Denver’s Nikola Jokic and Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid continue to battle for the NBA MVP Award this season. They don’t face off against one another Wednesday, but we expect big nights from both. They are part of our three NBA prop picks for the night via BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review), one of BMR’s top-rated sportsbooks.
Dallas Mavericks vs. Brooklyn Nets
Wednesday, March 16, 2022 – 07:30 PM EDT at Barclays Center
Kevin Durant - Over/Under 29.5 Points
ESPN has the telecast of this very interesting matchup between superstars Luka Doncic and Kevin Durant. Obviously, make sure that Durant plays before making this wager, but he should even in the second of a back-to-back. Brooklyn is still no lock to make the Eastern Conference play-in tournament, so the Nets can’t just throw away games.
I do expect Durant to go nuts tonight points-wise for a few reasons. One is the challenge of dueling Doncic. The second is that the Nets will for sure be without Kyrie Irving because he still can’t play in New York City due to being unvaccinated for COVID.
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In Tuesday’s 150-108 blowout win in Orlando, Irving had a Nets franchise-record 60 points, also a career-high for Irving. He took 31 shots, while Durant had only nine shots in 30 minutes. Also perhaps out tonight is Seth Curry, who missed the past couple with a lingering left ankle injury.
Thus, Durant is going to be jacking up a lot of shots. He last played without Irving and Curry on Sunday vs. the Knicks and had a season-high 53 points in his 60th career 40-point performance and eighth 50-point performance.
Durant became the third player in NBA history to post multiple 50-point games for three different teams. KD took a whopping 37 shots vs. the Knicks, and I expect about the same number tonight. By the way, Durant and Irving became the first teammates in NBA history to score 50+ points in consecutive games.
NBA Pick: Durant Over 29.5 Points (-120) at BetOnline
Denver Nuggets vs. Washington Wizards
Wednesday, March 16, 2022 – 07:00 PM EDT at Capital One Arena
Nikola Jokic - Over/Under 48.5 Points + Rebounds + Assists
Really, no team has anyone equipped to slow Denver’s Nikola Jokic, the reigning league MVP, but the Wizards truly don’t – they give up the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing centers in the NBA this season and are starting trade acquisition Kristaps Porzingis there currently. He’s not a good defensive player and really is a power forward.
Jokic is averaging 26.0 points, 13.8 rebounds, and 8.1 assists on the season and actually is playing better than he did last year when winning MVP, but he’s currently a +135 second-favorite at BMR’s top-rated books to win again behind Philly’s Joel Embiid. When Denver beat the visiting Wizards on Dec. 13, Jokic had 28 points, 19 rebounds, and nine assists in 31 minutes before being ejected.
Washington is basically in tank mode on a four-game losing streak and is allowing 122.5 points per game in that stretch. Last time out in a duel vs. the Sixers, Jokic had his NBA-best 56th double-double and finished two assists shy of a 19th triple-double. He has had a triple-double in 11 of the last 27 games.
Jokic may be asked to do a bit more tonight with forwards Aaron Gordon, JaMychal Green, and Zeke Nnaji all questionable. Denver has won sixth straight road games, tying a franchise record for the most consecutive road wins (done three times in 2021, 2013, and 1988).
NBA Pick: Jokic Over 48.5 P+R+A (-105) at BetOnline
Philadelphia 76ers vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
Wednesday, March 16, 2022 – 07:00 PM EDT at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse
Joel Embiid - Over/Under 42.5 Points + Rebounds
Ironically, the last time the Sixers played the Cavaliers, we did a Joel Embiid vs. Jarrett Allen rebounding prop. That was on March 4 in Philly and the Sixers won 125-119 with Embiid putting up 22 rebounds and nine rebounds, and Allen 20 points and seven boards in a matchup of Eastern Conference All-Star centers.
I expect Embiid’s scoring and rebounding numbers to be much bigger tonight because Allen is out with a fractured finger and the Cavs simply are not the same in the middle without him.
Evan Mobley has been great and likely will win NBA Rookie of the Year, but he doesn’t have the experience or bulk at 215 pounds to deal with Embiid – in fact, I’d recommend some under props on Mobley tonight (25.5 points + rebounds), too, because of likely foul trouble for him. There is a 65-pound difference between Mobley and Embiid.
Embiid comes off a 34-point, nine-rebound game against the Denver Nuggets and the NBA’s other best center in Nikola Jokic. It was Embiid’s 31st game with at least 30 points, which leads the NBA. This month, he’s averaging 30.0 points and 12.4 rebounds per game.
“We lost," Embiid said of the showdown vs. Jokic. “That’s what I care about; I care about the wins. It’s up to you guys to have this conversation to decide who’s the best or who had the best game and all that stuff. I don’t really care about that.” Also note that tonight is Embiid’s 28th birthday. I’m thinking 33 points, 15 rebounds.
NBA Pick: Embiid Over 42.5 P+R (-125) 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.
