As we begin our work weeks, the NBA has just four games on the slate tonight. However, there is a ton of value on the board. We begin in Boston where the Celtics will be hosting the Knicks in their second matchup this season. Kristaps Porzingis always looks forward to going against his former team.
The Raptors suffered a blowout loss to the Celtics on Saturday night. Tonight, they get the Wizards at home and are 9.5 point favorites. Scottie Barnes may help them get back in the win column tonight.
The Bucks also lost on Saturday night in Orlando, but they were without Damian Lillard. They may get Lillard back tonight, however Giannis Antetokounmpo may be the one leading the efforts in a victory over the Bulls.
Kristaps Porzingis is now on his fourth NBA team after beginning his career with the Knicks. However, one thing that he has not changed is that he loves going against the team that drafted him. In nine career games against the Knicks, Porzingis is averaging 22.1 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game. He has scored 19 points in seven of those games and finished with 18 in another.
Porzingis' biggest game against the Knicks actually came in his debut with the Celtics on opening night. In that game, he scored 30 points and knocked down five 3s in nine attempts. Last week, we backed Porzingis 3s against the Sixers because they are vulnerable against big men that can shoot from the perimeter. The Knicks have that same issue, particularly when Mitchell Robinson and Julius Randle share the floor tonight.
Porzingis has made four 3s in each of his last four games against the Knicks. That is reflected in his 3s line tonight as it is usually 1.5, but tonight his line is at 2.5 for +135 on DraftKings. You can also take him to knock down four at +350 on FanDuel. While Porzingis may do most of his damage from behind the arc tonight, I am going with his points tonight considering the start he has gotten off to in a Celtics uniform.
Porzingis has hit this line in five of his first nine games, scoring 20 points in each of those games. The Knicks had a relatively easy win Sunday afternoon, but they are still traveling on the second of a back-to-back. Porzingis may take advantage of that tonight and if he repeats his performance from opening night, you can take him for 25 points at +330 and for 30 points at +1100 points on FanDuel.
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Scottie Barnes quickly established as one of the best young players in the league, winning Rookie of the Year in 2022 out of a loaded 2021 NBA Draft class. Now, in year three, Barnes appears ready to take the leap to stardom. Through his first nine games this season, Barnes is averaging 20.2 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game for 35.8 combined per game.
Barnes has hit this line in seven of those games and he has had at least 30 points, rebounds, and assists in eight of them. Now, Barnes did not hit this line in three meetings against Washington last season. However, that was a drastically different Wizards team. This season, Washington is allowing the most points, rebounds, and assists per game in the league this season. They are also traveling on the second of a back-to-back as well.
Washington has also been susceptible to the long ball this season and Barnes is averaging career-highs in attempts (5.7 per game) and percentage (35.3%). He is +290 for three 3s on FanDuel. Barnes is also averaging a career-high 16.3 field goal attempts per game. That volume should help him 20+ points in this matchup. If he does score 20 points, he would then need 14 rebounds and assists to hit this over.
Barnes has had 13 rebounds and assists in eight games already as well as 14 rebounds and assists in six of them. Barnes has the matchup to fill up the stat sheet with 40 points, rebounds, and assists. However, we will take 34 from him tonight.
As Central Division rivals, the Bulls and Bucks square off four times per year. That means the Bulls get the "pleasure" of going against Giannis Antetokounmpo four times every season. However, it has only been enjoyable for Antetokounmpo. Over his last 26 regular season games against the Bulls, he has hit this line in 15 of them. That includes two games in which he finished with at least 27 points and another that he left early because of an injury.
This will be the first time that Antetokounmpo plays the Bulls with Damian Lillard on his team. Thus far, he is averaging 24.4 points per game with Lillard in the lineup. However, he is coming into this game hot. Antetokounmpo has scored at least 35 points in three of his past four games. The lone exception in that span is when he received a very questionable ejection last Wednesday against the Pistons. That ejection might have served to just make him play angry as he has scored 89 points on 34-for-47 (72.3%) from the field over his past two games.
On paper, Antetokounmpo may find a little more resistance than usual when he goes against the Bulls. Chicago is third in the NBA in points allowed per game in the paint. However, it is 21st in two-point percentage defense. Antetokounmpo rarely has found trouble driving into Nikola Vucevic and Andre Drummond.
Like the Knicks and Wizards, Chicago also played last night and is traveling on the second end of a back-to-back. Look for Antetokounmpo to take advantage and he may have more value tonight with Lillard being back in the lineup. You can take him for 35 points at +270 on DraftKings.
