Tuesday's NBA Odds, Prediction, and Picks For March 5, 2019

It’s a busy Tuesday in the NBA on March 5th and we’ve picked four exciting matchups to preview.

We’ve got a pair of marquee games in Houston taking on Toronto and Boston visiting Golden State. We also take a look at the schedule of two other title contenders in the OKC Thunder and the Philadelphia 76ers.

Oklahoma City Thunder at Minnesota Timberwolves

The Oklahoma City Thunder hit the road as they take on the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night at the Target Center in Minnesota.

The Thunder have to be relieved that their four-game winning streak is over after beating the Memphis Grizzlies. However, they have to be concerned because Paul George will still be unable to play in this game. George is suffering from a sore shoulder and he’s missed the Thunder’s last three games and OKC has gone 1-2 without him.

George is having an MVP season in Oklahoma City as he is averaging 28.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, 4.3 assists and a league-best 2.3 steals per game. With George out though, the burden falls in the hands of Russell Westbrook who is having another triple double season with 22.4 points ,11.2 rebounds and 10.8 assists per game this season. Steven Adams is contributing 14.6 points and 9.7 rebounds per game while Dennis Schroder is averaging 15.6 points and 4.2 assists per game.

The Thunder rank 5th in scoring at 115.2 points per game. Oklahoma City is also the 2nd best rebounding team in the league at 48.0 boards per contest. They are 21st in passing at 23.4 assists per game while the Thunder also rank 13th overall in scoring defense at 110.9 opponent points per game allowed.

Oklahoma City Thunder vs Minnesota Timberwolves Odds

Minnesota’s playoff chances don’t look good right now. After suffering three straight losses, the Timberwolves have now fallen back 5.5 games off the playoff pace in the ultra competitive Western Conference. In their last game, Minnesota lost to the Washington Wizards 121-135.

Karl Anthony Towns leads the Timberwolves with 23.9 points, 12.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game. Derrick Rose is Minnesota’s second-leading scorer at 18.2 points per game while also dishing off 4.5 assists per game. Andrew Wiggins is contributing 17.6 points per game while Jeff Teague leads the squad in passing with 8.0 assists per game while also scoring 11.9 points per game.

Minnesota is ranked 12th in scoring at 112.6 points per game. The Timberwolves are also the 15th best passing team in the league at 24.5 dimes per contest. They are also ranked 17th in rebounding at 45.3 boards per contest while Minnesota has the 10th worst scoring defense in the league at 112.8 opponent points per game allowed.

Oklahoma City is 5-5 SU in its last 10 games played. The Thunder are 1-3 SU in their last four games played. Minnesota is 4-6 SU in its last 10 games played. The Timberwolves are 3-0 SU in their last three games played. Head to head, Minnesota is 6-4 SU in its last 10 games against Oklahoma City.

The Thunder snapped a four-game losing streak with a win over the Memphis Grizzlies the last time out. The last of those two losses came with Paul George on the injured list and you can’t blame the Thunder for their offensive woes because PG13 was their top scorer. To beat Minnesota, Russell Westbrook, Dennis Schroeder and Steven Adams must up their scoring.

Karl Anthony Towns has been averaging over 35 points in his last four games while Derrick Rose is averaging 18.2 points per game for the Timberwolves this season. Minnesota is without Robert Covington but with the Thunder missing Paul George,  I think the home team has the edge. Minnesota is 20-10 SU at home this season.

I’m picking the Minnesota Timberwolves to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder on 3/5/19.

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The Thunder are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games played and Oklahoma City is 1-3 ATS in its last four games played. The Timberwolves are 6-4 ATS in their last 10 games played and 3-0 ATS in their last three home games. Head to head, Minnesota is 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games against Oklahoma City.

Oklahoma City is 0-6 ATS in their last six games against the Western Conference,1-4 ATS in their last five road games against opponents with a winning home record, 1-4 ATS in their last five road games and 0-7 ATS in their last seven games overall. Meanwhile, Minnesota has played well against elite teams when they are at home. The Timberwolves are 4-1 ATS in their last five home games against teams with winning road records. Minnesota is also 5-0 ATS in their last five games against their Western Conference rivals. The bottom line here is OKC playing without their leading scorer.

I’m picking the Minnesota Timberwolves to cover the spread against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

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The total has gone under in eight out of the last 10 games played by the Thunder. The over is 3-1 in the Thunder’s last four road games. The total has gone over in eight out of the last 10 games by the T-Wolves. Minnesota has seen the total go over in two out of their last three home games. Head to head, the over is 5-4-1 in the last 10 games between these two teams.

The Thunder are the 5th highest scoring team in the league this season but they have averaged just 101.67 points per game in their last three games. Paul George didn’t play all three games with a shoulder injury PG 13 won’t be playing as well in this game so I don’t expect the Thunder to be their usual high scoring selves.

I’m picking the teams to go under the total in this matchup.

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Houston Rockets at Toronto Raptors

The Houston Rockets travel to north of the Border to take on the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.

The Houston Rockets are finally healthy and playing at full strength and the results are proving that. The Rockets have won five in a row heading to Tuesday’s games, their longest winning streak of the season. In their last outing, the Rockets outgunned the Boston Celtics 115-104 in Boston with James Harden scoring 42 points.

Harden leads the league in scoring at 36.7 points per game. The reigning NBA MVP is also averaging 6.6 rebounds, 7.6 assists and 2.2 steals per game for Houston. Chris Paul is contributing 16.1 points and 8.3 assists per game while Clint Capela is scoring 16.8 points and grabbing 12.5 boards per contest. Eric Gordon is also providing offense with 16.4 points per game while newcomer Kenneth Faried is putting up 14.9 points and 9.4 rebounds per game.

The Rockets rank 11th in the league in scoring at 113.4 points per game. However, Houston has the third-lowest passing average at only 20.9 assists per game and they also have the 4th lowest rebounding average at 41.5 boards per contest. The Rockets are allowing their opponents to score 111.4 points per game.

Houston Rockets vs Toronto Raptors Odds

The Raptors dropped a 107-112 overtime game to the Detroit Pistons last Sunday. Kawhi Leonard didn’t play in that game because of what management termed as “load management”. Despite the loss, Toronto is on a roll with nine wins in their last 11 games played. Toronto currently has the second best record in the entire NBA behind their Eastern Conference rivals Milwaukee Bucks.

Leonard is the most important player on the Raptors. The former Defensive Player of the Year winner is 27.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.9 steals per game this season. Serge Ibaka is having a great year with 15.4 points and 8.0 rebounds per game while Pascal Siakam has been a revelation with 16.3 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. Kyle Lowry leads the Raptors with 9.1 assists per contest while also scoring 14.8 points per game.

The Raptors are 6th in the league in scoring at 114.2 points per game. Toronto is ranked 14th in the passing game with 24.9 assists per contest. They are 18th off the glass with 45.0 rebounds per outing. Toronto is 10th in the NBA in scoring defense, allowing their opponents to score only 108.9 points per game this season.

Houston is 7-3 SU in their last 10 games played. The Rockets are 4-2 SU in their last six road games played. Toronto is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games played. The Raptors are 5-1 SU in their last six games played at home. Head to head, the Raptors are 2-1 SU in their last three games against the Rockets.

The Rockets will most probably be without new additions Kenneth Faried and Iman Shumpert in this game due to injury but with both considered as day to day, the Rockets like where they are in terms of their health. Harden has CP3, Capela and Gordon playing with him in this game.

Health has also been the battlecry for the Raptors as they have continued to rest Kawhi Leonard is back to backs and in other instances. Leonard’s rest has caused the Raptors some important games but for Nick Nurse, it’s about getting 100% healthy come the playoffs.

The Rockets have lost nine out of their last 11 games played in Toronto but on the plus side, Houston has won three straight games on the road and seven out of their last 10 road games overall. The Rockets are an even 16-16 SU on the road this season while Toronto is 27-6 SU at the Scotiabank Arena during this campaign.

I’m picking the Toronto Raptors to beat the Houston Rockets on 3/5/19.

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Houston is 4-5-1 ATS in their last 10 games played. The Rockets are 3-2-1 ATS in their last six road games. Toronto is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games played and the Raptors are 1-5 ATS in their last six  home games played. Head to head, the Raptors are 2-1 ATS in their last three meetings against the Rockets.

Houston is 4-1-1 ATS in their last six games on the road against teams with a home winning record of over .600. The Raptors meanwhile are 1-5 ATS in their last six games when playing on one day rest, 1-6 ATS in their last seven games when their opponent scores more than 100 points in their previous game and Toronto is 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games overall. Both teams have struggled against the spread but Toronto has been worse. I know the spread is just minimal but I like Houston better.

I’m picking the Rockets to cover the +3.5 spread.

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The under is 6-3-1 in Houston’s last 10 games played. The under is 4-2 in the Rockets’ last six road games. The total has gone over in five out of the last seven games by the Raptors. The over is also 4-2 in Toronto’s last six home games. Head to head, the over is 7-3 in the last 10 meetings between the Rockets and Raptors.

The over is 6-1 in Houston’s last seven games against teams with a winning SU record, 4-1 in the Rockets’ last five games after an SU win by 10 or more points. The over is 8-1 in the Raptors’ last nine games against the Southwest Division, 5-1 in their last six games after scoring more than 100 points in their previous game and the over is also 4-1 in Toronto’s last five against Western Conference rivals. I’m expecting a high scoring game  here.

I’m predicting that the teams go over the total of 228.5 set for this contest.

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Boston Celtics at Golden State Warriors

The Boston Celtics test the mettle of the defending champions Golden State Warriors as these two preseason favorites square off at the Oracle Arena in Oakland on Tuesday night.

If this was the preseason, you would say that this is a preview of the 2019 NBA Finals. But the Celtics have struggled so badly this season that they are just 5th in the East and 10.5 games behind the conference leaders Milwaukee Bucks. The Celtics head to this game having lost five out of their last six games played. In their last game, Boston dropped a 104-115 contest at home to the Houston Rockets.

Kyrie Irving leads Boston with 23.4 points and 6.9 assists per game. Jayson Tatum is scoring 16.1 points and grabbing 6.3 rebounds per game while Marcus Morris is contributing 14.2 points and 6.1 rebounds per game for the Celtics. Al Horford leads Boston with 6.8 boards per contest while also scoring 13.1 points per game. Jaylen Brown and Gordon Hayward round off the double-digit scorers at 12.7 and 10.7 points per game, respectively.

The Celtics are ranked 17th in team scoring at 112.0 points per game. They are also the 8th best passing team with 26.1 assists per game and the men in green are also 19th off the glass with 44.9 rebounds per contest. Boston is the 6th best defensive team in the NBA when it comes to scoring defense as they allow their opponents to score only 106.8 points per game.

Boston Celtics vs Golden State Warriors Odds

The Golden State Warriors are struggling right now. When we say struggling, we’re talking here of the Golden State standard of basketball. The Dubs have dominated the NBA since 2015 that it’s no longer normal to see them struggling to get a grip on the Western Conference. The Warriors enter this game just 1.5 games ahead of the 2nd placed Denver Nuggets with the teams scheduled to meet on Friday night. Despite these “struggles”, the Warriors are in much better shape than the Celtics going into this game.

Stephen Curry leads the Warriors with 28.4 points per game while also grabbing 5.3 rebounds and issuing 5.2 assists per game. Kevin Durant is right there with Curry at 27.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game while Klay Thompson is scoring 22.0 points per game for the Dubs. Draymond Green leads the champs with 7.1 assists while also scoring 7.1 points and grabbing 7.4 rebounds per contest. DeMarcus Cousins is contributing 15.8 points and 8.1 boards per game for the Dubs.

Boston is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games played. The Celtics are 1-3 SU in their last four games on the road. The Warriors are 6-4 SU in their last 10 games played. Golden State is 3-1 SU in its last four home games. Head to head, the Dubs are 7-3 SU in their last 10 games against the Celtics.

Both these teams enter this matchup not in the kind of form that we’d expect at this stage of the season. As I said earlier, these were the two preseason favorites to win the NBA title. Boston has lost seven out of their last 10 games while the Warriors were just 2-2 in an Eastern Conference road trip. The Celtics are just 2.5 games behind the Sixers for 4th place and home court advantage in the East while the Warriors are just a slim 1.5 games up on the Denver Nuggets for the top place in the West.

This is the second time these teams have played this year and the first time out, they went buzzer to buzzer in a classic duel where Golden State eventually prevailed in the end at 115-111. Boston in just 14-16 SU on the road while Golden State is 23-8 SU at home this season. If Boston has any advantage right now, it’s that they are fully healthy and the Warriors have Klay Thompson, Andre Iguodala and Kevon Looney listed as day to day. But between Golden State’s injuries and Boston’s inconsistency this season, I’d rather take a chance on the former.

I’m picking the Golden State Warriors to beat the Boston Celtics on 3/5/19.

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The Celtics are 4-6 ATS in their last 10 games played and Boston is 2-2 ATS in their last four road games played. The Warriors are 1-9 ATS in their last 10 games played. The Dubs are 0-4 ATS in their last four home games played. Head to head, the Celtics are 6-3-1 ATS in their last 10 games versus the Warriors.

Boston is 1-5 ATS in their last six games when playing on one day rest, 0-4 ATS in their last four games against the Western Conference and 1-4 ATS in their last five games overall. Golden State is 7-18-1 ATS in their last 26 home games, 1-5 ATS in their last six games against the Eastern Conference and 1-9 ATS in their last 10 games overall. Both these teams have been struggling mightily against the spread but for the season, the Celtics are 31-32-1 ATS while the Dubs are 25-37-1 ATS. I think the Dubs win this game but I’m pretty sure the Celtics are going to cover. 1-9 ATS in their last 10 games is bad for the champs.

I’m picking the Boston Celtics to cover the spread in this matchup.

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The under is 6-4 in the Celtics’ last 10 games played and the under is 3-1 in Boston’s last four road games. The total has gone under in six out of the last 10 games played by the Warriors. Golden State has seen the total go under in 17 out of their 31 home games played this season. Head to head, the under is 8-2 in the last 10 meetings between these two teams.

The under is 5-0 in Boston’s last five games against teams with a winning percentage of over .600. The under is also 5-0 in the Warriors’ last five games against the Atlantic Division and the under is also 4-0 in theDubs’ last four games after an ATS loss. Boston has a Top 10 defense while the Dubs have been a stout defensive team in previous seasons. Playing the Celtics should inspire them to play tough defense again.

I’m picking the Celtics and Warriors to go under the total score set for this game.

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Orlando Magic at Philadelphia 76ers

The Orlando Magic take their act to the City of Brotherly Love as they visit the Philadelphia 76ers at the Well Fargo Center in Philadelphia.

The Magic were surging for a playoff spot with back to back wins over the Golden State Warriors and Indiana Pacers but suffered a setback when they lost their most recent game to the lowly Cleveland Cavaliers. Despite the defeat, Orlando remains in contention to make the postseason as they are currently tied for 8th spot in the Eastern Conference.

First time All-Star Nikola Vucevic leads Orlando with 20.7 points, 12.0 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game. Aaron Gordon is having a good season as well with 15.8 points and 7.4 rebounds per game while D.J. Augustin leads the team with 4.9 assists aside from scoring 11.5 points per game. But perhaps the man who has been key in this surge by the Magic is Terrence Ross who had four 20-point games last month.

Orlando is the 5th lowest scoring team in the entire NBA at just 105.9 points per game. But the Magic have the 4th best scoring defense in the league at 106.7 points per game allowed to offset their scoring woes. The Magic are ranked 13th in passing with 25.0 assists per game and they are also 20th in rebounding at 44.6 boards grabbed per contest.

Orlando Magic vs Philadelphia 76ers Odds

The Philadelphia 76ers fell to 3-2 without All-Star center Joel Embiid as Philly dropped a close 117-120 contest to the defending champions Golden State Warriors last Saturday night. Embiid has missed the Sixers last five games with tendinitis in his left knee and he isn’t expected to play against the Magic on Tuesday.

Embiid has been the man for the Sixers this season as he is averaging 27.3 points, 13.5 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game. Jimmy Butler is scoring 18.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.9 steals per game while Ben Simmons is having a great all-around season with 17.0 points, 9.1 rebounds and 7.9 assists per game. J.J. Redick is contributing 17.9 points per game while the newly acquired Tobias Harris has been a huge help with 21.7 points and 7.9 rebounds per game for the Sixers.

Philadelphia is ranked 4th in team scoring at 115.6 points per game. The Sixers are the 3rd best passing team in the league at 27.3 assists per game while they are also the #5 team in rebounding at 46.9 boards grabbed per contest. Philadelphia’s scoring defense of 112.3 points per game is ranked 18th in the entire NBA.

The Magic are 7-3 SU in their last 10 games played and Orlando is 5-2 SU in their last seven road games. The Sixers are 6-4 SU in their last 10 games played and Philadelphia is 3-4 SU in their last seven home games. Head to head, the Sixers are 4-1 SU in their last five games against the Magic but Orlando is 14-6 SU in their last 20 meetings in Philadelphia.

Like the Celtics, the Sixers have not lived up to their preseason potential. But the Sixers’ woes can be traced to the fact that they’ve kept on adding key pieces to their team like Jimmy Butler early in the season and then Tobias Harris at the trade deadline. When you talk about talent, the Sixers are as good as the Celtics in having the best top to bottom lineup in the East.

Joel Embiid’s knee will also play a key part in this game as Embiid is the Sixers’ top scorer and rebounder. For a team that takes pride in its offense and rebounding, Embiid will be a tough void to fill even with the talent on their roster. The Sixers are 3-2 without Embiid in the five games he’s missed and with his uncertainty comes the Sixers’ uncertainty as well.

At the start of the season , it seemed like this was going to be another losing campaign for Orlando but just before we hit the All-Star break, the team put together a good winning run that has continued until now. Orlando is now neck to neck with Charlotte for the 8th spot in the East and the best record in the Southeast Division. The team is healthy and is gaining confidence by the day.

The Magic are 13-19 on the road this season while the Sixers are 24-9 SU at home during the current campaign. Philadelphia has won the last three meeting at their home floor but without Embiid and with Jimmy Butler possibly missing this game with back problems, then this could be a very different story. The Magic are battling for a playoff spot and they need this game more than the Sixers. If both Embiid and Butler are indeed not playing  in this game, give me the Magic to win on the road.

Given that condition, I’m picking the Orlando Magic to beat the Philadelphia 76ers on 3/5/19.

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Orlando is 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games played and the Magic are 5-2 ATS in their last seven road games. Philadelphia is 5-5 ATS in their last 10 games played and 3-4 ATS in their last seven home games. Head to head, the Sixers are 6-4 ATS in their last 10 games against the Magic but Orlando is 14-5 ATS in their last 19 road games versus the Sixers.

The Magic are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games when playing on one day rest, 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games on the road and 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games overall. The Sixers are 2-6 in their last eight games against the Eastern Conference and are just 2-5 ATS in their last seven meetings against the Magic.

The Magic are healthy and in better form right now. I’m picking the Orlando Magic to cover the spread on the road.

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The under is 6-4 in the last 10 games played by the Magic. Orlando has seen the total go under in five out of their last seven road games. The under is 7-3 in the Sixers’ last 10 games played. The under is also 5-2 in the Sixers’ last seven games at home. Head to head, the over is 8-2 in their last 10 meetings and the over is also 6-2 in their previous eight meetings in Philadelphia.

The under is 5-0 in Orlando’s last five games after allowing 100 or more points in their previous game, 13-3 in their last 16 Tuesday games and 4-1 in their last five games overall. The under is 4-0 in the Sixers’ last four games when playing on two days rest and the total has gone under in six out of their last seven games after an SU loss. Orlando’s defense should set the pace of this game. The absence of Embiid and/or Butler should help the under as well. I’m picking the teams to go under the total set for this game.

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