NBA Parlay Picks of the Day
Portland Trail Blazers vs. Detroit Pistons
Wednesday, March 31, 2021 at 7 p.m. ET at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan
Jerami Grant on Offense
Perhaps no player epitomizes the virtues of Detroit basketball — at least the virtues that are relevant for tonight’s match-up — better than small forward Jerami Grant.
Grant leads the team in minutes per game, with 35.1, and he leads the team in points per game, with 22.6.
He can be efficient from behind the arc and he can also be a skillful facilitator for his teammates.
But, offensively, he is probably at his best as a strong finisher at the basket.
He’ll position himself well for a teammate to easily find him. Often times, he’ll find a way to catch the ball in a place where a defender isn’t in his face.
With this advantage in positioning, Grant easily gets going down hill where he’ll create enough momentum to attack the basket with a full head of steam and enough finesse.
Jerami Grant on Defense
Grant is likewise important to Detroit’s defense and he’s representative of the Pistons’ strengths on the defensive end of the court.
At 6-8, he is lengthy to be useful as a shot-blocker inside the paint and as a reliable perimeter defender.
He combines timing and positioning with his raw, physical tool set in order to maximize his disruptiveness both in front of the basket and on the perimeter.
In case you want to see what I am talking about, you can find Grant in action in the following videos:
Pistons Offense vs. Trail Blazer Defense
Like Grant, Detroit’s offense as a whole generally loves to attack the basket.
The Pistons attempt the eighth-highest rate of field goals within five feet of the basket.
Hamidou Diallo is expected to see more minutes tonight because of other injuries on his team.
For tonight’s match-up, it’s a very good thing that Diallo will get more minutes.
He is also someone who, like Grant, is superbly athletic and who is a momentous rim-attacker.
His dribbling skills make him a reliable penetrator inside. He’ll also attack the basket as a roll man in ball-screen actions.
The former Thunder player is off to a strong start in Detroit, coming off a 27-point effort while supposedly being limited by a previous groin injury.
He’s obviously fit and, along with guys like Grant, ready to attack a Portland defense that is uniquely vulnerable in tonight’s match-up.
Grant, Diallo, and company will benefit from facing a Portland defense that is the 10th-worst team in limiting the opponent’s efficiency within five feet of the basket.
Also, as measured by opposing field goal attempts per game within five feet of the hoop, Portland does a poor job of preventing opponents from attacking inside.
Pistons Defense vs. Trail Blazer Offense
Diallo is important on defense, too, because his length helps him be a disruptive perimeter defender.
He and Grant are two significant reasons why the Pistons allow the fifth-lowest rate of open three-point attempts.
They also allow the ninth-lowest rate of wide open three-point attempts.
With Grant and Diallo, Detroit excels at running opposing shooters off of the three-point line. Detroit allows the third-fewest three-point attempts per game.
Strong perimeter defense is critical against a Portland offense that primarily wants to shoot threes. Portland is one of two teams that attempts over 42 three-pointers per game.
While Grant has the edge over Diallo in terms of scoring production, Diallo has the edge on defense, although both are positively impactful defenders.
As measured by opposing PPP, Diallo is top-level against spot-up shooters. He is quick and strong enough to recover when screened, so that he can make an impact contesting the opponent’s three-point shot attempt.
His 0.9 steals in 23 minutes per game (and like I said, he’s expected to see more minutes tonight) come not just from his on-ball defense but also from his active off-ball defending, the energy that he brings in defending the passing lanes.
Toronto Raptors vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
Wednesday, March 31, 2021 at 8 p.m. ET at Chesapeake Energy Arena
Thunder Offense vs. Raptor Defense
Oklahoma City is a team that I have repeatedly relied on when I need the “over” to hit.
One thing that the Thunder like to do is shoot three-pointers. They attempt the eighth-most per game.
Theo Maledon is one player who’s important to what the Thunder want to do offensively.
Maledon is effective running down the court and finding open spots to shoot from in transition.
Transition offense is an important part of the Thunder offense, which attempts baskets in transition at the 10th-highest rate.
OKC will be able to score a lot in transition against a Raptor defense that, as measured by opposing PPP, is very vulnerable to an opponent’s transition attack.
Maledon is also effective in the half-court, where, in addition to sneakily finding uncontested spots to shoot from, he’ll pull up for a jumper off the dribble.
Partly because of Maledon, the Thunder three-point effort will be valuable against a Raptor defense that allows the fourth-highest rate of open threes and the fifth-highest rate of wide open threes.
Raptor Offense vs. Thunder Defense
Toronto can at least match the Thunder scoring effort because it’s the same story of match-ups.
Like the OKC offense, the Raptors love to attempt three-pointers.
They are not as comfortable driving the basketball, but instead want to create good looks behind the arc for guys like Fred VanVleet, who is a normally efficient high-volume shooter who has converted at least 40 percent of his three-point attempts in three of his last four games.
A Raptor offense that, largely thanks to VanVleet, makes the third-most three-pointers per game will thrive against a Thunder defense that allows the 23rd-highest rate of three-point attempts, many of which are open or wide open looks.
Like the Thunder, the Raptors also bring a strong transition offense against an opponent that is vulnerable in transition defense.
Parlay Verdict
Detroit will love attacking the rim against a Portland defense that lacks adequate rim protection while Portland will not be comfortable where it wants to score against the Pistons’ disruptive perimeter defense.
The Thunder and Raptors will be engaged in a three-point contest enhanced by quick baskets in transition.
Best Bet: Parlay Pistons +6.5 at -110 & Thunder/Raptors “Over” 222.5 at -110 at +264 odds with Bovada
Portland Trail Blazers vs. Detroit Pistons
Wednesday, March 31, 2021 at 7 p.m. ET at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan
Jerami Grant on Offense
Perhaps no player epitomizes the virtues of Detroit basketball — at least the virtues that are relevant for tonight’s match-up — better than small forward Jerami Grant.
Grant leads the team in minutes per game, with 35.1, and he leads the team in points per game, with 22.6.
He can be efficient from behind the arc and he can also be a skillful facilitator for his teammates.
But, offensively, he is probably at his best as a strong finisher at the basket.
He’ll position himself well for a teammate to easily find him. Often times, he’ll find a way to catch the ball in a place where a defender isn’t in his face.
With this advantage in positioning, Grant easily gets going down hill where he’ll create enough momentum to attack the basket with a full head of steam and enough finesse.
Jerami Grant on Defense
Grant is likewise important to Detroit’s defense and he’s representative of the Pistons’ strengths on the defensive end of the court.
At 6-8, he is lengthy to be useful as a shot-blocker inside the paint and as a reliable perimeter defender.
He combines timing and positioning with his raw, physical tool set in order to maximize his disruptiveness both in front of the basket and on the perimeter.
In case you want to see what I am talking about, you can find Grant in action in the following videos:
Pistons Offense vs. Trail Blazer Defense
Like Grant, Detroit’s offense as a whole generally loves to attack the basket.
The Pistons attempt the eighth-highest rate of field goals within five feet of the basket.
Hamidou Diallo is expected to see more minutes tonight because of other injuries on his team.
For tonight’s match-up, it’s a very good thing that Diallo will get more minutes.
He is also someone who, like Grant, is superbly athletic and who is a momentous rim-attacker.
His dribbling skills make him a reliable penetrator inside. He’ll also attack the basket as a roll man in ball-screen actions.
The former Thunder player is off to a strong start in Detroit, coming off a 27-point effort while supposedly being limited by a previous groin injury.
He’s obviously fit and, along with guys like Grant, ready to attack a Portland defense that is uniquely vulnerable in tonight’s match-up.
Grant, Diallo, and company will benefit from facing a Portland defense that is the 10th-worst team in limiting the opponent’s efficiency within five feet of the basket.
Also, as measured by opposing field goal attempts per game within five feet of the hoop, Portland does a poor job of preventing opponents from attacking inside.
Pistons Defense vs. Trail Blazer Offense
Diallo is important on defense, too, because his length helps him be a disruptive perimeter defender.
He and Grant are two significant reasons why the Pistons allow the fifth-lowest rate of open three-point attempts.
They also allow the ninth-lowest rate of wide open three-point attempts.
With Grant and Diallo, Detroit excels at running opposing shooters off of the three-point line. Detroit allows the third-fewest three-point attempts per game.
Strong perimeter defense is critical against a Portland offense that primarily wants to shoot threes. Portland is one of two teams that attempts over 42 three-pointers per game.
While Grant has the edge over Diallo in terms of scoring production, Diallo has the edge on defense, although both are positively impactful defenders.
As measured by opposing PPP, Diallo is top-level against spot-up shooters. He is quick and strong enough to recover when screened, so that he can make an impact contesting the opponent’s three-point shot attempt.
His 0.9 steals in 23 minutes per game (and like I said, he’s expected to see more minutes tonight) come not just from his on-ball defense but also from his active off-ball defending, the energy that he brings in defending the passing lanes.
Toronto Raptors vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
Wednesday, March 31, 2021 at 8 p.m. ET at Chesapeake Energy Arena
Thunder Offense vs. Raptor Defense
Oklahoma City is a team that I have repeatedly relied on when I need the “over” to hit.
One thing that the Thunder like to do is shoot three-pointers. They attempt the eighth-most per game.
Theo Maledon is one player who’s important to what the Thunder want to do offensively.
Maledon is effective running down the court and finding open spots to shoot from in transition.
Transition offense is an important part of the Thunder offense, which attempts baskets in transition at the 10th-highest rate.
OKC will be able to score a lot in transition against a Raptor defense that, as measured by opposing PPP, is very vulnerable to an opponent’s transition attack.
Maledon is also effective in the half-court, where, in addition to sneakily finding uncontested spots to shoot from, he’ll pull up for a jumper off the dribble.
Partly because of Maledon, the Thunder three-point effort will be valuable against a Raptor defense that allows the fourth-highest rate of open threes and the fifth-highest rate of wide open threes.
Raptor Offense vs. Thunder Defense
Toronto can at least match the Thunder scoring effort because it’s the same story of match-ups.
Like the OKC offense, the Raptors love to attempt three-pointers.
They are not as comfortable driving the basketball, but instead want to create good looks behind the arc for guys like Fred VanVleet, who is a normally efficient high-volume shooter who has converted at least 40 percent of his three-point attempts in three of his last four games.
A Raptor offense that, largely thanks to VanVleet, makes the third-most three-pointers per game will thrive against a Thunder defense that allows the 23rd-highest rate of three-point attempts, many of which are open or wide open looks.
Like the Thunder, the Raptors also bring a strong transition offense against an opponent that is vulnerable in transition defense.
Parlay Verdict
Detroit will love attacking the rim against a Portland defense that lacks adequate rim protection while Portland will not be comfortable where it wants to score against the Pistons’ disruptive perimeter defense.
The Thunder and Raptors will be engaged in a three-point contest enhanced by quick baskets in transition.
Best Bet: Parlay Pistons +6.5 at -110 & Thunder/Raptors “Over” 222.5 at -110 at +264 odds with Bovada
