This article is part of our NBA Picks series.
Three roundtable participants offer their favorite bets of the day:
Alex Barutha: Bulls at Timberwolves OVER 231.5 points -- FanDuel, 12:58 PM CT
Neither of these teams have any interest whatsoever in playing defense. Since the All-Star break, Chicago's location effective field-goal percentage -- essentially, what a team's defensive shot profile is -- is dead last (55.8%), while Minnesota's is third to last (55.0%), per Cleaning The Glass. The Wolves are also allowing a league-high 128.7 points per 48 minutes since the break, while the Bulls allow a more-respectable-but-still-not-great 114.7. Finally, the Wolves are on the second night of a back-to-back, which usually doesn't lend itself to strong efforts.
Nick Whalen: Hassan Whiteside OVER 33.5 PTS + REB + AST (+100) vs. WAS -- 12:20pm CT DraftKings
After cruising to an easy win by half-a-point with this same bet on Zion Williamson last night, I'm running it back with Whiteside. Considering who we're dealing with, this is basically a points + rebounds number, but I still feel good about Whiteside's chances -- especially with the news that the Wizards will rest Thomas Bryant. Over the last 10 games, Washington ranks 29th in total rebound percentage, 28th in second-chance points allowed, and 27th in points in the paint allowed. Meanwhile, over his last 10 games, Whiteside is averaging 16.9 points and 15.5 rebounds per game, while reaching at least 34 PTS/REB/AST in four of his last five. While he has just two assists over his last 93 minutes, "Dimes" Whiteside handed out multiple assists in an unprecedented five straight games from Feb. 11 through Feb. 25.
Joe Bartel:
D'Angelo Russell UNDER 23.5 points (-116) vs. Bulls (FanDuel Sportsbook 11:42 A.M. CT)
Malik Beasley OVER 17.5 points (-106) vs. Bulls (FanDuel Sportsbook 11:42 A.M. CT)
Has any one of my excellent Roundtable colleagues had the gall to propose two separate bets without putting them in a parlay? Oh, they have? Well, it appears the ruse is up. What hasn't been figured out is the Bulls' defense, specifically against the point guard position. Over the last 10 games, the Bulls have allowed the second fewest points to opposing point guards, and that includes games against Kyle Lowry, Ben Simmons, Chris Paul and Luka Doncic to name a few. Russell is still commanding a stranglehold on the T-Wolves' field-goal attempts, but in the last five games, over half of those have come via the 3-point line, a spot the Bulls have aggressively attempted to take away all season (tied for third fewest 3-point attempts allowed to PGs in 2019-2020).
Shooting guard is a different story, and one that has only gotten worse thanks to the season-ending injury to Kris Dunn (knee). Over the last 10 games, the Bulls are allowing the third-most points, and worst shooting percentage (52 percent) to SGs. Beasley has scored more than 17 points in six of 10 games since joining Minnesota, and should be primed for another chance to exceed the figure so long as Russell struggles from the field.
