The NBA will return from the NBA All-Star Break on Thursday, February 23. Most players will have had a full week off to rest, so everyone should be as ready for the stretch run as they are going to be at this point. Every team has a little more than 20 games remaining before the playoffs are set to start on April 15, and pretty much every roster is set after the trade deadline has been passed and subsequent buyouts have been reached.
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NBA Parlay Picks for February 23, 2023
Denver Nuggets at Cleveland Cavaliers
Nikola Jokic is considered the frontrunner to be the NBA MVP once more, and he would be in a very small group if he were to be named the best player in the league yet again. Jokic has won two straight NBA MVP awards, and a third consecutive MVP would put him in rarified air. Larry Bird was the last player to be named the MVP of the league in three straight seasons, and the only other two players to win three straight MVP awards are Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain.
Denver has the best record in the Western Conference. It will be difficult for the Nuggets to miss out on the No. 1 seed barring injury, as they have a five-game lead over Memphis and an eight-game lead on everyone else in the West. Jokic is averaging a triple-double with 24.7 PPG, 11.5 RPG, and 10.1 APG, and Jamal Murray is averaging 20.2 PPG with 5.8 APG. Michael Porter Jr. has managed to stay healthy, and Aaron Gordon is a solid third to fourth option.
This will be a good test for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Cleveland is 38-23 and should at least be the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference. They don’t have a big man that can guard Jokic, but Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen are both athletic big men that combine to average 18.8 RPG.
Cleveland’s guards are very dangerous. Donovan Mitchell has thrived on his new team with 27.3 PPG, while Darius Garland is proving to be one of the best distributors in the league. Garland is averaging 21.7 PPG and 8.0 APG. Mitchell missed the first game between these teams, leading to Cleveland losing by 13 points. His presence should lead to a different result at home.
Portland Trail Blazers at Sacramento Kings
Damian Lillard put an end to Team LeBron’s reign at the All-Star Game. Lillard hit the game-winning three for Team Giannis on Sunday, and his Portland Trail Blazers are still in the mix in the crowded Western Conference. Although they are currently 12th in the standings, they are just 3.5 games behind the No. 4 seed Los Angeles Clippers.
Lillard is averaging 31.4 PPG and 7.3 APG for Portland this season. He has scored at least 33 points in four straight games, as the Trail Blazers are trying to prove that they aren’t a team to underestimate. There is quite a bit to like about this team going forward as rookie Shaden Sharpe looks to be one of the better players in the class, and Anfernee Simons is very underrated. Unfortunately, Simons will miss at least a few games post ASB with an ankle strain.
Sacramento has arguably been the most surprising team in the league. The Kings are in third place in the Western Conference, and no one expected that from a team that had not made the playoffs in 17 seasons. Their decision to trade for Domantas Sabonis last year has helped this team discover another level, and De’Aaron Fox is a superb setup man in this offense. Rookie Keegan Murray turned out to be the right selection too, although most analysts wanted Sacramento to take Jaden Ivey in the summer. Sacramento lost it season opener to Portland, but the Kings should be able to knock off the Blazers here.
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