This article is part of our NBA Picks series.
Alex Barutha
C.J. McCollum over 21.5 points (-110) at Jazz -- FanDuel, 2:31 PM CT
With Norman Powell sidelined, the Blazers lose one of their key scoring threats. McCollum has generally picked up the slack when Powell has been off the court -- seeing an increase of 5.7 shot attempts per 36 minutes. Going up against Utah is tough, but Portland doesn't have much else for reliable shot-makers.
Kevin Porter Jr. over 27.5 points + rebounds + assists (-115) vs. Thunder -- FanDuel, 2:36 PM CT
Jalen Green remains out, which means KPJ should continue seeing a usage bump. He's averaging 17.7 points, 7.3 assists and 6.8 rebounds per 36 minutes with Green off the court this season. And over the last two games, he's averaged 18.5 points, 10.5 assists and 7.0 rebounds. Going up against the Thunder is also a positive.
Nick Whalen
LA Clippers -7.0 (-105) vs. New Orleans Pelicans -- DraftKings Sportsbook, 2PM CT
To their credit, the Pelicans have looked a bit more competent of late, banking wins over Washington and Utah, but make no mistake: this is still not a good basketball team. The Clippers come in having dropped two of their last three, but this is a great get-right spot for LA, which will be looking to avenge an ugly 94-81 loss to the Pelicans earlier in the month.
Ken Crites
I'm taking the OVER on Marcus Morris (LAC) scoring 11.5 points (-115) (DraftKings, 12:54pm ET)
Morris is back for the Clippers after missing 15 games due to a knee issue. Paul George needs scoring help for these Clippers to be productive. Morris is a strong alternative, especially with Eric Bledsoe struggling (7.2 points per game over last six contests). With New Orleans giving up 109.5 points per game and playing a terrible 2-10 on the road, I like Morris' chances of repeating Sunday's 13 point effort. Remember, Morris averaged 13.4 points per game last year, and that was with Kawhi Leonard in the lineup.
