Karpuc’s Favorite NBA Bet For Tuesday, February 8

The Pick: Celtics -3.5 at Nets

These two teams are headed in completely opposite directions. Let’s start with the Celtics, who are on the ascent. 

Boston has won six of their last seven contests and have covered in five of those games. Finally putting things together, this is a very cohesive unit that’s playing with a defense-first mindset while trusting Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown to carry most of the load offensively. Since the calendars flipped to 2022, the C’s rank 1st in Defensive Rating, 1st in Net Rating and own a 13-6 record, compared to their 17-19 mark to start the year. You can make the argument that the lineup consisting of Tatum, Brown, Marcus Smart, Al Horford and Robert Williams is the best defensive starting five in the Association.

“It’s suffocating at times, with our size and versatility. We’ve got big wings, our bigs, and obviously a pitbull for a point guard. There’s no real weakness out there, nobody to pick on, which is the case with other teams sometimes. We’re getting off to really good starts, which is different to earlier in the year, but it’s understandable with the amount of up-and-down we had earlier in the year, and it’s coming to fruition now we have some consistency back with our line-ups,” Ime Udoka told reporters after a recent win over the Magic.

Over the last 10 games, the Celtics have an average point differential of +14.1 (best in the NBA). Meanwhile, over their last 10, the Nets have an average point differential of -7.9 (26th). 

The Nets are in a free-fall and are riding an eight-game losing streak heading into this one. Not only that, but they’ll be without Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, LaMarcus Aldridge, Paul Millsap and Joe Harris and potentially without James Harden and Nicolas Claxton, both of which are questionable. It’s going to be very difficult for Brooklyn to score in this game, so I love Boston at -3.5 and will be betting under the Nets team total if I can get it at a reasonable number.

Published NBA Picks: 2021-2022 Season (23-13, 63.9%)

☑️ Monday 2/7: Suns-Bulls Over 228 (Result: 251)

☑️ Monday 2/7: Devin Booker Over 2.5 Made Threes (Result: 5 Made Threes)

❌ Monday 2/7: Suns -6.5 at Bulls (Result: Suns Won By 3)

☑️ Friday 2/4: Thunder +7.5 at Blazers (Result: Thunder Won By 3)

❌ Thursday 2/3: Suns -4.5 at Hawks (Result: Hawks Won By 9)

❌ Wednesday 2/2: Joel Embiid Over 32.5 vs. Wizards (Result: 27)

☑️ Saturday 1/29: Joel Embiid Over 32.5 vs. Kings (Result: 36)

❌ Friday 1/28: Pistons +3.5 at Magic (Result: Pistons Lost By 16)

☑️ Thursday 1/27: Warriors -5.5 vs. Timberwolves (Result: Warriors Won By 9)

☑️ Wednesday 1/26: Hawks -7.5 vs. Kings (Result: Hawks Won By 17)

☑️ Tuesday 1/25: Nikola Jokic Over 8.5 Assists (Result: 9)

☑️ Monday 1/24: Knicks-Cavaliers Under 204 (Result: 188)

❌ Friday 1/21: Bucks -8.5 vs. Bulls (Result: Bucks Won By 4)

☑️ Thursday 1/20: Suns-Mavericks Under 216.5 (Result: 210)

❌ Wednesday 1/19: James Harden Over 10.5 Assists (Result: 9)

❌ Tuesday 1/18: Pistons +15.5 at Warriors (Result: Pistons Lost By 16)

❌ Monday 1/17: Trail Blazers-Magic Over 215 (Result: 186)

❌ Friday 1/14: Raptors ML & Grizzlies ML Parlay (Result: Raptors & Grizzlies Lost)

☑️ Thursday 1/13: Grizzlies -4.5 vs. Timberwolves (Result: Grizzlies Won By 8)

❌ Wednesday 1/12: Spurs -6 vs. Rockets (Result: Spurs Lost By 4)

☑️ Tuesday 1/11: Grizzlies +100 ML vs. Warriors (Result: Grizzlies Won)

☑️ Monday 1/10: Bucks-Hornets Under 237.5 (Result: 202)

☑️ Friday 1/7: Raptors -11.5 vs. Jazz (Result: Raptors Won By 14)

☑️ Thursday 1/6: Pistons-Grizzlies Under 220 (Result: 206)

☑️ Wednesday 1/5: Hornets -9.5 vs. Pistons (Result: Hornets Won By 29)

❌ Tuesday 1/4: LeBron James Over 48.5 P&R&A (Result: 41)

☑️ Monday 1/3: Hawks-Blazers Over 226 (Result: 267)

☑️ Tuesday 12/28: Nuggets-Warriors Under 217.5 (Result: 167)

☑️ Wednesday 12/22: Thunder +5.5 vs. Nuggets (Result: Thunder Won By 14)

☑️ Tuesday 12/21: Suns -6.5 vs. Lakers (Result: Suns Won By 18

☑️ Monday 12/20: Thunder +8.5 vs. Grizzlies (Result: Thunder Won By 3)

☑️ Friday 12/17: LaMelo Ball & Damian Lillard 6+ 3s Combined (Result: 9)

☑️ Thursday 12/16: Pistons +10 at Pacers (Result: Pistons Lost By 9)

❌ Wednesday 12/15: Dewayne Dedmon Over 0.5 3s (Result: 0)

☑️ Tuesday 12/14: Raptors +8.5 at Nets (Result: Raptors Lost By 2)

❌ Monday 12/13: Hawks -11.5 vs. Rockets (Result: Hawks Lost By 6)