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Nine games fill out Monday’s NBA schedule and Joe Dellera of The Action Network has a pair of best bets (video above).
The first game Dellera is targeting is the Golden State Warriors at the Memphis Grizzlies, which arrives as a double-digit home favorite.
But, rather than focusing on a spread, Dellera is choosing to back a total, specifically the Grizzlies’ team total for the first quarter (29.5).
NBA Bet #1: Warriors vs. Grizzlies home team first quarter ‘over’ 29.5 points -155 (BetMGM)
“In the first quarter, the Grizzlies have the best net rating in the NBA at +10.6,” Dellera says.
Even though the Grizzlies won’t have Ja Morant available for Monday’s outing, Dellera believes a short-handed Warriors team that won’t have Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson won’t be able to stop a good first-quarter Memphis offense.
Desmond Bane Getty ImagesNBA Bet #2: Nuggets vs. Hornets – Denver first-half -1.5 -110 (FanDuel)
The second play on Dellera’s Monday card comes in an East vs. West matchup between the Charlotte Hornets and Denver Nuggets, which is a consensus three-and-a-half point favorite.
Dellera is choosing to align himself with a side in that contest but, like the first play, isn’t going for the full game. Instead, he’s backing the Nuggets -1.5 in the first half.
“Across their last 10 games, the Nuggets are 6-4 ATS in the first half,” Dellera explains. “Meanwhile, the Hornets are 3-7 ATS in the first half over their last 10 games.”
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Plus, these two teams are going in opposite directions in terms of their first-half net ratings. Denver owns a near +8 net rating in the first half while Charlotte’s net rating in the opening frame is just below -4.
As a result, Dellera recommends backing the Nuggets in the first half at a much shorter number.
