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NBA Preview for Aug. 4: TV Schedule, Live Stream, Daily Fantasy Picks, Odds
August 4, 2020
There are no breaks in the NBA bubble.
This season's unique setup requires a sprint to the seeding round's finish line, meaning there is no rest for the weary.
Monday's six-game slate provided a day's worth of action-packed entertainment, and the six tilts slated for Tuesday should be no different.
We'll lay out all the particulars, including scheduling information, the latest odds (from Caesars Palace) and top daily fantasy recommendations below.
Broadcast Schedule, Latest Odds for Aug. 4 NBA Slate
Brooklyn Nets vs. Milwaukee Bucks
Time: 1:30 p.m. ET
TV: NBA TV
Live Stream: League Pass
Odds: No line
Dallas Mavericks vs. Sacramento Kings
Time: 2:30 p.m. ET
TV: Locally on Fox Sports Southwest or NBC Sports California
Live Stream: League Pass
Odds: Mavericks -6.0 (O/U 237.0)
Phoenix Suns vs. Los Angeles Clippers
Time: 4 p.m. ET
TV: NBA TV
Live Stream: League Pass
Odds: Clippers -9.0 (O/U 230.5)
Orlando Magic vs. Indiana Pacers
Time: 6 p.m. ET
TV: Locally on Fox Sports Florida or Fox Sports Indiana
Live Stream: League Pass
Odds: Magic -2.0 (O/U 223.5, per Vegas Insider)
Boston Celtics vs. Miami Heat
Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
TV: TNT
Live Stream: Watch TNT
Odds: Celtics -3.5 (O/U 223.5)
Houston Rockets vs. Portland Trail Blazers
Time: 9 p.m. ET
TV: TNT
Live Stream: Watch TNT
Odds: Rockets -5.0 (O/U 244.0)
Daily Fantasy Recommendations
The Star: James Harden, SG, Houston Rockets ($11,100 on FanDuel; $11,300 on DraftKings)
You know what will always excite the daily fantasy hoops community? A projected point total of 244. You know what quadruples that excitement? When said total involves James Harden going up against a team woefully short on perimeter stoppers.
Granted, it's not like anyone can get a handle on the 30-year-old. He's cruising to a third consecutive scoring title, and he's already gone nuclear in the bubble once (49 points, nine rebounds and eight assists his first time out).
But Portland's personnel effectively gives Harden a neon-green light to relentlessly attack. The Blazers have the worst defense in the bubble (27th in efficiency), and it's especially porous along the perimeter. Whether it's Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum or Carmelo Anthony, any option Portland can throw at Harden is not a great one (to put it mildly).
The Beard is the priciest player on DraftKings and the second-most expensive at FanDuel (to Giannis Antetokounmpo), so you'll need to find some savings in your lineup elsewhere. But trust what these price points are telling you—Harden should be in line for a monster stat line.
The Sleeper: CJ McCollum, SG, Portland Trail Blazers ($7,300 on FD; $8,200 on DK)
Remember the part about that 244-point projected total? It looks just as enticing on Portland's end.
While you could pay up for Lillard or Jusuf Nurkic, CJ McCollum's price looks the most inviting. All three could have huge performances, and it would surprise no one if McCollum pushes his scoring total to the top.
During his bubble debut, the 6'3" scoring guard torched the Memphis Grizzlies for 33 points, six assists and three triples. It was his 11th 30-point outburst of the season. He's had at least three triples in 10 of them (and five or more in five) and five-plus assists in seven.
The Rockets have allowed the eighth-most points per game since trading away interior anchor Clint Capela (116.3 points per game). In their first half of bubble play, they surrendered 85 points in 24 minutes. The Blazers might have the scoreboard rolling in this game, and McCollum should be a big reason why.
The Bargain: Dzanan Musa, SF, Brooklyn Nets ($3,700 on FD; $3,000 on DK)
Warning: This recommendation is not intended for the feint of heart.
The Nets played a 42-loss team their last time out, and Dzanan Musa didn't even see the floor. Instead, he drew the dreaded Did Not Play—Coach's Decision designation that has become such a common sight on his stat sheet over his first two NBA seasons.
But for those feeling bold—and needing a deeply discounted dart throw to help balance the budget—the 21-year-old might have sneaky-good upside.
Brooklyn effectively conceded this contest already. The few household names who made the trek to Disney with the depleted team have already been ruled out for this game: Caris LeVert, Jarrett Allen and Joe Harris.
The club's leading scorer at the bubble who hasn't been scratched from Monday's tilt is Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, who is on his fourth NBA team in four seasons and started the campaign on a two-year contract.
Someone has to handle the offense for the Nets and correctly pegging who that will be seems impossible. It probably won't be Musa, but he could snag a big enough portion of the opportunities to outperform his price point with ease.
The Bosnian is painfully raw, but he's a natural scorer with a deep bag of tricks and the kind of irrational confidence that could produce an out-of-nowhere 20-point performance. Buckle up, if you dare, and get him on your roster.