There has never been a more complicated time to bet on regular season NBA games. The list of players missing due to COVID-19 protocols is seemingly changing by the minute, and it is very difficult to make assessments when both teams are missing half their rosters. But this also yields some opportunities where one team is clearly stronger than the other and the line doesn’t necessarily reflect that. Here are three such games from Sunday.
The Spurs are playing their best basketball of the season while the Pistons have lost 16 of their previous 17 games. Detroit is missing Kelly Olynyk and Jerami Grant due to injuries, plus a host of players, including Killian Hayes, Saben Lee, Killian Hayes, and Cade Cunningham, due to COVID-19 protocols. San Antonio is not missing a single player due to COVID.
The Spurs have won six straight games at home against the Pistons, who have lost nine straight road games overall. San Antonio is coming off blowout wins over both L.A. teams and are 5-3 in their last 8 games to improve their record to 13-18.
The Spurs have only been favored nine times this season and are 5-4 in those games. Detroit has only been favored twice this season and is 4-25 outright as an underdog.
San Antonio has not been a favorite of more than 5 points since opening night when they were -7 against Orlando. The Spurs are better than the shorthanded Pistons, but shouldn’t be double digits favorites against anyone. We’re taking Detroit and the points.
The Toronto Raptors have not played a game in eight days, the Cleveland Cavaliers haven’t played in four days. Toronto had three games canceled due to COVID-19 protocols recently, with their only game in that stretch, a 119-100 win over the Warriors.
Cleveland beat the Raptors 102-101 in Toronto on November 5. The Raptors were -6 favorites in that game. OG Anunoby scored 23 points for Toronto in that game while Darius Garland scored 21 points to lead the Cavs, including the game-winning free throws with 4.8 seconds left.
Toronto is missing Anunoby, Pascal Siakam, Scottie Barnes and a number of other players on Sunday. Cleveland is missing Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, amongst others. The Cavs losses are less severe and the line isn’t large enough to reflect that, so Cleveland is the best bet of the day.
This is a rematch of a playoff series last season where the Sixers won in five games. Philadelphia is missing Danny Green, Andre Drummond, and Shake Milton in addition to others while Washington will be without star Bradley Beal and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope on Sunday.
This line feels like it should be larger for a 76ers team that has won nine of its last ten games against Washington.
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