NBA Parlay Picks for Saturday, February 11, 2023

Monday and Tuesday were relatively mundane in terms of the NBA trade deadline, but the last 12 hours have brought us the massive odds-swinging trades we have come to expect in this league. First, the 25-30 Los Angeles Lakers decided to make one more push for the postseason by trading Russell Westbrook in a three-team deal involving the Utah Jazz and Minnesota Timberwolves. The Lakers acquired Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, and former Laker D’Angelo Russell in the trade, but that only led to slight movement in terms of LA’s NBA title odds. Although they have LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the Lakers are currently in 13^th place in the Western Conference, and there’s no guarantee they will make the postseason even after making this trade.

That may have helped set up the true blockbuster deal of the season though. New Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia decided to swing for the fences by trading for Kevin Durant. The Suns had to deal Cam Johnson, Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder, four first-round picks, and agree to a pick swap with the Brooklyn Nets in 2028, but they have acquired one of the best players in the history of the league without having to trade away one of their three best players. That has led to Phoenix immediately becoming the team to beat in the Western Conference per the current NBA futures odds at BetRivers Sportsbook, as Phoenix is now down to +450 to win the title.

NBA Betting Odds at BetRivers Sportsbook

Philadelphia 76ers at Brooklyn Nets

The Brooklyn Nets had NBA championship odds under 10-1 before their decision to trade both Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. The loss of those two superstars clearly signals an end of an era though, and it appears that this team will pivot to developing talent going forward.

That will lead to people looking to fade Brooklyn for the foreseeable future, and that will give sharp bettors value on the Nets for a while. Although this team is no longer a title contender without Durant and Irving, there are some quality players. Mikal Bridges took his game to another level with the Suns recently, and Cam Johnson is a solid contributor too. Spencer Dinwiddie will be able to put up points too, while Dorian Finney-Smith is a quality role player.

There’s no doubt that the Philadelphia 76ers will be favored by the NBA betting odds in this game. Joel Embiid is having an MVP caliber season, and both Tyrese Maxey and James Harden are averaging over 20 PPG. However, there isn’t much depth on the roster, and that could give Brooklyn an edge.

The last time these teams played, Brooklyn managed to score 133 points without Durant in the lineup. Nic Claxton and Seth Curry were both extremely efficient from the floor, and they could have nice outings once again.

Dallas Mavericks at Sacramento Kings

There’s a lot of buzz surrounding the Dallas Mavericks after their decision to trade for Kyrie Irving. Luka Doncic now has a real second option on the team, and that gives this team a real chance to make it to the NBA Finals. There is not much quality depth after Dinwiddie and Finney-Smith were traded though, and this is an awkward spot for the Mavericks. They play the Sacramento Kings in back-to-back nights, and this is an offense that has a reputation of being easier to figure out the more time you spend facing it.

Sacramento could make a splash prior to the NBA trade deadline. This is the best Kings team we have seen in a while, and rumor has it that Harrison Barnes is on the block. De’Aaron Fox is having a fantastic season as the primary playmaker in this offense, and Domantas Sabonis has turned out to be a star in Sacramento.

Fox and Sabonis present real problems for Dallas’ defense. Fox has a preternatural ability to glide to the basket, and the Mavericks don’t have a lockdown defender. Meanwhile, Sabonis is a big man with very good passing skills, and Dallas doesn’t have a real presence in the low post. Dallas is going to be a popular pick, but the Mavs are just four games over .500.