Just one play on the big Wednesday card, and now I might have more than that on a short Thursday. You just never know with the NBA…

#Pacers (-3) @ #Pistons (218.5)

This line has already plummeted from the opening mark of 5.5. Indy is rolling in off a game with Brooklyn. The Pistons also played the Nets, but had a day off. I know Detroit has been competitive but Indiana can actually play some defense. I wonder if we’re approaching a world where the Pacers are undervalued again. I’m also unclear how these teams somehow haven’t faced off yet. Let’s see how Indy looks against the Nets on Wednesday and work that into our handicap, then make a final call.

#Raptors @ #Celtics (-4.5) (222.5)

This is a bit of a crummy scheduling spot for the Celtics, back home off their long west coast swing that ended on a 2-3 note due to a difficult loss in Utah. I’m a bit torn on this one. On the one hand, you have the Raptors, who have been playing a little bit better but still haven’t toppled a better team. This is also a playoff revenge spot and an in-season revenge spot, as Boston smoked ’em by 14 earlier this year. Then, Boston… will they be sluggish after the extended trip or fired up after getting tanked by the Jazz?

#Heat @ #Rockets

The Heat are… not that great. Obviously, they’re better with Butler back, but this team doesn’t have the spark of last year. They’re just beat up, and aside from Olynyk’s fantasy jump and Adebayo hitting FTs like crazy, they’re mostly an overvalued ATS team. The Rockets are hitting a bit of a slump after the Harden’s-gone-honeymoon. They’re basically a fade without Christian Wood, but I could argue both teams are a fade right now.

#Sixers (-5) @ #Blazers (229.5)

It’s going to take a DameMonsterLevel effort to keep Portland from slipping away, especially given the Blazers caught the Sixers napping in Philly and won with most of the starting lineup down. I’d call this line a trap but Philly just beat the Kings laying almost this exact number and I’m not stepping in front of that freighter. Sometimes I wonder if I need to just listen to a casual bettor talk about teams and see if they still think Portland has a prayer. Like, am I calling this a fishy line because I no longer understand the common person’s take on Portland?

#Magic @ #Warriors

Fool me once, etc. I’ve bet the Magic too many times this year only to watch them crumble in a sickening lack of offensive talent, and here we are again. The Warriors are back after a fairly emotional road trip that involved a pair of games with the Mavs and Spurs, and a 2-2 split. Historically, this is a bad scheduling spot, but so it was for the Blazers who just ran up a pretty easy win over Orlando. I think we likely need Evan Fournier in the lineup because otherwise we’re looking at Vucevic against Draymond as the only means of attack and that’s not great for our potential underdog.