Thursday in the NBA does not offer a huge slate of games (only five on the schedule), but there is some good news. One, as of right now there have not been any postponements! Secondly, there is plenty of intrigue. We will see what kind of team the Houston Rockets put on the floor in their first effort of the post-James Harden era, Stephen Curry hopes to put on another show, and Eastern Conference powers such as the Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat, and Toronto Raptors are in action.
Here’s our four-team parlay for Thursday:
For this play we mix in one favorite against the spread, one underdog and the points, and two outright winners (one favorite and one underdog). Let’s break down each of the four legs one by one.
These two teams met just a few nights ago, when the 76ers were able to pull out a grueling 137-134 overtime win against this shorthanded Miami team. Both are now prepared to run it back with pretty much the same players available, as those who missed the game due to health and safety protocols likely remain out. However, Meyers Leonard could be back for the Heat and that would go a long way toward containing Philadelphia big man Joel Embiid, who had a monster night last time out—going for 45 points and 16 rebounds. The Heat kept it close earlier this week, so it stands to reason that they can at least cover a double-digit spread.
Gordon Hayward (hip) is listed as day-to-day for Charlotte going into tonight’s game against Toronto. The Hornets will definitely need him if they want to improve on their 3-3 road record. It won’t be easy against a Toronto team that is actually improving despite its horrendous 2-8 record. The Raptors may be 1-2 in their last three games, but during this stretch they have actually outscored opponents by 19 points! Each of the two recent losses came by one point. Pascal Siakam is back on track following an early-season slump, while Fred VanVleet is averaging 20.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.8 assists in 35.8 minutes per game. The Raptors also have an extra day of rest compared to Charlotte and they should make that count.
With all of the Harden drama finally behind them, the Rockets—at long last—should finally be unified. Even with John Wall being out for this game, Houston still has plenty of options in terms of scoring—including up-and-coming star Christian Wood plus all of their three-point shooters. San Antonio shooting guard DeMar DeRozan is still out due to personal issues. In the two games in which DeRozan has not played, the Spurs have dropped in terms of their offensive efficiency. They have made an average of only nine three-pointers, while in the rest of the season they have been averaging 13 three-pointers per contest. An upset here is by no means out of the question.
Just when you think the Nuggets have turned the corner, they have a game that makes you wonder. Still, at home they can be a tough out. Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic have been consistent producers, to the extent that Jokic is even averaging a triple-double. The best news for Denver heading into Thursday is that the Warriors have. been far from spectacular so far in 2020-21. Curry has scored a total of just 31 points in the last two games combined, but prior to that he had at least 30 in three of four games (including 62 against Portland). His inconsistency with this group makes it really hard to find the right betting spots with the Warriors, and this does not appear to be one of them. Golden State might cover, but the Nuggets should get the win.
Pickswise is the home of free NBA picks and predictions. We will cover all the big offseason news before making picks for every game during the 2021 season.
