More NBA Cup games, which may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but what we do know is superstars are going to play bulk minutes with point difference starting to have an impact across a number of groups.
Detroit Pistons @ Boston Celtics
It was a shaky start to the season for Detroit at 2-2 including a shock loss to the Bulls, but since then they’ve strung 13 wins together, leading the Eastern Conference and being the form team in the NBA.
As for the Celtics, they’re just north of .500 with a 9-8 record, but some soft kills of late suggests that this game could get out of hand when Detroit enter TD Garden, now chasing a big points difference in their NBA Cup Group.
LEG 1 - Pistons
You could make a case they’re the form team in the NBA including the Thunder - the Pistons have won 13 games in a row!
This isn’t the same old Boston Celtics, and although they have won four of their last five games entering this contest those wins were against the Grizzlies (6-12), Nets (3-14) and Clippers (5-13) and although their recent performance against the Magic was a good win, the game prior they lost to Brooklyn.
I can’t believe I’m saying this, but Neemias Queta is a big out for Boston and I think we’ll see Jalen Duren feast on the Celtics.
LEG 2 - Jalen Duren 15+ Points
Producing an incredible season, and his rise is a key reason behind Detroit’s hot start.
Jalen Duren averages 20.3 points per game this season, and has hit 15+ points in 80% of his games - the misses include an ejection against the Rockets and foul trouble against the Cavs.
But Duren has hit 15+ points in his last eight games, and with Luka Garza his likely opponent I think he’ll go big.
LEG 3 - Tobias Harris 10+ Points
Injury has limited Tobias Harris to eight games this season, but from Power Forward he’s averaging 13.9 points - a solid output.
Harris has hit 10+ points in seven of his eight games, and although minutes are floating around the mid-20s for now I think he’ll get enough opportunity to hit double figures.
SAME GAME MULTI
Pistons / Duren 15+ Points / Harris 10+ Points = $3.20
VALUE BET
Jalen Duren 30+ Points @ $9
I just can’t help but think that Jalen Duren is going to humiliate Luka Garza with Queta out.
We’ve seen Duren score 25+ on three occasions this season - all three occasions led to him scoring 30+, so why don’t we have a play at the $9?
The net rating numbers for Queta are actually insane - on floor Boston is +15.1, which would have them just behind OKC in the NBA. But when Queta is off the floor, they drop to -5.1 - the equivalent of dropping from an OKC level to a Dallas Mavericks level.
Their defensive rating shoots up to 125.5, which is the worst defensive rating in the league - so do we see Duren just go to town on Garza and Boucher?
