Handicapping the NBA: Thursday Picks

Handicapping the NBA: Thursday Picks

This article is part of our NBA Picks series.

Alex Barutha: Rockets on the moneyline (-189) vs. POR -- BetMGM 1:12 PM CT

The Rockets are getting Christian Wood back for this game, and he should have no problem carving up the Trail Blazers terrible defensive frontline headlined by Enes Kanter. DeMarcus Cousins should see fewer minutes, but he could go for a 15-and-10 game in 20 minutes -- Portland is that bad at center. It's not clear if John Wall is still on a minutes restriction, but a Wall plus Victor Oladipo backcourt should be able to outplay a Damian Lillard plus Rodney Hood backcourt. It's just impossible to trust the Blazers in their current state.

Nick Whalen: Eric Gordon OVER 17.5 points vs. POR (-110) -- DraftKings Sportsbook

I've learned over the years of playing fantasy that trusting Eric Gordon isn't always the best idea, but I like how things line up against the shorthanded Trail Blazers. Gordon has reached the 20-point mark in each of his last five games. He's launching more than seven three-pointers per game during that span, but more importantly he's insulating his scoring with 5.6 trips to the free throw line. Over the last three games alone, Gordon has attempted 25 free throws. Meanwhile, Portland has the second-worst defensive rating (118.4) in the league over its last five games, and it's allowing opponents to shoot better than 48 percent from the field during that span. It'll be close, but I like Gordon's chances to push his 20-plus-point streak to six games.

Jeff Edgerton: Reggie Jackson OVER 5.5 ASSISTS (MGM Sportsbook, 7:30 a.m. ET) AND LAKERS (-10.5) Over PISTONS (FD Sportsbook, 7:30 a.m.)

I expect Jackson to remain the facilitator with both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George sidelined.  He had eight assists in the last game of its scenario, and he's the obvious candidate to direct the offense.

Unless Jerami Grant posts a career game, I don't see the Pistons making this game close. Wayne Ellington's three-point excellence isn't sustainable, and the Lakers will look to remount a winning streak after a stinging loss to the Sixers.

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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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