The NBA season continues on Sunday with eight games on the slate. This sets up for an exciting day of basketball as six of the eight games feature spreads of three points or fewer. Our analysts Joe Dellera and Andrew O'Connor-Watts are targeting a prop bet and a spread bet for their top plays. Check out their picks and analysis below.
NBA Odds & Picks
Chicago Bulls vs Sacramento Kings
Joe Dellera: The Bulls take on the Kings in a game with one of the highest point totals this season, and sharp money has pushed the over up three points from the open. Both teams are top 10 in Pace, so this is no surprise.
This should mean plenty of more opportunities for players on each team, but I’m focusing on Domantas Sabonis.
Sabonis has been incredible with the Kings ever since he was acquired in a trade for the NBA’s assist leader, Tyrese Haliburton, and this trade seems to have benefitted both franchises. This season, Sabonis has averaged 17 points, 10.7 rebounds and 6.4 assists for a total of 34.1 PRA, which is below this current PRA line of 35.5.
However, there should be an increase in Pace for both teams in this spot, and Sabonis has a strong track record against Nikola Vucevic.
Over the last three seasons, Sabonis averages 20.5/12.3/5.8 (38.6 PRA) versus Vuc. Given the pace here, I expect him to continue his strong play and contribute across the board.
Boston Celtics vs. Brooklyn Nets
Andrew O'Connor-Watts: The last time these two teams played each other was in the first round of last season's playoffs, in which the Boston Celtics swept the Brooklyn Nets on their way to an NBA Finals run.
Despite the sweep, Boston was far from dominant, winning by an average of 4.5 points per game as the Nets managed to keep each game competitive.
The Celtics own this matchup when looking at the immediate past. They are 5-0 straight up in their last five games against the Nets, and the Celtics continue to dominate, going 5-1 against the spread in their last six games and 14-2 straight up in their last 16.
The Nets have turned things around from their early season woes. They are currently fourth in Effective Field Goal Percentage and second in Defensive Effective Field Goal Percentage—behind only the Bucks. That has translated to success for Nets bettors, as they are 11-5 against the spread in their last 16 games. They’ve also been playing well at home as they have gone 5-1 against the spread in their last six and are 9-4 versus the Celtics at home.
Both teams are in good form, but the edge here lies in the motivations of each teams. The Nets have had this game circled since last season and should come out with a bang. I like them to win, so I’ll take the points at +3 with Brooklyn. I might even sprinkle some on the moneyline as this is a huge statement game for the Nets.
