This article is part of our NBA Picks series.
Joe Bartel
Jonas Valanciunas to record double-double + Dejounte Murray over 4.5 assists (+116) - DraftKings Sportsbook (12:07 PM CT)
We kickstart the post-All-Star break with a nice little parlay option. Valanciunas has scored double-digit points in all but one game since the start of February and goes against a Wizards' frontcourt that allows the most rebounds to centers in the NBA. Murray has been a featured facilitator as of late, averaging 6.7 assists over the last seven games while seeing a bit of an uptick in minutes (32.7) over that stretch.
Nick Whalen
Ja Morant OVER 23.5 points (-121) vs. Washington -- DraftKings Sportsbook
Morant has gone under 24 points in five of the last seven games, but he closed the first half on a high note, going for 35 points in back-to-back contests. He got to the line 25 times and took 16 threes over those two contests, one of which came against these same Wizards. Washington has been a little bit better defensively of late, but the Wiz are playing at the fastest pace in the league over the last 10 games, while the Grizzlies rank fourth in that span. It should be another high-scoring night for Memphis, which has topped 120 points in three of its last five.
Alex Barutha
Luka Doncic 11+ Assists and Mavericks to win by 1-10 vs. Spurs (+500) -- PointsBet, 2:20 PM CT
Wednesday's slate is about as boring of a two-game slate as you can get, so I opted for a wager that's out of the box. I think Doncic will come out of the break well-rested and at his best, and I do expect the Mavericks to win, but I don't have a world of confidence, which is why I'm fine with the 1-10 margin. Doncic's passing success correlates with Mavericks victories, as he averages 9.5 assists in wins compared to 8.3 assists in losses. He's reached 11+ assists 10 times this season.
