NBA Expert Picks and Best Bets | February 14

It’s Valentine’s Day in the NBA and our picks won’t break your heart. It’s also the last games for a lot of clubs before the All-Star break this weekend. The Pistons have been frisky since the trade deadline but take on Kevin Durant and the Suns in Phoenix. We’re also looking closely at the Knicks in Orlando, with the Magic on a back-to-back. You’ll love a big win.

Knicks +3 (-110) at FanDuel

The Knicks were involved in one of the strangest games of the NBA season Monday, losing to the Rockets on a cheap foul call at the buzzer. New York has protested the loss, and the officials already said they basically blew it…but the NBA is unlikely to do anything with the protest.

After surging in January, New York has lost thee in a row. Julius Randle is still out and New York has to rely more and more on Jalen Brunson to carry the load. The Knicks are only 14-13 on the road.

Orlando played Tuesday night against Oklahoma City and retired Shaq’s jersey, but the Thunder stole the show with a convincing 14-point win. Paolo Banchero had 23 points in the loss. Orlando has won six of nine, but is only 2-8 this season on back-to-back.

Look for the Knicks to be fired up after the controversial loss in Houston. NBA players always like that extra motivation.

Over 224.5 (-105) at BetMGM

Let’s do it again, let’s find one of the lowest totals on the board at  Michigan sportsbooks and take the over.

With the Sixers and Knicks fading, Cleveland has risen to second in the East behind Donovan Mitchell and are 9-1 in their last 10. Cleveland has won six straight over the Bulls, with four of those six hitting the under, but look at the recent trend. In their last 10 games, the fewest points Cleveland has scored is 108.

The Bulls didn’t make any deals at the trade deadline and currently sit ninth in the East at 26-28. They rank as one of the worst first quarter teams in the NBA, averaging just 26 points in the first quarter. But the Bulls have been scoring a lot lately. They had 136 on Monday against the Bulls, and the fewest points they’ve scored in their last 10 games is 107. The Bulls last six games have all hit the over.

You have the hot Cavs at home and a Bulls team clicking on offense a bit. Take the over.

Suns -13 (-110) at DraftKings

The Pistons are on version 3.0 this season, still waiting for all those pieces they traded for to be healthy and start playing. Quentin Grimes still hasn’t played with a knee sprain and I doubt Detroit uses him in this game, which is their last before the All-Star break.

Detroit got destroyed by the Lakers Tuesday night. Anthony Davis had a big game for LA, and the Pistons couldn’t buy a shot in the first half. I just don’t know that the Pistons will have that much energy tonight in Phoenix. They’re 3-6 on back-to-backs this season.

Phoenix has won six in a row over the Pistons and five of those six have been by double figures. Devin Booker has averaged 32 points in his last 10 games and the Suns are 6-2 on back-to-backs this season. Detroit has covered the spread seven of the last eight times as road underdogs to Phoenix, but the Suns have too much firepower tonight for this one to be close.