09 Jan

Iowa’s Caitlin Clark signs with Gatorade, joins UConn’s Paige Bueckers on brand’s star-studded roster

Iowa star Caitlin Clark has officially partnered with Gatorade, the company announced Tuesday. As part of the deal, Gatorade will be donating $22,000 to the Caitlin Clark Foundation, which focuses on empowering youth through sport.

Clark becomes just the fourth college athlete to sign with Gatorade. She is joining a star-studded roster that includes UConn women’s basketball guard Paige Bueckers, Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders and Penn State running back Nick Singleton.

“This partnership is special because not only does Gatorade fuel the best athletes in the game, but they’re also committed to leading by example and giving back, which is what I strive to do every day,” Clark said in a statement. “I’m honored to join such an iconic brand that has some of the most elite athletes in sport on their roster and can’t wait for what’s ahead.”

The announcement was accompanied by a video titled, “You Can Too,” in which Clark talks about how she was once “that little Iowa girl who was inspired to dream big,” and now she is looking to inspire others to do the same.

Since earning the 2023 Naismith Player of the Year award, Clark has hardly slowed down. She has already become Iowa’s all-time leading scorer, and recently became just the 15th player in women’s college basketball history to reach 3,000 points. Clark is also on track to break Kelsey Plum’s scoring record (3,527 points) later this season.

“At Gatorade, we take pride in our elite athlete roster and have had the privilege of fueling some of the greatest athletes of all time,” Gatorade global head of sports marketing Jeff Kearney said in a statement. “We’re thrilled to be a part of Caitlin’s journey to greatness early in her career and look forward to building upon the incredible impact she’s already made.”

06 Jan

Knicks’ Josh Hart laughs off wildly errant pass by offering to play quarterback for Commanders

Josh Hart was looking to make a play as the New York Knicks brought the ball up the court against the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday. Instead, he earned a fair amount of ridicule after throwing an errant pass out of bounds.

After rebounding the ball during the first quarter, Hart had the ball at the top of the key and was looking to find one of his teammates. Unfortunately for Hart, the pass was several feet above anyone’s head and the ball sailed out of bounds.

Any clue to who Josh Hart was throwing this pass to? 💀 #Shaqtin pic.twitter.com/xr3DhuecHX

— Shaqtin’ a Fool (@shaqtin) January 4, 2024
While it was a fairly brutal pass, Hart decided to make the most of a bad situation. Following Wednesday’s game, Hart tweeted out a meme of his errant pass and tagged the NFL’s Washington Commanders in the post. In the meme, Hart swapped out the basketball court for a football field and could be seen tossing the ball down the field.

Yo @Commanders holla at me pic.twitter.com/H46Yh2EYVI

— Josh Hart (@joshhart) January 4, 2024
Hart did show off a very strong arm, and the Commanders haven’t had the best luck at quarterback in recent years, so you never know.

It was one of the more wild bad passes that the NBA world has seen during the 2023-24 season. Still, the fact that Hart was able to laugh at it made it even more hilarious.

06 Jan

Nets fined $100,000 for violating NBA’s player participation policy in loss to Bucks

The Brooklyn Nets have been fined $100,000 for violating the NBA’s player participation policy, the league announced on Thursday. This is the first time that a team has been fined under the league’s new guidelines, which were introduced this summer to reduce load management.

Brooklyn’s violation came on Dec. 27 when they lost to the Milwaukee Bucks, 144-122. Prior to the game, Nic Claxton (left ankle sprain/injury maintenance), Spencer Dinwiddie (rest), Dorian Finney-Smith (left knee soreness) and Cameron Johnson (right knee sprain/injury maintenance) were ruled out, and none of Mikal Bridges, Royce O’Neale and Cam Thomas played after the first half.

“I’ve got to think short term and long term and make executive decisions for the betterment of the group,” Jacque Vaughn said prior to the game. “So that’s where we’re at tonight.”

While most observers were more upset about the latter decision, it was the former that got the Nets in trouble.

“Following an investigation, including review by an independent physician, the NBA determined that four Nets rotation players, who did not participate in the game, could have played under the medical standard in the Player Participation Policy, which was adopted prior to this season,” the league stated in its press release.

All four of Claxton, Dinwiddie, Finney-Smith and Johnson had played in the Nets’ previous game on Dec. 26 versus the Detroit Pistons. Likewise, they all suited up in the team’s next game on Dec. 30 against the Washington Wizards.

Teams fined for breaking the player participation policy are fined $100,00 for the first offense, $250,000 for the second offense and $1 million for any subsequent offenses. Per the collective bargaining agreement, 50% of the fines accrued from these violations will go to the NBA Players Association.

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“I think we’ll state this principle, see how teams react and see if more needs to be done,” Adam Silver said in September, when the new rules, which also include a 65-game threshold for players to win major awards, were approved by the NBA’s Board of Governors. “But I think, most importantly, there’s a sense from all the different constituent groups in the league that this is ultimately about the fans and that we’ve taken this too far.

“I mean, this is an acknowledgment that it’s gotten away from us a bit, particularly I think when you see young, healthy players who are resting. It becomes maybe even more notion of stature around the league as opposed to absolute needed rest — or it’s just part of being an NBA player that you rest on certain days — and that’s what we’re trying to move away from.”

06 Jan

Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James lead first round of fan voting returns

The NBA released the first round of fan voting returns for the 2024 All-Star Game on Thursday, and a pair of familiar names are atop the list. Milwaukee Bucks big man Giannis Antetokounmpo holds the overall lead with 2,171,812 votes, while Los Angeles Lakers legend LeBron James is on top in the Western Conference at 2,008,645 votes.

For the past six years, the league used a captain’s picks format for the event, with the top vote-getter in each conference earning the right to be captain. In three of those six years, it was Team James versus Team Antetokounmpo. We would be on pace for the fourth such matchup, but the league decided to revert to the traditional East vs. West showdown this year.

Still, leading the fan vote is a significant accomplishment and puts both superstars en route to starting nods. The 10 starters are determined by a weighted voting system that includes fans, media and fellow players. There is a 50% weight attributed to the fan results, while the media and player votes each receive a 25% weight.

Fan voting opened on Dec. 19 and will run through Jan. 20, with the All-Star starters officially announced on Jan. 25. Here’s a look at how things stand so far:

The first EAST returns for #NBAAllStar 2024! Who do you think should be in Indy? ⭐️

Make your picks with #NBAAllStar Voting presented by @ATT on the NBA App and https://t.co/Pqxh2EPubW!

🗳️ https://t.co/nn56dQ564R pic.twitter.com/gHfAsfoA5T

— NBA (@NBA) January 4, 2024
The first WEST returns for #NBAAllStar 2024! Which name stands out to you? 👀#NBAAllStar Voting presented by @ATT continues through January 20 on the NBA App and https://t.co/Pqxh2EPubW!

➡️ https://t.co/nn56dQ564R pic.twitter.com/EMx6shg26s

— NBA (@NBA) January 4, 2024
There aren’t many surprises here. Antetokounmpo, reigning MVP Joel Embiid and Jayson Tatum have a significant lead over the rest of the pack in the East frontcourt, while Tyrese Haliburton’s breakout campaign has earned him the most guard votes in that conference. Damian Lillard checks in at the No. 2 spot, closely followed by Trae Young.

Out West, it’s a similar story, as James, followed by Kevin Durant and reigning Finals MVP Nikola Jokic have pulled away from the rest of the frontcourt contenders. Meanwhile, Luka Doncic and Steph Curry are the clear leaders in the backcourt. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the clear loser here, as he doesn’t have the fanbase to contend with either Doncic or Curry.

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The 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend is set for Feb. 16-18 in Indianapolis, which is hosting the showcase for the first time since 1985. The All-Star Game will close the show on Sunday, Feb. 18, with tip-off set for 8:30 p.m. ET.

06 Jan

Warriors’ Draymond Green to ramp up for return in coming days, per report

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green is getting close to returning from his suspension, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Although the NBA will have the final say about when exactly the suspension will end, he is expected to be back at the practice facility “in the coming days,” per ESPN.

Green hit Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic in the head during a game on Dec. 12. The next day, the league suspended him indefinitely, citing his “repeated history of unsportsmanlike acts.” Two weeks earlier, Green had returned from a five-game suspension for grabbing Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert around the neck.

Since the suspension began, Green has reportedly attended counseling sessions and taken part in several Zoom meetings with representatives from the Warriors, the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association. Once Green has gotten back in the gym and ramped up to play, “it’s believed that Green will have satisfied the league’s requirements to return,” per ESPN.

On Dec. 18, The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that Green would be sidelined for at least three more weeks, which would mean the earliest he could return to the court would be Jan. 10 against the New Orleans Pelicans. That same day, however, Joe Dumars, the NBA’s executive vice president and head of basketball operations, reiterated that there was no minimum or maximum number of games attached to the suspension.

Green will miss the Warriors’ game against the defending champion Denver Nuggets on Thursday. After that, they will host the Detroit Pistons on Friday and the Toronto Raptors on Sunday before the aforementioned game against the Pelicans next Wednesday.

Green has missed Golden State’s last 10 games because of this suspension. The Warriors have gone 6-4 in that stretch and are 9-9 on the season with Green out of the lineup. Overall, they’re 16-17 and 11th in the Western Conference.

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After Golden State’s 121-115 win against the Orlando Magic on Tuesday, coach Steve Kerr told reporters he wasn’t sure how long it would take for Green to ramp up once he gets back in the practice facility. Kerr said that he’d texted with Green a little bit, but didn’t offer much of an update on his status.

“We’ve been giving him his space, he’s been giving us ours,” Kerr said.

06 Jan

DraftKings, FanDuel daily Fantasy basketball picks for Thursday, Jan. 4 include Giannis Antetokounmpo

The Milwaukee Bucks play the second half of a back-to-back on Thursday after allowing 142 points in a 142-130 loss to the Pacers on Wednesday. Indiana shot 55.6% from the field and knocked down 14 3-pointers at a 40% clip in the win. With the Bucks having fewer than 24 hours to recover and traveling to San Antonio for Thursday, should daily Fantasy basketball players find some Spurs as value options from the NBA DFS player pool to include in NBA DFS lineups on sites like FanDuel and DraftKings?

The Spurs play at the third-fastest pace, and while the Bucks play at the fourth-fastest pace themselves, a track meet may not favor Milwaukee in a back-to-back. Should you consider rostering Spurs like Keldon Johnson, Jeremy Sochan and Tre Jones to outperform their price tags as a part of your NBA DFS strategy? With only two games on Thursday with the Warriors vs. Nuggets playing in the second contest of the evening, how can you find variance in NBA DFS lineups? Before making your NBA DFS picks, be sure to check out the NBA DFS advice, player rankings, stacks, and top daily Fantasy basketball picks from SportsLine’s Mike McClure.

McClure is a DFS professional with more than $2 million in career winnings. He’s also a predictive data engineer at SportsLine who uses a powerful prediction model that simulates every minute of every game 10,000 times, taking factors like matchups, statistical trends and injuries into account.

This allows him to find the best NBA DFS values and create optimal lineups that he shares only over at SportsLine. They’re a must-see for any NBA DFS player.

On Wednesday, McClure highlighted Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell as one of his top picks in his NBA DFS player pool on both sites. The result: Mitchell had 22 points, three rebounds, four assists, two blocks and two steals, returning 40.75 points on DraftKings and 41.6 points on FanDuel. Anybody who included him in their lineups was well on the way to a profitable day.

McClure has turned his attention to NBA action on Thursday and locked in his top daily Fantasy basketball picks. You can only see them by heading to SportsLine.

Top NBA DFS picks for Thursday, January 4
For Thursday, one of McClure’s top NBA DFS picks is Bucks power forward/center Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is listed at $12,000 on DraftKings and $12,100 on FanDuel. Antetokounmpo ranks in the top 25 in the NBA in scoring (30.8 points per game, fourth), rebounding (11.3 per game, sixth) and assists (5.8 per game, 24th). His 60.6 shooting percentage is sixth in the NBA as he’s an integral part of everything the Milwaukee offense does. He has the third-highest usage rate in the NBA, behind only Joel Embiid and Luka Doncic.

The two-time NBA MVP is averaging 31.3 ppg over his last seven contests with six double-doubles over that span. Antetokounmpo comes with a hefty price tag but is in a position for a huge performance against the Spurs. San Antonio is allowing the fourth-most ppg, including at least 130 points in four of its last six games. Antetokounmpo had 16 assists in his last game against the Spurs, so whether it comes from scoring, rebounding or assists (most likely a strong combination of all three), McClure expects a huge performance from Antetokounmpo to carry NBA DFS lineups.

Another part of McClure’s optimal NBA DFS strategy includes rostering Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga ($5,300 on DraftKings and $6,000 on FanDuel). Kuminga had 19 points, six rebounds, four assists and two blocks in a 121-115 win over the Magic on Tuesday. He’s averaging 15.4 points and six rebounds over his last seven games, shooting at least 42% in all seven contests.

The No. 7 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft has been extremely efficient this year, resulting in himself earning more playing time. He’s averaging a career-high 22.2 minutes per game this season, including 28.1 minutes over his last seven contests. He had 13 points and five rebounds against the Nuggets over just 23 minutes on Christmas Day, and McClure expects Kuminga to build on his recent success as a value play in a limited NBA DFS player pool. See McClure’s other NBA DFS picks right here.

How to set your NBA DFS lineups for Thursday, January 4
McClure is also targeting a player who could go off for massive numbers on Thursday because of a dream matchup. This pick could be the difference between winning your tournaments and cash games or going home with nothing. You can only see who it is here.

06 Jan

2024 NBA picks, January 4 best bets from proven model

The Milwaukee Bucks visit the San Antonio Spurs for a nationally televised showdown on Thursday. Frost Bank Center hosts the matchup in San Antonio, and the Spurs will look to improve on a 5-28 overall record and a 2-14 mark at home. No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama leads San Antonio, and the Spurs aim to return the favor after a road loss in Milwaukee on Dec. 19. The Bucks (24-10) arrive on the second night of a back-to-back after facing the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday, and Milwaukee is the No. 2 seed in the East. Jae Crowder (adductor) is out for the Bucks, while Zach Collins (ankle) is out for the Spurs.

For this game, SportsLine consensus lists Milwaukee as a 10.5-point favorite, and tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET. The total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, or the over/under, is 248.5 in the latest Bucks vs. Spurs odds. Before you make any Spurs vs. Bucks picks, you need to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s advanced computer model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters Week 11 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a sizzling 106-59 roll on all top-rated NBA picks dating back to last season, returning well over $4,000. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on Bucks vs. Spurs and just locked in its picks and NBA predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Spurs vs. Bucks:

Bucks vs. Spurs spread: Bucks -10.5
Bucks vs. Spurs over/under: 248.5 points
Bucks vs. Spurs money line: Bucks -545, Spurs +401
MIL: The Bucks are 3-1 against the spread with no rest
SAS: The Spurs are 6-10 against the spread in home games
Bucks vs. Spurs picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the Bucks can cover
The Bucks have the clear edge on offense in this matchup. In the first meeting, Milwaukee scored 1.2 points per possession with 34 assists and only six turnovers, and that mirrors the team’s overall success on offense this season. The Bucks are in the top five of the NBA in offensive efficiency, and Milwaukee also ranks in the top five in free throw attempts, field goal percentage, and 2-point percentage. The Bucks are also prolific from 3-point distance, ranking in the top quartile of the NBA in 3-pointers per game and 3-point accuracy, and San Antonio’s offense is floundering on the whole.

In the first matchup, the Spurs scored only 1.08 points per possession against the Bucks, and San Antonio is second-worst in the NBA in offensive efficiency, putting up only 107.1 points per 100 possessions. San Antonio ranks in the bottom five in field goal percentage (45.4%) and 3-point percentage (34.2%), and the Spurs also struggle to boost efficiency in other ways. The Spurs are second-worst in averaging only 19.5 free throw attempts per game, and San Antonio is solidly in the bottom five in turnover prevention (15.4 per game), offensive rebound rate (25.9%), and second-chance points (12.5 per game). See which team to pick here.

Why the Spurs can cover
The Spurs are led by a dynamic rookie in Wembanyama. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft has scored 20 points or more in three consecutive games, and Wembanyama is averaging 18.9 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 3.1 blocked shots per game. That leads the NBA in blocked shots, and Wembanyama also leads the league in defensive rebound percentage (30.1%). Wembanyama has also been flying high across the last 15 games, averaging 19.2 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 3.7 blocked shots.

Wembanyama keys a San Antonio offense which has three players averaging at least 18 points per game. The Spurs are also in the top five of the league with 29.0 assists per game, and San Antonio is in the top 10 with 44.6 fast break points per game. San Antonio is also facing a Milwaukee defense that is not dominant overall. The Bucks are in the bottom five of the league in turnover creation and steals, and Milwaukee is also below-average in defensive rebound rate. See which team to pick here.

How to make Spurs vs. Bucks picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning Under on the point total, projecting 245 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in almost 60% of simulations. You can only see the model’s pick at SportsLine.

06 Jan

Nikola Jokic highlights top daily fantasy plays for Thursday’s slate of games

Thursday’s NBA slate will be a light one, as only four teams will hit the hardwood. The Milwaukee Bucks will face the San Antonio Spurs in the first matchup of the night before the Denver Nuggets and Golden State Warriors wrap things up in a Western Conference battle. There are plenty of strong daily fantasy plays, and I’ve gone over the options to pick out stud, mid-tier, and value plays worth watching. Here’s who you should keep an eye on as you look to build optimal lineups on Fanduel and DraftKings.

Stud: Nikola Jokic
Jokic is averaging 30.5 points, 13.5 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game through two meetings with the Dubs this season and his best performance against them of 2023-24 could come on Thursday. The Warriors have mixed up their starting lineup and will likely start rookie big man Trayce Jackson-Davis against the reigning NBA Finals MVP. The rookie’s inexperience and the absence of Draymond Green should make fantasy managers salivate at this matchup.

Mid-tier: Jonathan Kuminga
Golden State’s young core is finally getting a chance to step up and Kuminga is one of the biggest beneficiaries of their lineup changes. Only Stephen Curry played more minutes than him in the Warriors’ recent win over the Orlando Magic. He’s averaging 15.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game as a starter and his team will need his length and athleticism on the wings against Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon.

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Value: Blake Wesley
The Spurs are down Doug McDermott and Zach Collins. Malaki Branham is doubtful for Thursday, and that means Wesley will likely play a major role off the bench again. He posted 10 points with a pair of steals, a rebound, and an assist his last time out against the Memphis Grizzlies. There’s plenty of blowout potential here with the Bucks favored by 10.5 points. The developing first-round pick from the 2022 NBA Draft class has a chance to thrive with more opportunities to contribute early and late in the game in garbage time. He’s averaging 6.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and a steal when he plays at least 20 minutes.

06 Jan

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s assist total highlights top plus-money bets for Thursday

Two NBA games are set to tip off on Thursday. The Milwaukee Bucks will face the San Antonio Spurs and the Golden State Warriors will take on the Denver Nuggets. There aren’t as many quality betting options as usual given the light schedule, but we do have a strong plus-money player prop worth considering for each game here.

Giannis Antetokounmpo over 6.5 assists (+108)
Antetokounmpo diced the Spurs’ struggling defense with a season-high 16 dimes the last time he faced them. The Bucks forward has done a great job finding his teammates in 2024 and has tallied at least eight assists in each of his previous two games. He’s also tallied at least seven assists in four of his previous six games, and Khris Middleton played over 30 minutes in all of those contests. Victor Wembanyama played in the second meeting between these teams but shouldn’t have too much of an effect on Antetokounmpo’s recent playmaking.

Trayce Jackson-Davis over 2.5 first-quarter points (+108)
This first-quarter points prop is available at Caesars Sportsbook and looks like one of the strongest plus-money plays on the market. Jackson-Davis could be overwhelmed by his matchup against Nikola Jokic, but he’s scored at least four first-quarter points in three straight games. He’s averaging 5.0 first-quarter points through his first two starts with the Dubs. The rookie has shot at least two free throws in three consecutive first quarters as well. He can easily hit this total if he stays out of foul trouble and plays over half of the first 12 minutes as he has been since becoming an important part of Golden State’s rotation.

06 Jan

2024 NBA picks, January 4 best bets from proven model

A Western Conference collision at Chase Center has the Golden State Warriors (16-17) hosting the Denver Nuggets (24-11) on Thursday. This is the third matchup of the season between these clubs and Denver has dominated the series lately. On Christmas Day, the Nuggets defeated the Warriors 111-93. Draymond Green (suspension) remains out for Golden State, and Gary Payton II (hamstring) is also sidelined.

Tip-off is scheduled for 10 p.m. ET in San Francisco. Denver is the 3.5-point favorite in the latest Nuggets vs. Warriors odds, per SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 234.5. Before making any Warriors vs. Nuggets picks, you’ll want to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from the proven computer model at SportsLine.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters Week 11 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a sizzling 106-59 roll on all top-rated NBA picks dating back to last season, returning well over $4,000. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on Nuggets vs. Warriors and just locked in its picks and NBA predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Warriors vs. Nuggets:

Nuggets vs. Warriors spread: Denver -3.5
Nuggets vs. Warriors over/under: 234.5 points
Nuggets vs. Warriors money line: Denver -170, Golden State +143
DEN: The Nuggets are 8-4 ATS in their last 12 games
GS: The Warriors are 5-2 ATS in their last seven games
Nuggets vs. Warriors picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the Nuggets can cover
Guard Jamal Murray is a relentless and effective ball handler who spaces the floor with ease due to his knockdown jumper. The Kentucky product is also a finesse finisher in the lane. Murray logs 19.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game. In the New Year’s Day win over the Hornets, he had 25 points and seven assists.

Forward Michael Porter Jr. is a superb offensive talent who can score from all three levels and be a valuable asset on the glass. The Missouri product puts up 16.3 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. Additionally, he’s making 39% of his 3-point attempts. In his last contest, Porter Jr. racked up 22 points, eight rebounds, and made four 3-pointers. See which team to pick here.

Why the Warriors can cover
Guard Stephen Curry continues to excel as the main offensive weapon for Golden State. Curry is currently ninth in the NBA in scoring (27.6) to go along with 4.6 assists per game. In his last contest, Curry stuffed the stat sheet with 36 points, six assists, and four steals. He has notched at least 30 points in 14 games thus far this season.

Forward Jonathan Kuminga has taken more of an offensive role when he’s on the floor. Kuminga is very athletic, owning the verticality to soar above the rim. The 21-year-old gets downhill in a flash, averaging 12.7 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. He’s recorded 15-plus points in back-to-back games. In Tuesday’s victory over the Magic, Kuminga totaled 19 points, six boards, four assists, and two blocks. See which team to pick here.

How to make Warriors vs. Nuggets picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning Over on the point total, projecting 236 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread has all the value. You can only see the model’s pick at SportsLine.