Pelicans shouldn’t have trouble vs. banged-up Grizzlies, plus other best bets for Tuesday

Greetings gamblers, it’s Chris Bengel arriving back in your inbox on this Tuesday.

Much to my dismay, the Commanders handed the Eagles their first loss of the 2022 season. It was bound to happen eventually, because it’s so hard to go undefeated in this day and age of football. On the bright side, it’s such a long season and now the Eagles have a lot less pressure on them by getting that loss out of the way.

Enough about the pigskin. Let’s get to Tuesday’s picks.

All times Eastern, and all odds via Caesars Sportsbook

🔥 The Hot Ticket

Grizzlies at Pelicans, 7:30 p.m. | TV: TNT

Latest Odds:

New Orleans Pelicans
-2

• Key Trend: The Grizzlies are 0-5 ATS in their last five road games
• The Pick: Pelicans -3.5 (-110)

At full strength, this had the potential to be one of the most intriguing matchups of the early part of the 2022-23 season. Unfortunately, that’s not going to be the case. The Grizzlies are a little banged up, so I’m siding with the Pelicans at home in this spot.

Grizzlies young star Desmond Bane is going to miss multiple weeks due to a toe injury. It’s a big blow for the Grizzlies, considering he was averaging 24.8 points-per-game and shooting a team-high 45.1 percent from three on the season. Ja Morant isn’t on the injury report for Tuesday’s game, but did miss Memphis’ last game. He will play, but have to shoulder a large amount of the scoring load without Bane in the lineup.

Meanwhile, for the Pelicans, Zion Williamson is dealing with a right foot/ankle sprain that he suffered in Saturday’s win over the Rockets. Williamson is currently being listed as questionable for Tuesday’s game, so there’s certainly a possibility that he can’t suit up. Even if he doesn’t, this is a Pelicans team that averages 116.5 points-per-game, the seventh-most in the league. New Orleans can ride the offensive prowess of the likes of CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram in addition to a solid frontcourt that includes Herbert Jones, Larry Nance Jr. and Jonas Valanciunas even if Williamson is out.

💰 The Picks

Stars at Lightning, 7 p.m. | TV: ESPN+

Latest Odds:

Dallas Stars
+115

The Pick: Stars (+115): — Tuesday’s contest between the Stars and Lightning had the potential to offer two of the top goaltenders in the NHL going head-to-head. However, with Andrei Vasilevskiy receiving the night off, I’m more than confident riding with the Stars on the road here.

Aside from surrendering five goal against the Sharks last Friday, Stars goalie Jake Oettinger has put together a Vezina Trophy-caliber season thus far. He has compiled a 6-2-0 record and leads the NHL in both goals-against-average (1.80) and save percentage (.938). Oettinger has allowed one goal or fewer in five of his nine starts this season.

And as impressive as Oettinger is, the Stars’ offense is just as dangerous. Entering Tuesday, the Stars are averaging 3.73 goals-per-game, which is good for second in the NHL behind only the Bruins. Star winger Jason Robertson has at least one point in eight consecutive games and has scored at least one goal in seven of his last eight contests. It also doesn’t hurt that the Stars are facing Lightning backup goaltender Brian Elliott, who owns a 3.27 goals-against-average on the year. 

Key Trend: The Lightning are 3-8 in their last 11 games following a win

Clippers at Mavericks, 8:30 p.m. | TV: NBA.TV
The Pick: Spencer Dinwiddie Over 17.5 Points (-111): — When it comes to the Mavericks scoring the basketball, a lot of the talk surrounds Luka Doncic (as it should). However, guard Spencer Dinwiddie has been really shooting the ball well lately. For that reason, I’m taking his points prop against the Clippers, who are playing on the second night of a back-to-back.

Dinwiddie has tallied at least 20 points in five of his last six games. The Mavericks point guard has also scored at least 29 points in two of those contests during that stretch. One of the biggest reasons for Dinwiddie’s recent offensive surge has been his success from beyond the three-point line. Dinwiddie has connected on three shots from beyond the arc in five of his last six games, including splashing home at least four threes in four of those contests. Getting to 18 points should be a very attainable number for Dinwiddie considering how effectively he’s been scoring the ball as of late.

Key Trend: Dinwiddie has scored at least 20 points in five of his last six games