So it occurred. After weeks of hypothesis, the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers agreed to the commerce we had been ready for. James Harden is on his strategy to Philadelphia, the place I believe his balky hamstring will all of a sudden really feel higher, and Ben Simmons is lastly freed from these meanies in Philly. He’ll be a part of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn.
It is a huge blockbuster simply forward of the NBA‘s Commerce Deadline that is more likely to considerably influence how the remainder of the season performs out. And I do not know why Brooklyn would do it.
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OK, I’ve a slight concept. Harden wished out, and after paying the worth to get him, you possibly can’t let him depart without spending a dime if there’s an actual probability he would possibly. However why would you need Ben Simmons? I perceive that Simmons is proficient, however we have seen far too many examples of how he is a hindrance to his groups within the playoffs, and the actual fact he would not appear to have the, shall we embrace, aggressive hearth wanted to win an NBA championship makes him appear an odd match for Brooklyn.
Everyone knows that Irving causes complications, however we additionally know that he is an individual who loves taking part in basketball. That is why Durant and Kyrie can work collectively. I do not know that Ben Simmons loves taking part in basketball. I’ve a sense that will probably be extra of a hindrance to workforce chemistry in Brooklyn than Kyrie’s vaccination standing or James Harden might ever be.
I would not commerce any of the next picks for Ben Simmons.
All occasions Japanese, and all odds by way of Caesars Sportsbook
🔥 The Sizzling Ticket
🏈Rams vs. Bengals, Sunday, 6:30 p.m. | TV: NBC
The Decide: Matthew Stafford Over 0.5 interceptions (-160): Friday’s version of the publication will probably be Tremendous Bowl-focused. I am going to have a play on the unfold, complete, and particular person props to make your Tremendous Bowl Sunday thrilling. However I’ve so many props and picks for the sport that I do not wish to overload tomorrow’s editions, so as an alternative, since there’s not a ton on the board I am in love with tonight, I am going to give us a head begin.
Matthew Stafford goes to throw an interception. It is humorous — there’s been this shift within the narrative round Stafford. There’s speak about how successful this sport would possibly get him into the Corridor of Fame, and whereas I am not inquisitive about a debate about that, I do wish to level out that Stafford is identical participant he is at all times been. The one factor that is modified is he is on a a lot better workforce than any he is ever been on.
Ultimately, although, he is nonetheless the identical QB with a unbelievable arm able to making throws few others could make. He is additionally the identical man that throws a couple of passes each sport that depart you questioning what the hell was working by his thoughts when he determined, “oh yeah, that is the one.”
He takes numerous pointless probabilities, and whereas Stafford’s 6.8% TD price this season is a career-high (the earlier was 6.5% in 2019), his interception price of two.8% is the second-highest of his profession outdoors of his rookie season. It seems having higher gamers round him has solely made Stafford extra keen to take probabilities he should not. That is why he is thrown not less than one interception in 12 of 21 video games this season and in 5 of the Rams’ final seven.
He will take them in opposition to Cincinnati too.
Key Development: Stafford’s INT price of two.8% is the second-highest of his profession outdoors his rookie season.
Here is what SportsLine is saying in regards to the sport: Need extra props? Take a look at all of the props SportsLine’s high NFL consultants are eyeing for the Tremendous Bowl.
💰 The Picks
USATSI
🏀School Basketball
Pacific at No. 2 Gonzaga, 9 p.m. | TV: CBS Sports activities Community
Newest Odds:
Over 153.5
The Decide: Over 154 (-110) — Being a Gonzaga fan from late December by February must be boring. The Bulldogs dominate their convention and are routinely taking part in video games like this one tonight, the place they’re favored by 32 factors. Severely, the common level unfold in Gonzaga video games since its loss to Alabama on Dec. 4 has been 23.8 factors, with 5 of the 12 video games having a variety of not less than 30 factors. Tonight makes six in 13.
In fact, I am not inquisitive about determining if Gonzaga can cowl a 32-point unfold tonight, however I feel this complete is a bit of low. One of many issues about Gonzaga being so a lot better than a lot of the groups in its convention is that it scores numerous factors in these video games. The Bulldogs are averaging 99.4 factors per sport in convention and will simply eclipse the century mark once more tonight.
Given how terrible Pacific is defensively and the great measurement benefit the Bulldogs have, they may even get to 110 or extra. So we’re making an attempt to determine of Pacific can get to round 55 factors. The very fact Gonzaga may have emptied the bench within the remaining minutes makes it extra seemingly they are going to.
Key Development: The over is 10-4 in Pacific’s final 14 video games.
No. 4 Arizona at Washington State, 9 p.m. | TV: FS1
Newest Odds:
Below 144.5
The Decide: Below 144.5 (-110) — That is an thrilling matchup I am unsure a lot of the school basketball world is conscious of as a result of the Pac-12 would not get a lot consideration east of the Rockies. Washington State is simply 14-7 on the season, however after getting off to a sluggish begin with some head-scratching losses, the Cougars have gained 5 straight and are battling with UCLA and Oregon for second place within the convention. The important thing to this turnaround has come on the defensive finish.
Getting into the evening, the Cougars rank first within the Pac-12 in defensive effectivity in convention play, permitting almost three complete factors fewer per 100 possessions than Arizona in second place. These two defenses we’ll see on show tonight are why I am an enormous fan of the underneath on this spot as a result of this complete nonetheless has a bit of an excessive amount of of Wazzu’s early-season struggles baked into it. Wazzu would not have the sort of offensive firepower it might want to beat Arizona, so it’ll try to muck issues up defensively and restrict possessions to remain inside vary. I do not know if that may work, but it surely ought to preserve the rating low.
Key Development: The underneath is 10-1 in Washington State’s final 11 house video games and 4-1 in Arizona’s final 5 as a favourite.
🔒 SportsLine Decide of the Day: I am avoiding the NBA tonight as a result of the commerce deadline goes to result in numerous odd lineups, however the SportsLine Projection Mannequin loves one aspect of the Suns/Bucks video games a lot I might need to rethink.
🏀 Tonight’s Parlay
Tonight we’re going again to fundamentals with a four-leg school basketball cash line parlay. It pays +110.