With issues across sports regarding the spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, bettors across the country have been targeting totals.
That includes sharps and big money bettors, who are hammering two games on the NBA slate.
Read further to see what the wise guys are betting on for Monday night.
Monday NBA Sharp Action, Big Money
Odds are as of Monday afternoon
Boston Celtics vs. Minnesota Timberwolves
8 p.m. ET
This game has four of the top five players competing infected with the coronavirus.
Anthony Edwards, D’Angelo Russell, Karl-Anthony Towns and Jayson Tatum are all on the health and protocol list and will miss this contest.
Despite the absences, The Action Network’s model projections still think there’s value on the Timberwolves’ spread. You can read more about that below.
As far as the total goes, sharp action and big money have been targeting the under in light of the absences.
Already, the total has plummeted from its open at 217.5 to a market consensus around 214.5.
Sharp Action, Big Money Betting Pick: Under 214.5 or better.
Dallas Mavericks vs. Portland Trail Blazers
10 p.m. ET
Eight players will miss this game for Portland due to injury or after being placed on the COVID list. That includes seven in protocols — Jusuf Nurkic, Cody Zeller, Dennis Smith Jr., Robert Covington, Ben McLemore, Keljin Blevins and Trendon Watford — and one because of injury (CJ McCollum).
In addition, Damian Lillard is listed as questionable for personal reasons.
The Blazers were forced to sign three people from the G League to 10-day contracts on Monday due to all their COVID and injury issues.
The Mavericks, meanwhile, will be missing star Luka Doncic and Kristap Porzingis is also questionable.
That means that six of the two teams’ top-eight scorers might miss Monday’s contest.
As a result, the wise guys have been hammering the under with no mercy. The line had opened at 217.5 even with knowledge about some of the Blazers’ coronavirus issues and with the understanding that Doncic would miss this match.
This afternoon, the best price for that line is at 212.5.
Sharp Action, Big Money Betting Pick: Under 212.5 or better.
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