NBA Best Bets: Full Thursday Slate Preview and Predictions

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00:00Let's get you set for another night in the Association.

00:06Of course, NBA Cup action tomorrow, but some big news DRS just coming down in the NBA as

00:12of a couple of minutes ago.

00:14Sham Sharani and now of ESPN, formerly our friend over at FanDuel TV, Dallas Mavericks

00:21star Luka Doncic has sustained a wrist injury and is expected to miss time.

00:26What exactly that timeline or timetable for return looks like, we don't necessarily know

00:31at this moment, but Luka Doncic now sidelined for a little bit of time here at the very

00:37least.

00:38Yeah, somebody's got to step up for that team, whether it be Klay Thompson has been a nice

00:41addition to that Mavericks starting lineup, of course, Kyrie Irving.

00:45It's never good to hear one of the guys that's in the NDP race down for a wrist injury, but

00:50I do think they're playing it prudently here by saying, you know what, if it's banged up,

00:53if it's injured, let's not continue to send you out there and do any more damage.

00:57It's early in the season.

00:58Let's reevaluate, I believe in a week is what they're saying.

01:00So it doesn't look like long term, but certainly when you hear Luka's name in there, that's

01:03big news.

01:04Yeah, it absolutely is.

01:06And when you look at the Dallas Mavericks so far this season and where they stand, of

01:10course, the reigning Western Conference champs, they were below 500.

01:15They won three straight now eight and seven.

01:17Again, Donny, as we compare the two conferences, only four teams in the Eastern Conference

01:22above 500.

01:23The Cavs, of course, 16 and one.

01:25The reigning champs, the Celtics, 12 and three, the Knicks and the Magic, both with nine wins.

01:31There are 11 of 15 teams in a Western Conference above 500, including the Mavericks, who if

01:37the season ended today, we love to say that it's only 15 games into 82.

01:42The Mavericks would be on the outside looking in despite being a game above 500.

01:47All right.

01:48The Magic last night in Los Angeles, but now at the Intuit Dome, have to make the short

01:54trip to downtown L.A. to take on the Lakers tonight.

01:57The Magic without Belobancaro, only 93 points, losing the Clips when they were booked as

02:03the favorites in Los Angeles.

02:05Just four games tonight.

02:06This is the latest one.

02:07The Lakers, a four and a half point home favorite against Orlando.

02:11Total at 217.

02:12Yeah, I think they win.

02:14I think the Lakers win and cover that 217 is interesting because we know Orlando is

02:17not really that tempo team that we love to see.

02:20So maybe a slight lean to the under.

02:21But if I'm playing this game, it's not Anthony Davis.

02:23It's not LeBron James.

02:24It's Dalton Connect four out here.

02:27Anytime you have a young rookie that's in rhythm and in flow and has a 37 point game,

02:32you owe it to yourself.

02:33Talking about LeBron James to make sure you keep feeding the kid.

02:36Now, do we expect a repeat of 25 plus points, 30 plus points, maybe 40 points?

02:40Not necessarily.

02:41But you're getting good prices here right now on the FanDuel Sportsbook.

02:44Connect to score 15 points tonight.

02:46That's only at a minus 115 price.

02:47Dalton Connect to make three three-point shots.

02:50That's a minus 125.

02:51I think he has a legitimate chance to get both of those.

02:53And sort of, of course, they're correlated.

02:55If he's scoring 15 points, he's probably going to knock down three plus three-point shots.

02:58So you can take either or.

02:59But I always love in the NBA particularly, ride the hot hand.

03:02The kid just dropped 37.

03:03He's not going to be iced out of the offense as LeBron James says, let me get mine tonight.

03:08No, I look for a good performance out of Dalton Connect that probably gets him close to 20.

03:12We'll settle at 15.

03:13I'll pay that price at a minus 115.

03:1637 against Utah in NBA Cup action on Tuesday, burying nine triples.

03:2127 against the Pels over the weekend on Saturday in the Big Easy was 5 of 10 from deep.

03:28Somehow, someway, Dalton Connect falling all the way to 17th in the lottery or outside

03:33of the lottery will be examined.

03:36I'm pretty sure that Jared McCain was drafted 16th overall, right?

03:39Right before him?

03:40Yes, they were late.

03:41If I'm not mistaken.

03:42Both those guys were a little bit late.

03:43Now, they're now the NBA Rookie of the Year favorites, McCain in front of Connect, but

03:49two guys that are performing incredibly well right away in their NBA careers.

03:55The Timberwolves on the road tonight in Toronto, laying seven points against the Raptors.

04:00225 and a half is the number.

04:02What's the approach?

04:04The approach for me is probably I have to think the Raptors are going to lose this game.

04:06You still have a pretty good total 225 and a half in the Raptors at home.

04:09I've been, you know, Grady Dick has had a very good season shooting the three point

04:12shot as a young guy.

04:13I think that continues tonight.

04:14But obviously, if you're looking from a Minnesota Timberwolves perspective, it starts and ends

04:18probably with Anthony Edwards.

04:20Not a lot to love in this game, but I do think Grady Dick's going to be able to launch a

04:22couple of three point shots.

04:24That's the play I would make from a prop perspective on the Raptors side.

04:28And when you look at Toronto, not a great season, 3-12, an underdog in all 15 games,

04:34but 10-5 against the spread, and in those 10 covers, they have gone over the number

04:39in 9 of 10.

04:41So if Toronto keeps this game close against Minnesota, seven points spread right now,

04:46you would assume then total goes over the number.

04:50At least that's how you could look at things tonight.

04:52Two other games around the NBA, Charlotte will host Detroit, one and a half points spread

04:57in favor of the Pistons.

04:58Have fun if you are betting that game.

05:01San Antonio slightly on the come up, the Spurs big NBA Cup victory over the Thunder on Tuesday

05:07without Wembley, slight three point home favorite against the Utah Jazz who are not

05:12doing great.

05:13Worst record at 3-11 in the Western Conference.

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