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The Scout: Wednesday NBA Tips

Posted on | Posted by The Scout

Boston Celtics @ Portland Trail Blazers

The Boston Celtics are flying. Third in the East, they’ve won nine of their last 11 and came within a bucket of beating the Lakers at Staples Center earlier in the week.

Portland are three games out of the 8th seed, and coming off a tight win over Detroit. They’ll again be without their star point guard Damian Lillard.

In their win over the Pistons (107-104), the Blazers needed Carmelo Anthony to wind back the clock to get over the line. Melo went for 32 points on 69% shooting while CJ McCollum went for 41 points of his own.

Jayson Tatum looks to have gone to another level for Boston after his first All-Star appearance. He had 41 against the Lakers, and should find the assignment easier against a Portland side lacking in wing defenders.

While it was great to see a vintage Melo performance, at this point in his career he can’t be relied on for that kind of output night in, night out. I don’t think he (or CJ) and repeat their scoring outburst, and I can’t see Portland matching it with the Celtics here.

Suggested Bet: Boston -5.5 (Line) @ $1.88*

Sacramento Kings @ Golden State Warriors

The Kings come into this game off the back of two great wins over the Clippers and the Grizzlies, while Golden State remain the worst team in the League.

The Warriors have lost six in a row, four of these by double digit margins. Their roster has been decimated by injury with most of their lineup borderline unrecognizable.

The Kings are very unlikely to make the playoffs (five games behind Memphis) but they have a young core led by a now-healthy De’Aaron Fox who will have something to prove in the final stages of the season.

The Kings look well placed to record a third straight win, and exact some pain and revenge on their division rivals after years of dominance.

Suggested Bet: Sacramento 11+ (Margin)

New Orleans Pelicans @ Los Angeles Lakers

The Pelicans have won five of their last six and are now just three games out of the 8th seed in the Western Conference.

The Lakers are cruising. They sit comfortably on top of the West and have won five straight games – including a tough two point win over Boston earlier in the week.

These two sides are in very different situations. The Lakers will soon be worried about preserving their stars for the playoffs, while the Pelicans are full throttle trying to climb into the playoff picture.

Zion Williamson has been as advertised. He is averaging nearly 23 points per game and has a great supporting cast around him in Brandon Ingram, Jrue Holiday and Lonzo Ball.

The Lakers were out to make a point against the Celtics. They played hard and physical from the outset and came away with the win. I don’t expect them to bring the same intensity here against a surging Pels outfit that has everything to play for.

Suggested Bet: New Orleans +7.5 (Line) @ $1.93*

*Odds correct as at 10am, 25th February 2020.

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