Looking to spice up your ing action this weekend? Want to use some parlay bets to make your sports gambling account increase quickly in value? Take a look at some of these choices that blend Sweet 16 picks from the NCAA men’s basketball tournament with NBA betting matchups on the same day.
NBA Sweet 16 Mixed Parlay Picks
Thursday: Oregon (-2) over Duke, Indiana over New Orleans
Yes, Duke was able to hold off a talented UNC Wilmington team in the first round and then beat a plucky Yale team in the second round. However, Oregon has gone nuts on offense in their first two matchups, showing that the Pac-12 champs are much stronger than the other six Pac-12 squads who already got washed out of the tournament. While Duke has a courageous group, led by Grayson Allen, they will not be able to keep pace with Oregon, so I’m picking a 6- or 8-point win for the Ducks here.
The New Orleans Pelicans have played some mighty games this year. However, they are headed to the lottery, and their best player, Anthony Davis, is out for the season. The Pacers, on the other hand, are trying to solidify their position in the Eastern Conference playoff race, so they will be more than motivated to defend their home court against a young New Orleans team.
Thursday: Miami (+4.5) over Villanova, Chicago over New York
The Miami Hurricanes have been underrated all season long. It’s true that they have failed to beat North Carolina, but they have held their own with everyone else in the ACC. Villanova is a dominant squad but comes out of a Big East that is not nearly as tough as the ACC. Villanova has a dominant halfcourt offense and a strong inside game, but Miami has shown that they can outrebound just about anyone, and the Hurricanes have a higher-octane transition game than the Wildcats. I think Miami can win outright, not just cover that spread.
The Bulls head to New York with Jimmy Butler’s knee a major question mark. However, they still should knock off a Knicks team that is reeling in its quest to find an identity under interim coach Kurt Rambis. Krystaps Porzingis and Carmelo Anthony are a talented duo, but the rest of the team isn’t coalescing well enough yet to play the kind of defense that will carry the Knicks in tough games.
Friday: Syracuse (+4.5) over Gonzaga, Toronto over Houston
Syracuse and Gonzaga represent a matchup between a 10- and and 11-seed in the Sweet Sixteen, but these are two teams who are better than their seeds indicate. Both teams play suffocating defense, but I think that the experience of the Orange this year, playing in the ACC, will trump the experience that Gonzaga has picked up in the West Coast Conference. Syracuse plays a tough 2-3 zone, which will be different than what Gonzaga is used to, but they also rebound very well (unusual for a 2-3 team). I think Syracuse will not only cover but will knock off the Bulldogs.
Houston ended Toronto’s 12-game home winning streaks a couple weeks ago but has now fallen back to their inconsistent ways. Toronto will be more than ready to get revenge in Houston’s home arena, so I would take the Raptors even if the line were as high as six.
