Handicapping the NBA: Monday Picks

Handicapping the NBA: Monday Picks

This article is part of our NBA Picks series.

Alex Barutha

Nets -6.0 (-110) vs. NYK -- DraftKings (1:51 PM CT)

The Knicks are undoubtedly one of the biggest surprises in the NBA, and their defense is noteworthy, but this line still feels too close. I could see -6.0 if Kyrie Irving wasn't available, but having both him and James Harden playing makes me think this should easily go toward the Nets.

Jazz -5.0 (-112) @ DAL -- DraftKings (1:59 PM CT)

The Mavericks have been making improvements and have snuck up to a quality 27-21 record. However, both Kristaps Porzginis and Josh Richardson are questionable. Even if they were guaranteed to be playing, I'd still consider Jazz -5.0. They've been the best team in the NBA, and they have the personnel to overwhelm the Mavericks, especially if Porzingis and Richardson are out. Gobert could have a field day. Ultimately, it's probably safest to wait for the status of those two players before locking a bet in.

Nick Whalen

Spurs -9.5 (-110) vs. CLE -- DraftKings (3:13 PM CT)

We've officially entered the portion of the season when betting against the Cavaliers on a nightly basis becomes increasingly profitable. Cleveland played the Heat somewhat-respectably on Saturday but still lost by 14 points. Four of the Cavs' last five defeats have come by at least 14 points, and they'll once again be without both Larry Nance and Jarrett Allen tonight. Meanwhile, the Spurs have put up at least 120 points in four of their last five games, including a season-high 133 against the Pacers on Saturday. It's a big number, but I like the Spurs to take advantage of the Cavs' frontcourt injuries. 

RotoWire Community
Join Our Subscriber-Only NBA Chat
Chat with our writers and other RotoWire NBA fans for all the pre-game info and in-game banter.
Join The Discussion
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.
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.
Best NBA Bets Today: Free Picks and Player Props for Sunday, November 24
Best NBA Bets Today: Free Picks and Player Props for Sunday, November 24
NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Sunday, November 24
NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Sunday, November 24
NBA DFS Picks: FanDuel Plays and Strategy for Sunday, November 24
NBA DFS Picks: FanDuel Plays and Strategy for Sunday, November 24
NBA DFS: FanDuel Plays and Strategy for Saturday, November 23
NBA DFS: FanDuel Plays and Strategy for Saturday, November 23
NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Saturday, November 23
NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Saturday, November 23
Best NBA Bets Today: Free Picks and Player Props for November 23
Best NBA Bets Today: Free Picks and Player Props for November 23