Handicapping the NBA: Monday Picks

Handicapping the NBA: Monday Picks

This article is part of our NBA Picks series.

Alex Barutha: Hornets on the moneyline (+100) @ Magic -- BetMGM 12:30 PM

I had to double-check to make sure nobody was injured for the Hornets to make this line so close against the Magic. Charlotte is unquestionably a more complete and successful team than Orlando this season. The Magic have had the league's easiest schedule and have a -5.4 net rating, while the Hornets have a -1.0 net rating with the ninth-easiest schedule. Orlando got Fournier back recently, but he's not worth essentially a two-possession swing based on what I think the spread should be.

Nick Whalen: Stephen Curry OVER 39.5 PTS+REB+AST (-120) -- DraftKings Sportsbook, noon CT

I'm always looking to target the Timberwolves' defense, which is once again among the league's worst units. Curry has mostly been able to clean up against poor defenses this season, but he's settled into a more consistent groove of late, putting up 28.2 points, 6.6 rebounds and 5.8 assists over his last five contests. Those numbers would put him right around that 39.5 figure, and given the opponent, I love Curry's chances to have an explosive scoring game in what could end up being a shootout. If he's able to cross the 30-point threshold, Curry should cruise to the over.

Jeff Edgerton: Justin Holiday OVER 11.5 POINTS (DK Sportsbook, 9:24 a.m.), Pelicans (-2.5) over Spurs (DK Sportsbook, 9:24 a.m.)

Caris LeVert's medical issue has kept Holiday on the floor, and he logged 39 minutes in his last game. Anyone with that much floor time is an excellent candidate to beat this number. It's a back-to-back for the Pacers, but he's demonstrating his value to the team as his usage rate increases.

The Spurs are on a back-to-back on the road, and the Pelicans are riding a three-game win streak. They've had a few days to relax at home, and they should be ready to take on the Spurs, who looked fine against the Wizards but didn't need to do much to beat a team that hasn't played in two weeks. I expect Zion and Ingram to inflict major damage on Monday, and cover by a wide margin.

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ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Alex Barutha
Alex is RotoWire's Chief NBA Editor. He writes articles about daily fantasy, year-long fantasy and sports betting. You can hear him on the RotoWire NBA Podcast, Sirius XM, VSiN and other platforms. He firmly believes Robert Covington is the most underrated fantasy player of the past decade.
Jeff Edgerton
Jeff has provided sports content for numerous sports outlets and has played fantasy sports since scores had to be tabulated via newspaper. He started working with RotoWire in 2017. Originally from South Carolina, he's a lifelong Clemson fan now enjoying the sun in Los Angeles.
Nick Whalen
Now in his 10th year with the company, Nick is RotoWire's Senior Media Analyst, a position he took on after several years as the Head of Basketball Content. A multi-time FSGA and FSWA award winner, Nick co-hosts RotoWire's flagship show on Sirius XM Fantasy alongside Jeff Erickson, as well as The RotoWire NBA Show on Sirius XM NBA with Alex Barutha. He also co-hosts RotoWire's Football and Basketball podcasts. You can catch Nick's NBA and NFL analysis on VSiN and DraftKings, as well as RotoWire's various social and video channels. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @wha1en.
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