The NBA All-Star break is just around the corner, and we have a 15-game slate lined up for tonight. With that in mind, we’ve got three plays for today. The first targets Jalen Duren of the Detroit Pistons against the Chicago Bulls. We’re following that up with Aaron Gordon of the Denver Nuggets in a matchup with the Portland Trail Blazers. Finally, we’ll wrap it all up with Isaiah Collier of the Utah Jazz against the Los Angeles Lakers.
We took some time off to lick our wounds following the pair of losses we had last time out. Kristaps Porzingis went 0-of-3 from downtown in the first quarter, and it didn’t get much better from there with him going just 1-for-6 in the game. In the Amen Thompson world, he tallied eight assists on the night, and he had seven rebounds at one point during the fourth quarter. However, a stat correction took that away and gave us the loss due in large part to the 20-rebound night his teammate Alperen Sengun turned in.
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NBA Best Bet Today
- Jalen Duren O11.5 Rebounds (+100) - 1 Unit FanDuel
- Aaron Gordon O8.5 Rebounds & Assists (+106) - 1 Unit FanDuel
- Isaiah Collier O8.5 Assists (+102) - 1 Unit FanDuel
Jalen Duren O11.5 Rebounds (+100) FanDuel
Our first play of the night is going to be Duren on the second night of a back-to-back against the Bulls. However, due to the offensive incompetence that Chicago put on the floor last night, I don’t expect Duren to be all that tired. He played just 23 minutes in the game, and that includes zero minutes in the fourth quarter after the Bulls scored just 29 points in the first half. Despite playing just 23 minutes, Duren finished with 11 rebounds on 20 rebound chances. He cleared this line in each of the first two matchups, and I think he can do it again tonight.
Part of the logic of this play is simply believing that Chicago’s offense has to be better tonight. If Duren is just in the game longer, we will automatically be in a much better spot. Over their last 30 games, Chicago is allowing the sixth-most rebounds to opposing centers. While Chicago is likely going to finish on the outside looking in of the playoffs this year, the Pistons find themselves firmly in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race. They’re two games behind the Indiana Pacers, and they’re only one game behind the Milwaukee Bucks, who are without Giannis Antetokounmpo until at least after the All-Star Break. This is a great spot for them to try and make up some ground.
Aaron Gordon O8.5 Rebounds & Assists (+106) FanDuel
Our second play of the night will be targeting Gordon for the first time this season after we’ve played just about every other Nugget so far this year. Since returning to the starting lineup, Gordon has been thriving in his role as the team’s third ballhandler and swiss-army knife. He’s been content to let others do the scoring, and, over the last four games, he’s averaging 7.5 assists per game while clearing this line in all four starts. Additionally, he hasn’t needed a ton of minutes to get the job done. He’s played fewer than 25 minutes in three straight, but he’s been efficient with his opportunities.
Over the last eight games, Gordon has averaged 7.9 potential rebounds and 7.0 potential assists per game. Over the last four games, all without Russell Westbrook in the lineup, those numbers jump to 8.3 and 9.5. In Denver’s last game, they matched up with their opponent for tonight in the Portland Trail Blazers. Gordon had six assists and two rebounds in the first half. He added one more assist in the third quarter before sitting out the entirety of the fourth quarter. They’ve been steadily working him back, and I think tonight will be another night of solid production from him against a struggling Portland team.
Isaiah Collier O8.5 Assists (+102) FanDuel
Our final play of the night is on a guy who has flown under the radar a bit over the last couple of weeks. Collier has started 19 games for the Jazz this season, including each of the last 10. In 19 games as a starter, Collier has cleared this line 10 times, including each of his last five. Since January 5th, Collier has started all but two games. During that stretch, he’s averaging 15.2 potential assists per game, and he even poured in 11 assists in one of the two games he didn’t start.
Collier has been auditioning for the long-term job as the starter for a Jazz team that has been in a constant state of flux over the last couple of years, and he has been proofing himself every night he’s on the floor. The Jazz are taking on the Los Angeles Lakers tonight after matching up with them just two nights ago. On the year, Los Angeles are allowing the seventh-most assists to opposing point guards. Two nights ago, Collier and Keyonte George, off the bench, combined for 18 assists with the potential for 27 of them. Collier has a hold on this job currently, and I think he wants to continue to show out to keep his spot.
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