NBA: Bucks won’t scorch Nets, Pelicans will keep up with Pacers

Bucks -7 @ NETS (230) 7:35 pm
Pick: Under 230

Brooklyn has played its last five games without Spencer Dinwiddie in the lineup and he’s likely to remain out for all of February. Three of those five games landed under the closing total and those three totals were 221, 219 and another 221. There was also another Nets game recently that had 231 total points in it which is relevant because tonight’s total against Milwaukee is at 230. Out of the last five games, only last Tuesday’s 122-117 Nets win against Chicago landed over 230 total points by multiple possessions. Perhaps, Milwaukee’s high-powered offensive attack warrants a total of 230, but we’re not expecting the Bucks to have their way with the scrappy Nets on the road here. They may cover, as seven seems like a good number on this game, but it won’t be a shootout.

Pacers -3 @ PELICANS (218.5), 8:05 pm
Pick: Pelicans +3

Both of these teams have been playing without stars for different reasons the last couple weeks and the wrong one is favored here. The Pacers got their first win since Victor Oladipo’s season-ending knee injury on Saturday. That makes them both 1-4 straight-up and ATS since the former Hoosier’s season ended. New Orleans has been playing without Anthony Davis since the Kentucky product went public with his trade demands and had been previously dealing with a finger injury. Davis has not played in the last seven games for the Pelicans and New Orleans is 5-2 ATS in those seven games. Normally this kind of request to the world to leave a team inspires those that are on the team to play with more cohesion. The Pelicans may not be good enough to win all these games, but they’re certainly playing well enough to keep them close. Without Oladipo, Indiana’s slide will likely continue and this feels like one of the games New Orleans can win without Davis.