How to target Haliburton in his return Tuesday night
After exhilarating matchups Monday night, Tuesday has fewer games. There's still a TNT doubleheader and five total games.
Here are our three best bets for Tuesday:
Tyrese Haliburton: Over 31.5 points and assists
Haliburton injured his hamstring on Jan. 8 against the Celtics. He returned on Jan. 19 but re-aggravated it and has been out since. The All-Star starter is expected to return Tuesday night against Boston.
Haliburton's averaging a combined 36.2 points and assists this season. He consistently went over this mark before his injury and should immediately return to that production level. The only thing that could hamper this play is if the Pacers are cautious and restrict his minutes. There haven't been any reports regarding minute restrictions, so he should play a normal workload.
While the Celtics typically have an elite defense, they allow the ninth-most points per game to point guards. In a nationally televised contest, expect a big Haliburton outing.
Odds: -120 (playable to -130)
Knicks team total: Under 116.5 points
The Knicks are playing for the second consecutive night after scoring 113 points in a win over the Hornets - the NBA's worst defense - on Monday.
It was the Knicks' first game without Julius Randle, who's out for at least a few weeks with a shoulder injury. The offense suffers without Randle. OG Anunoby also missed Monday's game, and his status is unknown for Tuesday against the Jazz.
Without two starters, New York relies heavily on Jalen Brunson and the supporting cast.
Even with a mostly healthy group, the Knicks have failed to score at least 117 points in six of their last nine games. The Jazz are also on the second leg of a back-to-back after the Nets demolished them Monday. However, no Jazz starter played more than 27 minutes. Neither team had to travel, so fatigue shouldn't be a factor.
Although the Jazz have a porous defense, they'll limit a shorthanded Knicks group.
Odds: -115 (playable to -120)
Anthony Davis: Over 37.5 points and rebounds
There's a decent chance LeBron James sits Tuesday night against the Hawks. The Lakers are playing their third game in four nights, and James logged 48 and 37 minutes, respectively, in the two prior games.
If he plays, he'll certainly play fewer minutes than the last few days. Without James, Davis needs to step up. His consistency has improved, and he's been one of the few positives throughout Los Angeles' disappointing season.
He's averaging 37 combined points and rebounds this season. The Hawks allow the sixth-most points and rebounds per game to centers.
In a favorable matchup and with added responsibility, a dominant version of Davis could be on display.
Odds: -105 (playable to -120)
Sam Oshtry is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X @soshtry for more betting coverage.