NBA Daily Picks February 3: Trae Young's total points, Mavericks vs Bucks and more
There are a total of six matchups slated for Feb. 3 in the NBA, which will give several options for NBA Daily Picks. There are several interesting things to watch in these upcoming games, especially when looking at the injured players who might not be available to play.
One matchup that will be affected by injuries is the Philadelphia 76ers vs. Brooklyn Nets matchup, as reigning league MVP Joel Embiid has been listed due to his torn meniscus. There is also a marquee matchup between the New York Knicks and the LA Lakers to watch out for.
On that note, here are some NBA Daily Picks for the six-game schedule.
NBA Daily Picks February 3.
No. 1: Trae Young's point total over
Trae Young has been on a tear in their last four games, scoring 30 or fewer points in only one of them (26 against the Los Angeles Lakers on January 30). He had scored exactly 30 points in the previous two games and 32 in his most recent contest.
His point total is set at 25.5 against the Golden State Warriors and with his recent string of high-scoring performances and the fact that the Warriors are struggling to defend the perimeter this season, it is a safe bet that Young will go over for our NBA Daily Picks.
No. 2: Chicago Bulls vs Sacramento Kings
The Bulls vs Kings game is a matchup of two teams who are at opposite ends of the spectrum right now. The Kings have established themselves as an offensive powerhouse while the Bulls have been on an ugly downward spiral.
Additionally, the Kings have a healthy roster except for Sasha Vezenkov. Meanwhile, the Bulls are coming into their matchup with an injury-plagued roster. The Kings have the upper hand coming in and they have a more talented squad who has what it takes to win.
No. 3: Dallas Mavericks vs Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks already defeated the Mavericks once this season without Khris Middleton while the Mavs had both Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic.
Irving will be absent and Derek Lively is still doubtful to play. It is safe to think that the result of their second battle will be the same for our NBA Daily Picks. However, with Doncic having more space to operate on offense with his running mate sidelined, fans can expect him to put up massive numbers.
No. 4: San Antonio Spurs vs Cleveland Cavaliers
The San Antonio Spurs have lost three straight games while the Cleveland Cavaliers have won four in a row.
The Spurs are young, inexperienced, and lack star power, and while they have won games on occasion, it seems improbable that they will do so against the Cavaliers. However, with Jarret Allen's injury, Victor Wembanyama might have a good individual game.
No. 5: New York Knicks vs LA Lakers
The LA Lakers have gone over and under the .500 mark several times this year. They've lost games that were supposed to be winnable and have won ones that were not supposed to go their way, case in point is their win over the Boston Celtics with LeBron James and Anthony Davis sidelined.
Despite the absence of OG Anunoby and Julius Randle, the Knicks have won nine straight games. The Knicks also have one of the league's best defenses this season, while the Lakers rank in the bottom half offensively. For our NBA Daily Picks, the Knicks are the safer choice.
No. 6: Philadelphia 76ers vs Brooklyn Nets
While the Philadelphia 76ers won't have Joel Embiid, they still have Tyrese Maxey who just came off the best scoring performance of his career so far and is being carried by the momentum of being a first-time All-Star.
The 76ers have defeated the Nets once this season and that might well be the case for their upcoming Feb. 3 matchup. For our NBA Daily Picks, we have the 76ers winning over the Nets plus Maxey having another monster game.