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Nets that Cover Spreads

Life without Kevin Durant has not been easy for the Brooklyn Nets. Their chances to race to the top of the Eastern Conference took a big blow when the superstar went out with a knee injury a couple of weeks ago, as evidenced by their 2-6 record since then.

That said, the team has covered three consecutive spreads, including in their most recent defeat at the hands of the Philadelphia 76ers. What’s interesting is that some of the games early into KD’s absence still had Brooklyn as the favoured squad. More recent contests have pinned the Nets as underdogs. Kyrie Irving, Seth Curry, and Nic Claxton among others have picked up the slack for the collective cause and the upcoming games look favourable. Detroit comes to town on Jan. 26 (later in the day as of this writing), and afterwards, Brooklyn hosts the Knicks and Lakers. New York is very hot and cold lately and L.A.’s is notoriously bad defensively. Brooklyn could very well cover the next few spreads.

Bam off the Glass

One of the reasons why the Miami Heat have rediscovered their winning ways lately is the play of Bam Adebayo. One need only look at his effort on Tuesday night against the Boston Celtics. Not only was he sensational when shooting his signature jumpers from the paint, but he collected no fewer than 15 rebounds. Moreover, in none of his five previous games has he snatched fewer than at least eight. These efforts can go a long way for a club that ranks 26^th overall in that category.

Adebayo’s impressive numbers off the glass could very well continue over the over the next seven days. On Friday the Heat welcomes the Orlando Magic, which won’t be easy per se (they rank eighth in defending against rebounding). However, Charlotte on Jan. 29 and New York on Feb. 2 are both ripe for the picking, as they rank in the bottom 10 in preventing the opposition from ensnaring the ball after a missed shot.

Gorgeous Gilgeous-Alexander

Time will only tell where in the standings the Oklahoma City Thunder finish the regular season. They’ve cause a few heads to turn and pay attention but still sit in 11^th in the West with a 23-25 record. Then again, the West isn’t what it used to be. New Orleans is only three games above .500 yet good for fourth. A good run from OKC could change everything.

One of the reasons for that optimism is Canadian Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is having a breakout campaign. He averages a remarkable 30.8 points per night, clear and away the team’s offensive leader. He’s surpassed the 30-point mark three times in a row and finished with fewer than 25 only twice in eleven games. Can he keep it up? Cleveland awaits on Jan. 27 and they pride themselves on the best defence in the NBA, so we might want to tip-toe around that date. Afterwards, two games against the flailing Rockets await, as do another two against the Warriors, whose defence has taken a major step back this year. 30 points per contest might be asking for a lot, but at least one 25 with the others over 30 is a definite possibility.

Maturing Mathurin

Montreal-born Bennedict Mathurin, a first-round pick in the 2022 NBA draft, is maturing before our very eyes. His name is being whispered as a candidate for rookie of the year, an incredible honour for one of the few Canucks playing in the NBA. His 17.6 points per game have helped the Pacers a lot this season.

Recently, however, Mathurin is going above and beyond his already rising expectations. He’s surpassed 20 points three games in a row, including 26 in each of the previous two. Is Mathurin’s offensive prowess truly reaching another height or is he simply on a great run? As sad as it sounds for those cheering him on, the upcoming schedule suggests those numbers will go back down to Earth (i.e.: his already very good average). The Bucks come to Indiana on Jan. 27, a team with the sixth-best defence. Memphis waits for them on Jan. 29, and while they’re only 13^th overall, they rank number one in field goal shooting efficiency allowed.

 Nuggets Number One by Going Under

Denver is one of those teams that’s teased greatness for a few years while never reaching the soaring heights its fans salivate for. That might change this year, as the Nuggets sit atop the Western Conference at 34-15, with Memphis being their closest competitor at 31-17. Even Sacramento, a worthy third, is a good six games behind them. An interesting stat that’s followed them around is the Under cashing in on eight of the last 10 games.

Some of that can be explained by the squad’s 11^th-best defence in points allowed per tilt. On the flip side, they’re eighth-best in offence yet haven’t hit the century mark in three straight games. How much longer can the Under keep winning in Nuggets games? Obviously, with Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray listed as Day-to-Day, it’s difficult to predict. But if we assume they suit up as soon as the next game, Feb. 2 versus the Warriors looks like a good bet for the Over. Philly hosts them on Jan. 28, and they receive New Orleans on Jan, 31, two squads with good-to-great defensive units.