It’s a short week around the NBA because it goes dark on Friday for this year’s All-Star Game, to be held in Salt Lake City – although some of the league’s biggest stars like Kevin Durant, Steph Curry and Zion Williamson will miss it. Here’s a look at two intriguing early-week matchups around the NBA. Check back for NBA odds.

Top NBA Betting Picks of the Week (February 6th, 2023)

NBA Power Rankings: Lakers, Suns, and Mavs rise after big moves at trade deadline https://t.co/YRYUGjMPaR

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READ MORE: 2022-23 NBA Trade Deadline Highlights

Denver Nuggets vs. Miami Heat

• When: Monday, February 13, 2023, 7:30 PM ET
• Where: Miami-Dade Arena, Miami, FL
• TV: BSSUN, ALT
• Radio: ALTITUDE SPORTS RADIO 92.5 FM (Nuggets) // 560 The Joe WQAM (Heat)
• Live Stream: NBA League Pass
• NBA Betting Odds: Nuggets (+1.5) // Heat (-1.5)

NBA TV has this game at 7:30 p.m. ET. Could be an NBA Finals preview. Not likely, but not impossible. Denver may get there, but Miami probably won’t as the Heat didn’t get better at the Trade Deadline. They are looking to add in the buyout market. Miami had its eyes on Russell Westbrook, but it appears the former MVP will sign with the Chicago Bulls.

Reggie Jackson also was a possibility, but he has signed with the Nuggets after completing a contract buyout with the Charlotte Hornets. The LA Clippers traded Jackson to the Hornets for Mason Plumlee ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline. Jackson was averaging 10.9 points, 3.5 assists and 2.2 rebounds in 52 games with the Clippers this season.

Jackson will be a backup point guard in Denver. His shooting numbers are down this season, but the last time he played in the playoffs, he averaged nearly 18 points per game for a Clippers team that was missing Kawhi Leonard. The Nuggets wanted a veteran point guard after dealing Bones Hyland to the Clippers on deadline day.

Miami remains without starting point guard Kyle Lowry, who will be sidelined at least through the All-Star break with left knee soreness. Gabe Vincent will continue to start at point guard. He had 20 points in Saturday’s win in Orlando. When Vincent starts this year, the Heat are 7-2.

Denver shooting guard Jamal Murray is in question Monday. He has missed the past four with right knee issues and probably sits through the break. Bruce Brown has been starting in his spot. Forward Aaron Gordon sat Saturday with a left rib contusion, but is likely here. He had a season-best day in the previous game with 37 points and 14 rebounds, and has scored in double digits in 14 consecutive games.

The Nuggets have won five in a row in this series following a 124-119 win over Miami on Dec. 30. Murray scored seven of his 14 points over the final two minutes, and Nikola Jokic had a triple-double of 19 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists. He has 20 triple-doubles on the year and is the favorite to win a third straight MVP.

Denver leads the all-time series 37-34, but is 14-10 in Miami.

NBA Betting Pick: Heat if Murray and Gordon sit. Nuggets if both play

Boston Celtics vs. Milwaukee Bucks

• When: Tuesday, February 14, 2023, 7:30 PM ET
• Where: Fiserv Forum. Milwaukee, WI
• TV: TNT
• Radio: 98.5 The Sports Hub (Celtics) // WTMJ 620 (Bucks)
• Live Stream: NBA League Pass
• NBA Betting Odds: TBA

TNT has this potential Eastern Conference Finals preview and I believe they will meet in the East Finals because they are also going to finish 1-2 in the regular-season standings barring major injury.

Boston isn’t whole currently, as All-Star Jaylen Brown is out through the All-Star break with a facial fracture. Brown was diagnosed with a maxillary fracture after he took an inadvertent elbow from Jayson Tatum last Wednesday while going for a rebound during Boston’s win over Philadelphia. Brown won’t need surgery. Brown and Jayson Tatum are two of only four players in the league averaging at least 27.0 points and 7.0 rebounds while shooting over 32.0 percent from the three-point line this season.

Tatum is the youngest player in franchise history to become a four-time NBA All-Star after being named a 2023 starter. Tatum has scored the most points in the NBA this season and passed Isaiah Thomas for the most points scored by a Celtic before the All-Star break on Feb. 8.

Reigning Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart hasn’t played in a few weeks due to an ankle injury and is also likely out through the break. Smart is averaging 11.1 points and a career-high 7.2 assists per game this season. Derrick White has been starting in his place and Malcolm Brogdon getting more minutes off the bench.

Brogdon has scored at least 15 points in 24 games this season, which ranks fourth among NBA reserves, and posted a 16-game streak (Jan. 3- Feb. 8) with at least 10+ points for the fourth-longest such streak in his career. Brogdon averaged the third-most points on the team (17.4) during that span, which ranked eighth among all NBA reserves.

Milwaukee has been off since a 119-106 win at the Clippers on Friday, the Bucks’ 10th straight win. Giannis Antetokounmpo registered 35 points, eight rebounds, six assists and two steals over 30 minutes. He is averaging 37.2 points and 13 rebounds per game in February.

It’s the Bucks’ first 10-game game winning streak since they won 18 consecutive games during the 2019-20 season. Antetokounmpo is averaging 37.6 points, 14.0 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game while shooting 60.8% from the field during it.

Boston leads the season series 1-0, winning 139-118 at home on Christmas. Brown scored 13 of his 29 points in the fourth, and Tatum scored 41 points overall for Boston. Tatum scored 20 in the third quarter, when the Celtics turned a one-point lead into a 100-86 edge. Antetokounmpo scored 27 points with nine rebounds.

NBA Betting Pick: Bucks

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READ MORE: Top NBA Betting Picks of the Week – February 20th, 2023