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Best Bets
Joel Embiid over 36.5 points (-105) at Pacers
DraftKings, 3:25 PM CT
Alex Barutha: Indiana has the league's 26th-ranked defense and plays at the second-fastest pace. That sets up well for the 76ers, who play at a league-average pace, and Embiid, who is coming off a 70-point outing and is averaging 36.1 PPG on the season and hasn't posted fewer than 30 points since Nov. 15. In two prior appearances against Indiana, Embiid is averaging 38.0 points. I'm just going to keep rolling with Embiid in spots like this while he's hot.
Sam Hauser over 1.5 threes (+105) at Heat
BetMGM, 3:35 PM CT
Alex Barutha: It's a bit surprising you can even bet on Hauser when he's not starting, but I suppose that sort of thing is an option when you're a massive market and the best team in the NBA. In 10 games coming off the bench in January, Hauser is making 1.7 threes at 38.6%. Thursday marks a good spot, as the Heat are on the second night of a back-to-back and allow the third-highest efficiency to opposing spot-up shooters. Just over 50% of Hauser's usage comes on spot-up attempts.
I'm taking the OVER on Collin Sexton scoring 22.5 points
(DraftKings, -125, 4:35 ET)
The Wizards' defense is bad, and their backcourt defense is particularly bad. Just ask Wes Unseld Jr., who they just bumped from head coach to "advisor". I don't think promoted assistant Brian Keefe will have any magic potion to improve Jordan Poole's and Tyus Jones' porous D. Washington allows 124.7 points per game, which ranks dead last in the Association. But on the other side of the coin, Sexton has been fantastic since he was named a starter in mid-December. Over 22 starts, Sexton is averaging 22.6 points per contest. Over his past 11 games, he's ticked up to 23.5 points per game. My hope is the new Wizards coach motivates the team enough to prevent a blowout. But Utah has lost three in a row, so even if they are up big, they may still give the starters big minutes. But, hey, the K-Train is a mediocre 21-19, so feel free to fade.
