Dan Druff's 2020-2021 NBA Picks

[Dan Druff]

Good calls Dan. I came along on both.

The Hornets under got a little dicey as I thought they were headed to OT.

I love the Celtics and they were due for a rout like that, but taking the points with the Cavs was kinda the en vogue pick. Glad I took your advice.

The Hornets one freaked me out because it had NO BUSINESS GOING TO OT, yet almost did.

The Hornets had the ball, up 3, with less than 24 seconds left. They got fouled. Should've been over. Instead they missed BOTH free throws and then gave up a 3 to tie it with 8.7 left! AUGGGH!

Fortunately they got a bucket with 0.7 left and iced it.

Glad you came along.

[Dan Druff]

Here's another moneyline, coming sooner (4:05pm PT).

Detroit already burned me once against the 76ers, but this time they don't have to face Embiid, who just always destroys them (and the other day was no exception).

On the down side, Rose is out. However, Blake Griffin is back, which would be better news 10 years ago, but still should be a plus.

Detroit +170 vs. Philadelphia

[Dan Druff]

One more starting soon.

Aaron Gordon BACK

Charlotte had a tremendous comeback yesterday, and edged Orlando. In this back-to-back rematch, the difference is that Gordon has returned, and Orlando will seek to avenge their 4th quarter meltdown.

Orlando -1 vs. Charlotte (-1.5 ok)

[dannyj]

Good calls again Dan.

I didn't have the heart to take Pistons on ML as I have a negative history with them but did grab the points earlier when it was rumored that Embiid might sit out.

[Dan Druff]

2-1 yesterday, only losing Chicago. I hit the +170 Detroit game.

Today:

Clips are without Kawhi, Paul George, and Patrick Beverly. Ouch! And Trae Young WILL play today, after being questionable.

I'll take the Hawks at -6.

Also, similarly, Washington is devastated by COVID, with Avdija and Hacimura out with COVID, and Westbrook is limited to 25 minutes.

Atlanta -6 vs. Clippers
Houston -3.5 vs. Washington (-4 ok)

[Dan Druff]

BTW I would have laid off of the Houston pick if Westbrook were playing a full game. I think he's going to play with a vengeance in his return to Houston, but playing only half the game, and missing several players due to COVID, there's only so much he can do.

[Dan Druff]

2-0 again

Now 6-1 since Sunday, up 5.25 units in that time.

[Dan Druff]

PLOPPY WEDNESDAY

NO CREATIVE MONEYLINES

NO COUNTERINTUITIVE UNDERS

NO REVERSE TRAPPER JOHN PICKS

JUST TWO GAMES WHICH LOOK GOOD TO EVERY PLOPPY WHO BETS FAVORITE SPREADS


Milwaukee -7 at Toronto (Siakam questionable)

Brooklyn -6.5 at Atlanta (Capela and Reddish questionable)

[dannyj]

You're on a roll Dan.

I played contrarian on the Clips+ yesterday.

[Dan Druff]

Okay, I lied.

There is one counterintuitive under.

Phoenix vs. Oklahoma City - Under 216

[Dan Druff]

1-1-1 yesterday. Phoenix under won, Milwaukee tied, Brooklyn lost (despite making OT and giving me a shot).

Two picks today. One is a ploppy pick, one is not.

Ploppy pick:

Houston -4.5 vs Portland

Portland is a disaster right now, with no Nurkic, McCollum, and Covington. Houston is at full strength with its regulars.

Non-ploppy pick (starting 4:35pm):

LA Clippers at Miami - Under 212

A shitload of major players out. Clippers missing George, Kawhi, Beverly. Miami missing Butler, Dragic, their own Leonard, Igoudala, and others.

[Dan Druff]

Okay, I've been wavering on this one all day, but I've decided to fire.

Phoenix vs. Golden State - Under 219.5 (Booker out)

(Note - Bovada has 220 right now)

[Dan Druff]

1-2 yesterday. Pretty sad, could've been 3-0. Houston blew a 10-point lead and barely squeaked by with a 3 point win. Cilppers somehow put up 40 points in the 3rd after a low scoring first half, and I still only lost that under by 2. The Phoenix under easily covered.


It's not clear if Kawhi Leonard and Paul George had COVID -- but they were out for "COVID protocols", and are now BACK.

You can look at recent Clippers scores and see some fairly low totals -- 208, 207, 214... but the last two were without George and Kawhi. Before that, the Clippers were playing at a fast pace and scoring a shitload of points.

The Magic are perceived by many to be a low-scoring squad, but the total has been 220 or more in 6 of their last 9 contests.

Clippers at Orlando - Over 218

[Dan Druff]

**** MONEYLINE ALERT ****

Washington will face an inconsistent Atlanta Hawks team tongiht. Russell Westbrook will return and presumably play full minutes. In his previous return earlier this week against Houston, he played half the game, didn't play well, and then rested on Wednesday.

Bradley Beal has been great lately, and has recently expressed the desire to be traded to a contender.

Washington is indeed not a good team and has gone 1-6 in their past 7, but Atlanta is coming off an exhausting OT loss against the Nets on Wednesday, and has bounced back and forth between looking like a contender and looking terrible.

Today will be another setback for Atlanta, as Washington will get an elusive W back at home.

Washington +140 vs. Atlanta

[Dan Druff]

*** MONEYLINE ALERT PART DEUX ***

Sacramento will be facing the disappointing Raptors in Tampa.

OG Anunoby is out. Not a huge deal, but thought I'd mention it.

Anyway, Sac will take this one, and continue Toronto's woes.

Sacramento +160 at Toronto

[Dan Druff]

1-2 today but the biggest dog won -- Sacramento held on to barely win, and the +160 turns my 1-2 day into just an 0.4 unit loss.

[Dan Druff]

Miami vs. Sacramento - Under 223 (222.5 ok)
New Orleans -2 vs. Houston

[Dan Druff]

1-1 yesterday. New Orleans fell apart in the 2nd, giving up 48 points, and that was that. Sac under covered.

Two bets on the Washington/Brooklyn game today.

Washington vs. Nets - Under 245.5
Washington +221 vs. Nets

No Harden. This should impact the scoring and the entire flow for the Nets. Don't be worried about the overs you've seen out of Brooklyn recently -- this game will be different. Also, with a line like 245.5, there's a lot of room for error.

[mcap]

Man you lucked out last night druff. Crazy, improbable finish to the wizards nets game.

[monet]

Man you lucked out last night druff. Crazy, improbable finish to the wizards nets game.

NHL = Stupid
NBA = Entertainment