Happy St. Patrick’s Day everyone! A day that is required to wear green, and we are going to wear our winning greenbacks proudly for everyone to see! Another successful day for Fantasy Alarm NBA Best Bets! Meat Loaf was served as it was ‘...because two out of three ain’t bad’. CJ McCollum went off against his former team as the New Orleans Pelicans are quietly moving up the Western Conference. The Pelicans will be a problem in the playoffs. Had CJ McCollum stuck to his monthly routine we would have had our first sweep this month. The goal is always a profit, and a profit was made yesterday.

There are seven games today, four of which are nationally televised on ABC and NBATV. Today’s bets will focus on the nationally televised games on ABC. The first match has a 1:00 PM ET tip off and features the Phoenix Suns at Milwaukee Bucks in a game of all-time great forwards. There are two player proposition bets in this match as the odds present a favorable statistical advantage. The Bet of the Night is one that takes more skill than luck… luckily this same game parlay features the top two MVP candidates. 

 

NBA BET OF THE NIGHT FOR MARCH 17

SAME GAME PARLAY: DENVER NUGGETS MONEYLINE; NIKOLA JOKIC AND LUKA DONCIC TO RECORD A TRIPLE DOUBLE (+1100 DraftKings Sportsbook)

The Denver Nuggets at Dallas Mavericks will be the second game in the double-header on ABC. They will be partying from Greenville Avenue all the way to the American Airlines Center in Big D. However, it will be all business on the court as two premiere Western Conference teams collide in an afternoon St. Patrick’s Day special. There is a same game parlay bet insurance on Draftkings, which would allow a refund up to $50 should only one of the three bets be incorrect. If possible opt-in and utilize this.

Fantasy Alarm has had this exact same bet in this column before, and needed Luka Doncic to have just one turnover or two more rebounds to be successful. The odds for this were much higher earlier in the season. Both teams have had a day of rest (Doncic did not play against Oklahoma City and Jokic sat the entire fourth quarter against the Spurs), and the conditions seem ripe for a huge unit gain.

Doncic has 75 career triple-doubles, including 17 this season. Jokic has 142 triple-doubles with 21 this season. Both of these two are the star for their respective team, and the hub of which all action revolves around. Both have some of the highest basketball IQ in the NBA, and they are true friends. Although from different countries, they share many geo-cultural similarities. They will want to show out against each other and help their team win in any way possible. 

It’s a battle of a team that likes to play fast and score often (Dallas) versus a team that prefers to slow it down, pass the ball, and play defense (Denver). Both of these teams are playing with more intensity since the All-Star break. Denver looks to keep control of first place, and Dallas looks to move out of the play-in. Look for an entertaining game with what is, and will be, the two best players of the decade.

NBA PLAYER PROPS FOR MARCH 17

GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO UNDER 12.5 REBOUNDS (-130 BetMGM); TWO UNITS

The Milwaukee Bucks host the Phoenix Suns in the first game on ABC, and it should be a great matchup. A tight moneyline and only a 3.5-point spread (in favor of the Bucks) indicates it truly is anyone’s game.

Giannis Antetokounmpo has a questionable tag going into today’s game against the Phoenix Suns. He is an excellent rebounder but his upper leg is experiencing pain or is injured and he plans on playing through it. Antetokounmpo is playing against a team that allows the fewest rebounds to opposing forwards. The Suns also have one of the best centers this season, Jusuf Nurkic, who has been a monster on the defensive glass. Nurkic has had 20 or more rebounds in his last two games, and had another game with 31 this month. 

It will be an interesting matchup today and there will be several games within the game. Although Antetokounmpo has three games this month exceeding 13 rebounds he also has two games with seven, and in his most recent he recorded 11. Being hurt with the combination of a big, strong center opposing him makes this bet a double unit hammer.

Update: Giannis Antetokounmpo has been ruled OUT for Sunday's game.

GRAYSON ALLEN OVER 2.5 THREE-POINTERS MADE (-120 BetMGM)

Grayson Allen was a successful win for this column in his game against the Boston Celtics three days ago. The amount of three’s required is set at the same amount, but the odds have shifted from -105 to -120. Not to fret for the matchup is stll advantageous. Milwaukee allows the third-most points to opposing guards and Allen will not be the primary defender’s responsibility. 

The Bucks backcourt is constantly criticized for their lack of defensive effort. The fact that Jrue Holiday is one of the best perimeter defenders, and is a large part of the Celtics success, creates more comparative criticism as well. Regardless if it is fair or unfair, the numbers speak for themselves. 

This is Allen’s former team, he knows this court well. He has played over 33 minutes in every game this month. He has made three or more three-point attempts in three straight games, and five of his last six… including two games with eight successful three’s made. He has attempted 62 three-point attempts in eight games, just under eight per game. He has a 46.8% success rate this month, and 47.6% on the season. Those are outstanding numbers. He simply has to be himself for this bet to be successful, catch-shoot-score.

 

Thanks for reading. Remember to check out Fantasy Alarm for all your fantasy and betting needs across multiple sports.

Bet Smart, Be Lucky - Iggy

*All Bets to be placed at 1 unit unless specified otherwise