NBA Best Bets for February 2: Memphis Wants Milwaukee for Dinner
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Rainman M.
- February 2, 2025
Top NBA Pick: Grizzlies +3.5 (-115) at BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)
Top-rated sportsbooks have released their NBA odds for today’s action.
Three games, in particular, interest me as worth investing in: Bulls vs. Pistons, Celtics vs. 76ers, and Grizzlies vs. Bucks.
Chicago Bulls vs. Detroit Pistons
Sunday, February 02, 2025 – 03:00 PM ET at Little Caesars Arena
Chicago’s Fade Spot
Chicago is worth fading because it is coming off a road win. In the game directly following a win on the road, Chicago is 2-9.
The Bulls even lost to Washington — by 18 points — in this sort of situation. Most recently, they lost to Golden State by 25 points after achieving a win at the Clippers.
When the Bulls bucked the trend, they relied on a very low scoring output from their opponent and on a big game from their best scorer, Zach LaVine, who is listed as “doubtful” for today’s game because he is still with his pregnant wife.
Detroit’s Ball-Screen Attack
Led by star point guard Cade Cunningham, who has scored over 30 points in three of his last four games, Detroit will have no problem scoring en masse today.
Cunningham is the centerpiece of Detroit’s ball-screen-oriented attack.
While he regularly gets a lot of points for himself, some say that passing is his best skill. He has highlight reels, for example, that feature his ability to find a teammate for a long lob at the basket.
Detroit, overall, runs the pick-and-roll for the ball-handler play type with the eighth-most frequency.
Chicago allows the sixth-most points per game against this play type.
Cunningham also likes to find, among others, athletic center Jalen Duren when pairing with him in the pick-and-roll.
Duren’s counterpart is one reason why Chicago’s defense struggles. Center Nikola Vucevic has a poor defensive rating. He lacks mobility and for other reasons, too, readily allows other centers and other players in general to exploit his lack of rim protection.
Detroit Will Cover the Spread
Against Chicago’s 24th-ranked defense, Detroit will have no problem scoring enough points to cover the spread.
On offense, the Bulls rely heavily on making three-pointers.
But the Pistons rank tenth at limiting opposing wide-open three-point attempts and are likewise one of the better teams at running opponents off the three-point line.
Ausar Thompson is an excellent perimeter defender, as evident in his statistically supported ability to guard the perimeter in isolation, who would have locked down LaVine today. With LaVine absent, he will take care of Chicago’s next-biggest perimeter threat.
NBA Pick: Pistons -5 (-115) at BetOnline
Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Sunday, February 02, 2025 – 06:00 PM ET at Wells Fargo Center
Key Trend
Boston regularly underperforms against lower-quality opponents. The Celtics, most recently, beat the lowly Pelicans by all of two points even though the latter missed Zion Williamson.
New Orleans is an offensively challenged team that also allows a lot of points on defense, but the Pelicans still scored 116 points against Boston and came about as close as possible to pulling off a significant upset.
The Celtics have an attitude problem when it comes to opponents who appear to be easier to beat. Hence, they do not struggle so much against them when they are coming off a straight-up loss because, if they’ve just lost, then they have enough fire in them.
However, they are not coming off a straight-up loss today. So, note this trend: the Celtics are 1-14 ATS as double-digit favorites when they are coming off a straight-up win.
Don’t fade the 76ers because most of their key scorers are hurt. That is precisely why they’ll cover the spread today. The 76ers, who just beat the Lakers and Kings by double digits and used an even stronger scoring output to nearly upset the Nuggets last night, will surprise Boston.
NBA Pick: 76ers +11 (-110) at BetOnline
Memphis Grizzlies vs. Milwaukee Bucks
Sunday, February 02, 2025 – 08:30 PM ET at Fiserv Forum
Series History
Memphis is a great underdog because of its relentless success against Milwaukee. Dating to last year, the Grizzlies are undefeated in three games facing the Bucks. In their one game against each other this season, Memphis won 122-99.
No Ja, No Problem
Memphis will likely miss Ja Morant, and that’s no problem. The Grizzlies just beat Houston for the first time this season, and Morant didn’t even play.
They still have excellent guard play. Without Morant, Desmond Bane, who scored 24 points against Houston without making a three, steps up. Fellow guard Luke Kennard, who scored 22 points against Houston, also steps up.
Kennard has improved tremendously this season, as evident in his almost five-percent uptick in field goal percentage relative to last year.
When he puts up more shots, as he has to do when Morant is hurt, then he is great. He is especially efficient from behind the arc, although he showcases a greater capacity to dribble and drive inside.
Kennard’s characteristic three-point shooting prowess demands attention from defenses who have to close out on him, which opens up more space for Bane, who himself is also a much more reliable three-point shooter than Morant, to drive inside.
Overall, Memphis’ offense matches up well against the Bucks because it relies more than any other team on scoring in transition, while the Bucks allow the ninth-most points in transition.
Jaren Jackson Jr.
For Memphis, power forward Jaren Jackson Jr. complements the strong guard play of Kennard and Bane with efficient inside scoring. He has scored over 20 points in six straight games.
He hardly contributed to his team’s 122-point output against the Bucks, but he scored 35 points in his one game at Milwaukee last year, so he should score a lot more today.
His defense is also excellent. A former Defensive Player of the Year selection, he can limit Milwaukee’s star Giannis inside to stabilize Memphis’ interior.
Takeaway
This will be another win for the Grizzlies over the Bucks. Their electric transition attack, strong inside scoring, secure interior defense, and excellent guard play make them great underdogs to bet on.
NBA Pick: Grizzlies +3.5 (-115) at BetOnline
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.
