Today’s Best Bets
Sam Choudhury
Today may be Super Bowl Sunday but that doesn’t mean the NBA doesn’t have any action.
There is a very, very small two-game slate this afternoon and if you are looking for something to do before the Super Bowl, we have you covered.
Check out the FTN NBA Optimizer.
Atlanta Hawks @ Boston Celtics
BOS -7.5, total: 220.5
Pace: ATL (14th), BOS (21st)
Situations to monitor:
- Trae Young (hip) is listed as probable but John Collins will be sidelined until after the All-Star break with a heel injury.
Minnesota Timberwolves @ Indiana Pacers
MIN -7, total: 236.5
Pace: MIN (2nd), IND (16th)
Situations to monitor:
- Anthony Edwards is listed as questionable for Minnesota.
- For the Pacers, Myles Turner (foot) will remain sidelined. Meanwhile, Malcolm Brogdon (Achilles) is once again questionable, while Isaiah Jackson (ankle) has been ruled out.
Stats to Know
Kevin Huerter sees a 5.0% bump in usage rate with John Collins off the floor this season
With Collins sidelined, multiple Atlanta wings will see bumps in minutes and usage. Huerter’s usage rate climbs by five percent with Collins off the floor this year, while he also sees a small spike in rebounding rate (13%). Meanwhile, De’Andre Hunter’s usage rate climbs by nearly four percent with Collins off the court and Danilo Gallinari’s jumps by almost two percent. Gallo is also averaging a respectable 0.94 fantasy points per minute with Collins off the floor, while also sporting a solid 21% rebounding rate.
Value Plays
There isn’t going to be a ton of value on a two-game slate. Oshae Brissett could stand out at $4,500 on DraftKings if he starts again but Terry Taylor, who missed the Pacers’ last game, is not on the injury report. The absences of Myles Turner, Taylor and Isaiah Jackson led to Brissett starting and logging 38 minutes against Cleveland. Your best bet might be to look at the aforementioned Hawks players, who are all under $5,000 on DraftKings.
