Best bets for The Basketball Tournament on July 9th

Today’s two-game The Basketball Tournament (TBT) slate should be a good one, as there’s going to be a whole lot of firepower on the floor. These are not games you are going to want to miss, so grab some popcorn, get your picks in and enjoy the action!

The Money Team -6.5 vs. Herd That

Herd That has become America’s team, as TBT fans have fallen in love with Ot Elmore, who looks like a weekend warrior that won a contest that allowed him to appear on ESPN. However, this Marshall alumni team is no joke, as evidenced by their 15-point victory over the Peoria All-Stars in the opening round of this tournament. Jon Elmore, the star of the show, had nine points and 10 assists in that game, but he was just 3-13 from the floor and 3-11 from the outside. Considering Elmore is a lights-out shooter, he should be in for a better performance in this one. The problem with Herd That is that they are outmatched at nearly every position against The Money Team, and the fact that point guard Stevie Browning is dealing with an injured ankle doesn’t help their cause.

The Money Team is absolutely loaded with talent, featuring a roster that includes Tony Wroten, Kyle Wiltjer, Willie Reed, Thomas Welsh and Bryce Alford, along with productive players you might not have heard of. I ultimately expect Wroten to put a ton of pressure on Elmore on both ends of the floor, and I believe that cutting off the head of the snake will ultimately mean that this game isn’t all that competitive. Herd That plays an exciting brand of basketball—a lot of these guys were coached by Dan D’Antoni—but The Money Team has the athleticism to frustrate them, and the shooters to answer on the other end of the floor. That’s why I’m laying the points.  

Armored Athlete +7.5 vs. Overseas Elite

I don’t think Overseas Elite is in danger of losing this game, but I believe Armored Athlete’s backcourt is going to make things tough on them. In a 98-91 win over Power of the Paw, Scott Machado and John Roberson combined to score 49 points to help Armored Athlete pull off the upset. Good guard play is the key to any successful tournament run, and it doesn’t get much better than this duo. Machado is easily one of the best point guards in the tournament.

Overseas Elite is adding Joe Johnson to a team that has already won four TBT championships, but it’s going to take time for this group to get used to his iso-heavy style. So even if Johnson does light it up, it’s entirely possible that his supporting cast will struggle a bit. This team also has to get used to playing with one another, in general. The core of the team that won all those championships is gone, so this will be an entirely new look. Regardless, this is a lot of points to be giving a feisty opponent.