Saturday night's NBA slate features only three games to choose from. The game I'm most interested in is between the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden that will be televised on ABC. The Celtics are riding a seven-game winning streak, while the Knicks desperately need a win after losing four of their past five games. With that said, let's dive into my first betting recommendation, which happens to be from this game.
Josh Hart over 8.5 rebounds. The Knicks host a red-hot Boston Celtics team Saturday night in what I anticipate to be a defensive-oriented affair. Hart has cleared this line in 10 of his past 11 games. The Celtics rank 21st in rebounds per game allowed to shooting guards and 25th to small forwards. This is important for bettors to know because OG Anunoby has been ruled out. There is a strong chance that Hart will play 34 or more minutes. He has cleared this line in all 12 games this season in which Hart has played 34 or more minutes.
Paolo Banchero over 21.5 points. The Magic and Pistons are two Eastern Conference teams in completely different situations regarding the playoff picture. Orlando is a 6.5-point favorite on the road. The Magic have won seven of their past nine and this is a matchup I don't see them underestimating. The Pistons rank 29th in points allowed per 100 possessions. Banchero scored only 12 points against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday, but he has a much more favorable matchup against the Pistons on Saturday night. Banchero has surpassed 21.5 points in 15 of his past 19 games on the road. He also has a usage rate of 32.0% on the road this season.
Mikal Bridges over 3.5 rebounds. The Nets are in the midst of a slump, having won only five of their past 19 games overall. Bridges has cleared this line in 12 of his past 20 games, averaging 37.3 minutes per game. Since the Nets are on the road, it's worth mentioning that he has exceeded this line in 18 of 25 road games this season. The Timberwolves rank 20th in rebounds per game allowed to small forwards.
Anthony Edwards under 5.5 assists. The Timberwolves lost to the Milwaukee Bucks Friday night and have dropped into a tie with the Oklahoma City Thunder for the Western Conference lead. Bettors should expect Edwards to be aggressive as a scorer against the Nets, especially with Rudy Gobert a game-time decision due to an ankle injury. Edwards has gone under this line in seven of his past 10 games. It's also worth mentioning that he has not exceeded this line in six of his past seven home games. The Nets also rank 11th in assists per game allowed to shooting guards.
Projections and injury reports
Basketball Power Index by ESPN Analytics Injury aggregation by Rotowire.com.
Orlando Magic at Detroit Pistons
8 p.m. Little Caesars Arena, Detroit
Records (Against the Spread)
Magic: 31-25 (36-20-0)
Pistons: 8-47 (26-28-1)
Line: Magic (-7.5) Total: 224.5
Money Line: Magic (-320), Pistons (+260)
BPI Projection: Magic by 5.9, straight up 70%, 231.5 total points.
Injury Report:
Magic: Markelle Fultz, (OUT - Knee)
Pistons: Quentin Grimes, (GTD - Knee); Isaiah Stewart, (OUT - Suspension)
Boston Celtics at New York Knicks
8:30 p.m. Madison Square Garden, New York
Records (Against the Spread)
Celtics: 44-12 (27-26-3)
Knicks: 34-22 (31-24-1)
Line: Celtics (-6.5) Total: 224.5
Money Line: Celtics (-250), Knicks (+210)
BPI Projection: Celtics by 6.5, straight up 73%, 230.8 total points.
Injury Report:
Celtics: None reported
Knicks: Duane Washington Jr., (OUT - Thumb); Julius Randle, (OUT - Shoulder); OG Anunoby, (OUT - Elbow); Mitchell Robinson, (OUT - Ankle)
Brooklyn Nets at Minnesota Timberwolves
9 p.m. Target Center, Minneapolis
Records (Against the Spread)
Nets: 21-34 (24-28-3)
Timberwolves: 39-17 (29-24-3)
Line: Timberwolves (-7.5) Total: 217.5
Money Line: Nets (+270), Timberwolves (-340)
BPI Projection: Timberwolves by 9.1, straight up 79%, 227.4 total points.
Injury Report:
Nets: Dariq Whitehead, (OUT - Lower Leg)
Timberwolves: Rudy Gobert, (NA - Ankle); Jaylen Clark, (OUT - Achilles)