March has officially arrived as the NBA regular season enters its home stretch with less than 20 games remaining for every team. In the East, things are crowded at the top with just five games separating the top six teams.
For tonight’s slate, I’m keyed in on two of those teams, and one out West who has significantly less to play for.
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Leg #1. Cavaliers -3 | -110 at DK Sportsbook
The #1 offensive team in the league tonight will face off against the #1 defensive team, as the Hornets (114.1 points per game) head to Cleveland to take on the Cavaliers (102.7 points per game allowed). For the home Cavaliers, things have gone from bad to worse on the injury front, as they’ve already lost Collin Sexton and Ricky Rubio (since traded) for the season and are now dealing with Caris LeVert and Rajon Rondo missing extended time.
Still, this team fights, seemingly in every single game until the very end despite a recent ATS slide. For the Hornets, the floor has officially fallen out after a hot start to the season, now having lost eight of their last 10. Things were punctuated Monday night at Milwaukee, losing 106-130 in a game that was a blowout from the tip.
I like for the Cavaliers to get back on track tonight against a reeling Hornets team that appears to have already packed it in for the season.
Leg #2. Heat +4.5 | -110 at DK Sportsbook
Facing a Bulls team on Monday that is nipping at their heels in the Eastern Conference standings, the Heat responded in spades. In a game that wasn’t as close as the score indicates, the Heat won 112-99 for their fourth straight to remain the #1 seed in the East.
Another big challenge looms tonight in Milwaukee as the Heat draw a Bucks team who just put up 130 points vs. Charlotte on Monday. The Bucks aren’t quite in the same playoff form yet, however, as the win over the Hornets was just their second in six games as they’ve struggled to stop teams with elite scorers.
With multiple suiting up for the Heat tonight in the form of Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro, I expect a tight game that could be a preview of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Leg #3. Nuggets -13.5 | -110 at DK Sportsbook
After hanging close in some recent games, I wanted to take the Thunder tonight. But a closer look just won’t allow me to do it. Long-ranking last in the league in all primary offensive metrics, the Thunder have been especially bad in their losses as of late losing by an average margin of 16.3 over their past three.
They now must head to the altitude of Denver to face a Nuggets team already rounding into form behind reigning league MVP Nikola Jokic. I expect the Nuggets to make tonight seven straight wins and turn this one into a route late.
Total Odds: +595 at DraftKings Sportsbook
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