he just might get the start for Toronto on Friday due to process of elimination.

Let’s get back to Hartenstein for a second. The primary risk for him is the reinsertion of Chet Holmgren into the lineup, but Holmgren hasn’t played since Nov. 10 and will likely be on a minutes restriction.

Hartenstein is averaging 12.2 rebounds. And now he’s facing a squad that doesn’t have a healthy NBA-calibre centre.

Facing a Poeltl-less Raptors squad in December, Hartenstein grabbed 16 rebounds in 28 minutes.

Key stat: Hartenstein has gone over 10.5 rebounds in seven of his past nine games.

Quick pick

Quickley over 4.5 assists (+100): OKC is arguably the best defensive team in the NBA, so this isn’t a good matchup for many overs on the Toronto side. But I’m intrigued by this assist number for Quickley.

Injuries have plagued Quickley this season, but he’s not on the injury report for Friday. That means the starting point guard spot is his.

And as a starting PG, isn’t a five-assist performance awfully reasonable? After all, he’s averaging 5.7 assists in 12 games this year.

Quickley has cashed this bet in six of nine games since Jan. 1. I’m hoping Scottie Barnes assumes more of a scoring role tonight and allows IQ to do his thing as a facilitator.

Picks made at 11:15 a.m. ET 02/07/2025.

Best NBA prop bets Feb. 7: Back Tyler Herro, Joel Embiid on Friday

NBA prop bets

Tyler Herro and Joel Embiid headline Friday’s NBA prop bets.

The pregame narrative: Herro is the man on the Miami Heat these days, and I expect him to let it fly from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, Embiid should pick up where he left off filling the basket and Chris Paul has value as a passer.

Check out the best NBA prop bets for Feb. 7.

Best NBA prop bets

Best bet: Herro 4+ threes (-134)

With Jimmy Butler out of the picture, it’s officially Herro’s team in South Beach.

That’s mostly semantics, though, because basketball fans know the sixth-year guard has been the guy all season. Herro is having his best year as a scorer, posting career-highs in several key metrics:

  • PPG: 23.9
  • 3PA: 9.7
  • 3PM: 3.8

He’s shooting with frequency and accuracy from beyond the arc and draws a solid matchup on Friday against the Brooklyn Nets.

Brooklyn allows the third-highest opponent 3-point percentage (37.6%) and is tied for allowing the 15th-most 3s per game (13.5).

Herro has cleared this mark in three of his last five games and attempted double-digit 3s in four of those contests.

He fell just shy of this line against the Nets on Jan. 25 when he went 3-for-6 from deep. I’m hoping to see a slight uptick in volume this evening.

Key stat: Herro has 4+ threes in 25 of 48 games (52.1%) this year.

Quick picks

Embiid over 29.5 points (-108): Maybe all the blockbuster trades spooked Embiid, or maybe he’s finally healthy. Either way, the big man is back in Philadelphia’s lineup — seemingly without a minutes restriction — and I want in.

Embiid returned from a month-long hiatus on Tuesday against the Dallas Mavericks and dropped 29 points in 36 minutes.

He shot 12-of-23 from the field and left some points on the table by going 4-of-9 from the charity stripe.

This should be a cinch if we get that type of run and volume from Embiid tonight.

  • Embiid averaged 33+ points in each of the previous two seasons.
  • He’s scored 27+ points in 8/10 games this season when playing over 30 minutes.

The Detroit Pistons, Friday’s opponent, give up the ninth-most PPG to opposing centres.

Paul over 7.5 assists (+100): This line seems way too low. Sure, De’Aaron Fox is on the San Antonio Spurs now, but it looks like Paul is still running point.

The veteran played 30 minutes on Wednesday with Fox in the lineup and logged nine helpers against the Atlanta Hawks.

He’s has seven-plus assists in eight straight games, clearing this line five times.

If anything, Fox is just another elite scorer for Paul to feed.

Picks made at 8:57 a.m. ET on 02/07/2025.

Bucks vs. Hawks same-game parlay predictions Feb. 7: Bet on Giannis, Young in +270 SGP

Bucks vs. Hawks predictions

The spiralling Atlanta Hawks host the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night in their first matchup coming out of the trade deadline.

The pregame narrative: Atlanta is 1-9 in its past 10 games and became a modest seller at the deadline. With some moving pieces on both sides, I kept this SGP simple by backing Trae Young and Giannis Antetokounmpo in a +270 ticket.

Check out my Bucks vs. Hawks same-game parlay predictions for Feb. 7.

Bucks vs. Hawks predictions

Parlay: Under 247.5 points | Young 25+ points | Giannis 45+ points/rebounds/assists (+270)

Embed: #108856

Under 247.5 points (-177): Atlanta has the NBA’s highest overs rate at home (16-7-0, 69.6%), per Team Rankings. But for a number this high, I still prefer the under.

  • This under is 8-2 in Atlanta’s past 10 home games.
  • The Bucks and Hawks combined for 223 and 212 points, respectively, in their two previous matchups this season (both in Milwaukee).

It just so happens that Milwaukee went over this total twice last week, but that looks like a total fluke. The Bucks have finished under 248.5 points in 46 of 49 games on the year.

Both teams were active at the trade deadline with multiple moves. If anything, I think the potential chemistry disruption of reshuffled rosters will have a greater effect on offence than defence.

SGP legs

Young 25+ points (-180): Even with an alt under in place, I love this number (and this matchup) for Young.

  • Milwaukee allows the most PPG to opposing point guards (26.8), per Betting Pros.
  • Young is averaging 25.5 PPG over his past 20 games.

Young is off to a scorching start in February, notching three straight games of 30-plus points.

And when he last faced the Bucks on Dec. 14, Young dropped 35 while shooting 50.0% from the floor.

Giannis 45+ PRA (-360): The only thing stopping Giannis right now is some calf tightness. But when he’s on the floor, he’s bound to put up big numbers.

The Greek Freak is questionable tonight after missing back-to-back games. Prior to that, he was on a mesmerizing heater:

  • 30+ points in 7/8 games
  • 11+ rebounds in 19 straight games
  • 45+ PRA in 10/13 games

Atlanta allows the seventh-most points to opposing power forwards, but Giannis’ sky-high floor as a rebounder is something I want to tap into as well.

With this alt PRA line, you can back Giannis at a number he’s cleared in both matchups against the Hawks this season.

Picks made at 10:00 a.m. ET 02/07/2025