Points-apalooza: Sportsbooks are anything but shy when it comes to posting over/unders for the Blazers or Hornets separately, so yeah, put both teams on the same court and the projected total is going to be overwhelming. And it might not be high enough. This season, overs are 7-2 when Portland is favored by more than three points and 16-9 when the Hornets are ‘dogs. Both of those boxes are checked tonight: fire up anyone you want for DFS get ready for a fun one!
Sprinkling on the Pacers: The Pacers are a big underdog tonight in New Orleans … right where bettors want them. If you’ve bet Indiana on the moneyline every instance this season when they are getting at least five points (tonight lines up to be the 13th such game), you are up 12.3 units. Not. Too. Shabby.
Bearish on the Bulls: The number will fluctuate throughout the day, but Chicago is going to go off as a favorite as they host Houston tonight and that gives you license to fade them. The Bulls have failed to cover six of their past seven games when favored, losing five of those games outright.
Game of the night
Minnesota Timberwolves at Miami Heat
7 p.m. ET, FTX Arena, Miami
Line: Heat (-3)
Money line: Heat (-155), Timberwolves (+130)
Total: 221.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 231.3 points
BPI Win%: Heat (57.6%)
Questionable: Caleb Martin, Bam Adebayo, Jimmy Butler
Ruled Out: Taurean Prince, Jordan McLaughlin, Kyle Anderson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Dewayne Dedmon, Gabe Vincent
Note: BPI numbers factored in players who are ruled out but assumes questionable players will play
Fantasy Streamer: Naz Reid (available in % of leagues). Reid has been productive in the games he has played since Karl-Anthony Towns’ injury. He has scored in double figures eight times over his past 11 games and has averaged 13.6 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 1.5 APG, 1.4 3PG, 1.0 BPG and 0.7 SPG in 21.6 MPG. — Snellings
Best Bet: Anthony Edwards over 23.5 points. Edwards has been on a tear over the past week. He has averaged 29.3 PPG over his past four outings with at least 23 points scored in each game. In his last three games against the Heat, going back to last season, Edwards has averaged 23.3 PPG even while playing alongside Towns. With Towns still out, Edwards should get a big share of the offense on Monday. — Snellings
Breaking down the rest of the slate
Brooklyn Nets at Cleveland Cavaliers
7 p.m. ET, Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland
Line: Cavaliers (-2)
Money line: Cavaliers (-140), Nets (+118)
Total: 221.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 233.1 points
BPI Win%: Cavaliers (65.3%)
Ruled Out: Joe Harris
Note: BPI numbers factored in players who are ruled out but assumes questionable players will play
LA Clippers at Detroit Pistons
7:00 p.m ET, Little Caesars Arena, Detroit
Line: Clippers (-5.5)
Money line: Clippers (-225), Pistons (+185)
Total: 222.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 230.1 points
BPI Win%: Clippers (65.2%)
Ruled Out: Kawhi Leonard
Note: BPI numbers factored in players who are ruled out but assumes questionable players will play
Fantasy Streamers: Norman Powell (available in 83.4% of leagues), Terance Mann (available in 96.0% of leagues) and Luke Kennard (available in 98.5% of leagues) are all reasonable streaming options with Kawhi Leonard out Monday night. All three have a 20-point effort in recent games, with Powell returning from injury and dropping 21 points in 23 minutes on Friday. Kennard scored 20 points with four 3-pointers three games ago and Mann stepped up huge the last time Leonard sat, posting a 22-point, 11-rebound double-double with four assists and four 3-pointers in 34 minutes against the Suns. — Andre Snellings
Best Bet: Bojan Bogdanovic over 19.5 points. Bogdanovic is a bucket, and he bounced back from two poor games early last week with a 23-point effort on Friday. He’s scored at least 22 points in five of his past seven games and faces a Clippers’ defense that is middle-of-the-pack in points allowed to opposing small forwards. Los Angeles also ranks sixth-worst in 3-pointers allowed to the position and Bogdanovic loves to operate from beyond the arc. — Snellings
Houston Rockets at Chicago Bulls
8 p.m. ET, United Center, Chicago
Line: Bulls (-7.5)
Money line: Bulls (-320), Rockets (+250)
Total: 229 points
BPI Projected Total: 240.8 points
BPI Win%: Bulls (75.8%)
Doubtful: Derrick Jones Jr.
Questionable: Eric Gordon
Ruled Out: Javonte Green, Alex Caruso, Jae’Sean Tate
Note: BPI numbers factored in players who are ruled out but assumes questionable players will play
Fantasy streamer: Jabari Smith Jr. (available in 61.7% of leagues) Smith is coming off a career-high 24 points against the Mavericks on Friday. He has three double-doubles over his past nine games, and has averaged 13.7 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 1.8 3PG, 1.1 BPG and 0.7 SPG in 31.8 MPG during that stretch. — Snellings
Indiana Pacers at New Orleans Pelicans
8 p.m. ET, Smoothie King Center, New Orleans
Line: Pelicans (-6.5)
Money line: Pelicans (-260), Pacers (+210)
Total: 235.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 236.9 points
BPI Win%: Pelicans (62.5%)
Questionable: Aaron Nesmith, Jalen Smith
Ruled Out: Brandon Ingram, Larry Nance Jr.
Note: BPI numbers factored in players who are ruled out but assumes questionable players will play
Utah Jazz at San Antonio Spurs
8 p.m. ET, AT&T Center, San Antonio
Line: Jazz (-4.5)
Money line: Jazz (-195), Spurs (+162)
Total: 235.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 240.9 points
BPI Win%: Jazz (70.8%)
Ruled Out: Kelly Olynyk
Note: BPI numbers factored in players who are ruled out but assumes questionable players will play
Best bet: Lauri Markkanen over 22.5 points. Markkanen has been the primary scorer for the Jazz and has gone over 22.5 points in three of his past five, and six of his past 10 games. During those 10 games, he has averaged a robust 25.1 PPG. On Monday, he faces a very friendly Spurs defense in a game where a lot of points should be scored. — Snellings
Charlotte Hornets at Portland Trail Blazers
10 p.m. ET, Moda Center, Portland, Oregon
Line: Blazers (-6)
Money line: Blazers (-225), Hornets (+185)
Total: 239 points
BPI Projected Total: 241.7 points
BPI Win%: Blazers (58.7%)
Questionable: Nick Richards, Josh Hart, Jusuf Nurkic
Ruled Out: Dennis Smith Jr., Cody Martin, Justise Winslow, Gary Payton II
Note: BPI numbers factored in players who are ruled out but assumes questionable players will play
Best bet: LaMelo Ball over 23.5 points, over 30.5 combined points + assists. Ball has scored at least 23 points in all six games he’s played since returning from an ankle injury, averaging 25.3 PPG during that stretch. In those three games, he dished at least eight assists and has averaged 10.3 APG in those scenarios. The Trail Blazers have a friendly defense, and the high total
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