Monday’s nine-game NBA slate kicks off another exciting week of action on the court. Tonight’s national-TV doubleheader will be covered by ESPN, featuring the Philadelphia 76ers at Dallas Mavericks & Denver Nuggets at Golden State Warriors.
On Friday, I went 2-1 to bring my season-long record to 90-55-2 ATS (62.1%). Here are three more free NBA picks to get things going in the right direction to start the week.
Table of contents
- Sacramento Kings at New Orleans Pelicans (-2.5) – Total: 234
- Chicago Bulls at Memphis Grizzlies (-2.5) – Total: 228.5
- Denver Nuggets (-4.5) at Golden State Warriors – Total: 226
Sacramento Kings at New Orleans Pelicans (-2.5) – Total: 234
SAC: normal rest
NOR: back-end b2b (@CLE yesterday), 3 games in 4 days, 4 in 6, 5 in 7
The Kings clearly have the advantage in terms of rest. The Pelicans are playing their second game in as many nights, and tonight makes it their fifth in seven nights. New Orleans already sucks at home when favored, going 5-11 ATS in that scenario. In comparison, Sacramento is 11-9 ATS as a road underdog this season.
We can tell something funky is going on, as the Pels are only favored by 2.5 points. You may even be able to get away with a Kings ML victory here.
Betting Pick: Kings (+2.5)
Chicago Bulls at Memphis Grizzlies (-2.5) – Total: 228.5
CHI: back-end b2b (@MIN yesterday), 3 games in 4 days, 4 in 5, 5 in 7 (all on the road)
MEM: back-end b2b (vs IND yesterday), 3 games in 4 days, 4 in 6, 5 in 7
As bad as the Grizzlies have been over the last few days, this is a situation that even they shouldn’t screw up. The Bulls are playing their second game in as many nights, and it’s actually their second back-to-back set over the last five days. I think we can already see the fatigue setting in, as Chicago lost to Minnesota, which owns the worst record in the league.
Memphis blew a huge lead in New York on Friday and then followed that up with a dreadful performance at home last night against Indiana. And this is odd, considering the Grizz are one of the best ATS teams in the NBA. I don’t think they’ll screw me three games in a row, they owe me one!
Betting Pick: Grizzlies (-2.5)
Denver Nuggets (-4.5) at Golden State Warriors – Total: 226
DEN: back-end b2b (vs BOS yesterday), 3 games in 4 days, 4 in 6, 5 in 7
GS: 3 games in 4 days (all at home)
The Nuggets will be playing their second game in as many days, and it’s also their fifth in seven days. Yesterday’s loss against the Celtics was absolutely embarrassing, suffering defeat by 18 points on their own home floor.
Golden State has already been successful in this matchup, winning four of the last six games outright, and covering the spread in five of them. While the Warriors have played three games in the last four days, all of those games have been at home. That means Stephen Curry and the fellas have been able to lounge at home while the Nuggets come into tonight’s matchup gassed.
Betting Pick: Warriors (+4.5)
