Best Bets For NBA On Peacock Doubleheader: Nuggets-Thunder, Knicks-Clippers

If you remove the sh*tty tanking teams' games, the NBA has been pretty solid since the All-Star break. Granted, about a third of the Association is tanking. But still, teams are playing for playoff seeding and trying to get-right for the postseason, starting next month. Between legitimate injuries, load management, and tanking, there are only two interesting NBA games on Monday. 

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Luckily, they are part of a primetime doubleheader, albeit for Peacock subscribers, when the reigning NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder host their arch-rival Denver Nuggets for the first game. Then, the New York Knicks visit the Los Angeles Clippers for the nightcap. Without further ado, let's break down the two games. 

NBA Bet Slip: Monday, March 9

• *Denver Nuggets +7 (-110), down to +6, at the Oklahoma City Thunder via Caesars Sportsbook, risking 1.1 units (u).
• New York Knicks -2.5 (-105), up to -3, at the Los Angeles Clippers via DraftKings, risking 1.05u.

Denver Nuggets (+7) at Oklahoma City Thunder, 7:30 p.m. ET

I put an asterisk next to Denver because I already gave this pick out at a better number in OutKick's Monday newsletter. Yet, I'd still play the Nuggets at their current price (+6/+6.5), and they could get back up to +7 if OKC big Chet Holmgren and wing Alex Caruso get upgraded from "questionable" to "active". 

My analysis of the Denver Nuggets at Oklahoma City Thunder in the OutKick Newsletter for Monday, March 9. 

Also, this is a Get-Right Game for Nikola Jokić, who has struggled in recent meetings with OKC. But Jokic has one less Thunder big to worry about since Hartenstein has already been ruled out for Monday, and Caruso's possible absence is huge. He is Oklahoma City's best defender and pesters Nikola when he tries to handle the ball out of the paint. 

Plus, this is a Revenge Game for Jokić and his "Crazy Eyes Game" vs. the Thunder Feb. 27, when Thunder forward Lu Dort got a Flagrant 2 after cheap-shotting Jokic with an away-from-the-play hip check. Remember, Jokić lost his sh*t and almost killed Dort and Oklahoma City backup big Jaylen Williams in the post-play skirmish. 

There isn't much of a home court advantage for the Thunder here, since Denver is an awesome road team. In fact, the Nuggets score 5.2 more points per game on the road (122.6-117.4) and their effective field goal rate, which blends 2- and 3-point shooting, is 28 percentage points higher (58.4-55.6%). Finally, Denver is 9-2 ATS as a road underdog with a +6.4 spread differential. 

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New York Knicks (-2.5) at Los Angeles Clippers, 10 p.m. ET 

This is a battle between my favorite team (the Knicks) and my first employer when moving to Los Angeles in November 2011 (the Clippers). I enjoyed my time with the Clippers, so there is no beef. And, obviously, I'm biased, so take this pick with a grain of salt, or just fade it entirely, but New York is an NBA Finals contender and LAC isn't. 

While NYK may be undermanned (C Mitchell Robinson is "questionable") and playing the second leg of a back-to-back, they crushed the Clippers 123-111 at home Jan. 7, who traded away C Ivica Zubac and PG James Harden since. Zubac was LAC's leading rebounder and third-leading scorer in that game, and Harden was their second-leading scorer and leading assist man. 

The Clippers acquired All-Star PG Darius Garland in the Harden trade, but this is Garland's third game in Los Angeles. He needs time to gel with his new team, whereas the Knicks have some of the best continuity in the NBA. Furthermore, LAC doesn't take advantage of tired teams; the Clippers are 5-10 ATS on a rest edge with a -4.0 spread differential. 

Lastly, I'm not tripping about New York's loss to the Los Angeles Lakers Sunday. The Lakers didn't have LeBron James Sunday and they play better without him. Plus, NYK, which ranks fourth in 3-point shooting percentage, shot 8-for-24 from behind the arc Sunday. If the Knicks get the same shot quality Monday, they'll most likely have a better shooting night vs. the Clippers. 

Prediction: Knicks 112, Clippers 106

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