BIG3 Basketball Betting: Best Bets for Week 6
The BIG3 returns to a Saturday slate this week, with the action emanating from the home of the NBA's Trail Blazers, the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon.
Bivouac and the defending champion Enemies remain undefeated with only three regular-season weeks remaining, and we're now down to just one winless team, the Killer 3's, after Trilogy notched its first victory last week.
As customary, RotoWire has quick-hit betting picks for all six clashes using DraftKings and FanDuel Sportsbook odds.
2024 Season BIG 3 Betting Record: 14-10
Triplets at Tri-State (Saturday, July 20, 4:00 p.m. ET)
The Triplets fell to 3-2 with a 50-42 loss at the hands of 3's Company in Week 5, as the combined 36 points from stalwarts Jeremy Pargo and Joe Johnson weren't anywhere near enough on an afternoon where three other players on the team were scoreless and Jannero Pargo was unavailable.
Tri-State improved to 3-2 by walloping the 3 Headed Monsters, 50-36. Kevin Murphy continued his outstanding play with a stellar 29-point effort that was complemented by a solid ancillary performance by Ray Nixon (10 points, four rebounds, two assists, three steals, one block) and outstanding all-around defense.
This should be one of the most hotly contested games of the day if the two teams' body of work thus far is any indication. There's plenty of offense on either side, not to mention veteran leadership. With FD having a slightly larger line, I'm going to go in that direction and back the idea of Tri-State keeping any loss to two points or fewer.
BIG3 Picks for Triplets at Tri-State
- Tri-State +2.5 (-110 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
3 Headed Monsters at Enemies (Saturday, July 20, 5:00 p.m. ET)
The just-mentioned 3 Headed Monsters' 14-point loss to Tri-State dropped Rashard Lewis' team to 2-3 yet did have one silver lining in the form of Brandon Moss' 29-point, 11-rebound double-double. However, with Jeff Teague absent for the second time this season, Moss got little offensive support.
The Enemies kept their record unblemished with a 50-41 victory over the winless Killer 3's, despite falling behind by an 8-0 score to open the contest. The win was expected considering the disparity between the two teams and saw Elijah Stewart and Jordan Crawford put together their usual strong tandem efforts by combining for 36 points and 10 rebounds.
The defending champion Enemies were once again favored by 5.5 points, and they've had little trouble covering that spread over the last couple of weeks. Their excellent +46-point differential and team chemistry coupled with the fact Teague's availability never seems to be a sure thing puts me in the direction of Nick Young's squad accomplishing the feat again.
BIG3 Picks for 3 Headed Monsters at Enemies
- Enemies -5.5 (-110 on DraftKings Sportsbook)
Bivouac at Ghost Ballers Best Bets (Saturday, July 20, 6:00 p.m. ET)
Bivouac also remained undefeated in Week 5 and did so in remarkable fashion, pounding the Ball Hogs by a 50-33 score after a slow start. Gary Payton's crew continues to play outstanding defense overall, and despite a slow start in the contest, roared back on the strength of a combined 32 points and 13 rebounds from Garlon Green and Corey Brewer.
The Ghost Ballers had the dubious distinction of being the first team to fall to Trilogy this season, dropping a 50-40 decision that saw a 16-point, 10-rebound double-double by Chris Johnson squandered. Mike Taylor's 4-for-13 shooting also helped do the Ballers in, as he's often been a key offensive contributor.
This game presents a very similar betting scenario to the one above, as Bivouac is establishing itself as an increasingly dominant presence. There's no shortage of strong play on both ends, not to mention consistency, on the part of Bivouac, and given their lockdown defense, I see a cover on a 5.5-point spread here as well.
BIG3 Picks for Bivouac at Ghost Ballers
- Bivouac -5.5 (-110 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
Power at Trilogy Best Bets (Saturday, July 20, 7:00 p.m. ET)
Nancy Lieberman's Power fell to 1-4 with a 50-41 defeat at the hands of the Aliens, with the latter's 20-4 run to open the second half setting the stage for the loss. Glen Rice Jr. continued to be the one constant with a 12-point, six-rebound, five-assist, two-block effort, and while every other player contributed at least six points, the shoddy second-half defense was the Power's undoing.
Trilogy notched its aforementioned first victory of the season with its 50-40 defeat over Ghost Ballers, as Earl Clark put together a 21-point, seven-rebound effort that saw him score 17 in the first half alone. Isaiah Briscoe was also key to the breakthrough win after a record-setting performance in defeat the week prior, producing 14 points, five assists and four rebounds.
These two teams appear to simply be playing for pride at this point, but I see Trilogy as a more potent and complete team. Clark, Briscoe and Cady Lalanne will be a bit much for Power to keep up with, especially if Rice continues to be the only consistent source of offense. While they could well cover the 2.5-point line, I'll play it a bit safer and simply take the Trilogy moneyline at an acceptable price.
BIG3 Picks for Power at Trilogy
- Trilogy moneyline (-122 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
Killer 3's at Ball Hogs (Saturday, July 20, 8:00 p.m. ET)
The Killer 3's remained winless despite a strong start in their aforementioned loss to the Enemies, ultimately succumbing by a 50-41 score. Franklin Sessions was a true bright spot, however, furnishing a 23-point, 11-rebound double-double that also included four assists and three blocks.
The Ball Hogs fell to 2-3 with the previously mentioned 50-33 shellacking at the hands of Bivouac. Leandro Barbosa keyed a highly promising start for Rick Barry's squad and scored 12 of his team-leading 17 points in the first half, but no other player managed double-digit points on the way to an 8-for-25 team tally from two-point range.
Given Killer 3's futility this season – they've scored the second-fewest points (205) and are tied with Power for most points allowed (251) – and the fact the likes of Barbosa and Jodie Meeks are highly capable of exploiting defensive weaknesses, I'm firmly in the camp of a Ball Hogs bounce-back victory of at least three points.
BIG3 Picks for Killer 3's at Ball Hogs
- Ball Hogs -2.5 (-110 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
Aliens at 3's Company (Saturday, July 20, 9:00 p.m. ET)
The Aliens' 50-41 victory over the Power moved them to 2-3 and was spearheaded by a combined 36 points from Devin Ebanks and Abraham Millsap, with the latter adding six assists and three steals among his non-scoring contributions. Al Jefferson was the ideal third wheel with eight points, seven rebounds, one assist, two steals and two blocks.
3's Company moved to an impressive 4-1 by knocking off the Triplets, 50-42. They didn't need much more than Michael Beasley, who was in vintage form with a 31-point, 10-rebound double-double. However, fellow ex-NBA and Heat teammate Mario Chalmers chipped in with a solid complementary effort of his own, supplying 13 points, three rebounds, three assists and one steal.
3's Company's excellent play is being somewhat overshadowed by the fact the Enemies and Bivouac are both 5-0, but they're right behind the Big 2 in record (4-1) and points scored (249). Beasley, Chalmers and complementary pieces like Nasir Core and Reggie Evans will eventually prove to be too much for the Aliens, which I ultimately see taking a loss of at least four points.
BIG3 Picks for Aliens at 3's Company
- 3's Company -3.5 (-110 on DraftKings Sportsbook)
BIG3 Week 6 Best Bets Recap
- Tri-State +2.5 (-110 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Enemies -5.5 (-110 on DraftKings Sportsbook)
- Bivouac -5.5 (-110 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Trilogy moneyline (-122 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Ball Hogs -2.5 (-110 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
- 3's Company -3.5 (-110 on DraftKings Sportsbook)
