NBA Wednesday betting preview: Nuggets in trouble without Murray
We split our NBA picks on a shortened Tuesday slate, nailing the Hawks cover but falling short on the Jazz as big favorites. Here are our favorite plays against the spread Wednesday.
Nets @ 76ers (-7.5, 225.5)
As impressive as the Nets have looked when fully healthy, we've rarely seen that version of this team through the first 54 games of this season. That'll be the case again as Kevin Durant, James Harden, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Blake Griffin were all ruled out of Wednesday's game.
Brooklyn is 5-11 ATS in its last 16 games, with either Durant or Harden missing every single one. The last time the Nets were without both stars was an 8-point loss to the Bulls on April 4, while the last time Kyrie Irving played without Harden was in a 25-point loss to the Lakers on April 10.
In short, this team is classic fade material without its stars, and that's especially true against a 76ers squad that covered eight of its last 11 games with Joel Embiid on the floor.
Pick: 76ers -7.5
Clippers (-3, 216.5) @ Pistons
Maybe it's coaching. Maybe it's pride. Whatever the reason, the Pistons simply don't bow down as big underdogs - even against the best teams in the league.
Since Jan. 1, Detroit is 11-2 ATS against teams that entered with a winning percentage of at least 60%, winning four outright and staying within eight points in 10 of those 13 games. The Pistons catch the Clippers without Kawhi Leonard or Paul George in Wednesday's tilt, making them a clear play at these odds.
Pick: Pistons +3
Heat @ Nuggets (-5, 210.5)
What are the Nuggets without Jamal Murray? The star guard is out indefinitely after tearing his ACL in the final minute of Monday's loss to the Warriors, which marked Denver's third consecutive loss against the number.
This is still a talented team with Nikola Jokic running the show, but Murray's injury means defenses can key on the big man without fearing a barrage from a secondary star. It also puts a lot of pressure on Monte Morris and Facundo Campazzo to handle the ball against a tenacious Heat defense.
The Nuggets are 2-4 ATS this year without Murray and 11-15-2 ATS in that spot since drafting him in 2016. Until we see how they respond, they're an easy fade for me.
Pick: Heat +5
C Jackson Cowart is a betting writer for theScore. He's an award-winning journalist with stops at The Charlotte Observer, The San Diego Union-Tribune, The Times Herald-Record, and BetChicago. He's also a proud graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, and his love of sweet tea is rivaled only by that of a juicy prop bet. Find him on Twitter @CJacksonCowart.