Philadelphia 76ers vs Denver Nuggets
10:30am, Wells Fargo Center
We’ve yet again been robbed of a Jokic vs Embiid matchup, but nonetheless, I still think the Sixers are a worthwhile play at the line in this one. Denver lost its third game in a row on Thursday at Madison Square Garden where they allowed the Knicks to domiante the paint and shoot over 40 percent from three. The Sixers aren’t known for their shooting, but they have been one of the tougher teams to try and score against from long-range and inside the arc this year. Riding a four-game winning streak that includes a victory over the Cavs, another monster night from Tyrese Maxey, who has averaged 32 points over his last five games, should give the Sixers a serious chance.
Tip: Back the Sixers to Cover the Line (+8.5 Points)
Player Pick: Tyrese Maxey 30+ Points
Toronto Raptors vs Chicago Bulls
10:30am, Scotiabank Arena
The Bulls are an absolute mess right now, and it wouldn’t be surprising if they fell to this underwhelming Raptors team with an abundance of trade deadline speculation surrounding a handful of players. Chicago beat Toronto 122-121 when they met in mid-December, a game that was dominated by Nikola Vucevic with Zach LaVine on the sideline. With LaVine ruled out, Toronto’s Jakob Poetl is worth a look on the glass. The Bulls remain one of the easiest teams to grab rebounds against, while their turnover battles are sure to keep the Raptors in this one from start to finish.
Tip: Back the Raptors to Cover the Line (-2.5 Points)
Player Pick: Jakob Poetl Over Rebounds Total