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NBA Betting Odds, Picks & Predictions: Sunday (2/12)

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Last week, the best bets went 2-1, bringing the overall record back to .500, though still in the negative for return. This Sunday, the NBA has scheduled only two games, both matinees, with the Super Bowl looming in the evening. I’ll give my best bet for the day to get a nice win before the kickoff of the big game Sunday evening.

And here are our other top picks for Sunday:

Get ready for the big game with our Super Bowl LVII Betting Guide >>

Sunday’s Best NBA Bet

Season to Date: 19-19-2, -2.25 units

Memphis Grizzlies at Boston Celtics

The marquee matchup for Sunday takes place in Boston between the Celtics and the Grizzlies. These are two of the better defenses in the league, ranking fifth and second in adjusted defensive rating, respectively. The reason they’ve been so effective is by limiting opponents to low effective field goal percentages.

Both squads have focused on defense which is why both teams are ranked in the top two of their respective conference standings. In this Sunday afternoon contest, I like the under for the point total.

One factor that I like a lot here is the low free throw rates that both teams allow. Low free throw rates reduce the chances to score with the clock stopped and typically result in lower-scoring games.

Both of these teams have trended towards the under on the year. Memphis has gone under in eight of the last ten, while Boston has gone under in six of ten. The only other matchup between these two squads went under in November with a final score of 109-106. I like both of these teams to give the opposing offenses a really hard time again and keep this score lower.

One last angle I like for this play is the injuries for Boston. Smart, Brown, and Horford are all expected to be out for this contest. A really solid defensive team like Boston is capable of swapping out starters for bench players that know their role on defense. However, that is much harder to do on offense. Derrick White, Grant Williams, and Sam Hauser are a drop-off offensively that is likely not being accounted for enough in this game.

I like the defenses to shine in this nationally televised, potential NBA Finals preview. A playoff-level atmosphere should be expected in Boston, leading to a riveting yet lower-scoring contest to prime us for the big game Sunday night.

Pick: 1.1u on u229.5 (-110)

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