Simmons returns to Philly while LeBron-less Lakers visit Phoenix on TNT

It’s November 22 and it’s time to give thanks for NBA basketball on TNT. And as a tribute to all of us returning home for Thanksgiving, tonight features the dramatic return of Ben Simmons to Philadelphia. You know how family relationships can get strained, with family members not talking to each other, blaming each other for the bad things that happened to them, arguing about their different philosophies, and scapegoating one another for losing Game Seven against the Atlanta Hawks? That’s exactly what we’re going to see when the Brooklyn Nets visit the Philadelphia 76ers in the early game.

In the late game, it’s a Pacific Division showdown between the first-place Phoenix Suns and the last-place Los Angeles Lakers. Banana boat buddies LeBron James and Chris Paul are both out with injuries, so they’ll be sitting courtside in street clothes after celebrating Friendsgiving at Blaze Pizza. Anthony Davis will not be in street clothes, no matter what Charles Barkley calls him, as he will be overcoming his lower back tightness to battle Deandre Ayton and the heart-broken Devin Booker.

What are we thankful for? Same-game parlays. Let’s look at the odds!

Draft Kings Odds

Ben Simmons looks like he’s finally shaken off his back injury (he had surgery this summer) and his bothersome knee problems to score in double-digits three games in a row. For those games, he shot 22-26 from the floor, and averaged 16 points, 8.7 rebounds, five assists, and only three fouls. It won’t be a true revenge game for Simmons, who refused to play for Philly last season and eventually got traded for James Harden, as the Sixers will be without almost-MVP Joel Embiid, as well as Harden and Tyrese Maxey, though Tobias Harris should return. Simmons isn’t taking it for granted.

We can’t believe we’re saying this, but we really believe that Ben turned a corner recently. It helps that the media will be occupied by asking Kyrie Irving about Black Hebrew Israelites and not Simmons’ anxiety about shooting three-pointers or free throws. The Nets are favored by 7.5 points, with an over/under of 217, but we think Simmons comes up with a double-double, especially versus a frontcourt of Montrezl Harrell, Paul Reed, and P.J. Tucker. You can parlay a Simmons double-double with De’Anthony Melton getting 3+ steals and it pays off at +750. In fact, we’re going all-in on Simmons. A Simmons triple-double, parlayed with Kevin Durant going over 27.5 points, pays off at a cool +2500.

Of course, there’s also Ben-Will-Melt-Down parlays. We’d call this triple-single parlay: Simmons under 10.5 points, under 4.5 assists, and under 4.5 rebounds pays out at (+1500).But if you’re less adventurous, you can take the Nets on the money line, with Kevin Durant going over 30 and Kyrie going over 20 points, for a tidy +340. And if you believe in the 76ers’ ability to rally behind their fans’ vitriol, we would suggest a complicated parlay where you take the Sixers +7.5, bet on Melton getting 2+ steals and 2+ blocks (probably necessary for a Philly win), plus 2+ steals for Simmons and 2+ blocks for KD. It’s (+9000).

For the late game, the Suns (10-6) are 9.5-point favorites over the 5-10 Lakers, with an over/under of 226.5. Lakers’ longtime scapegoat Russell Westbrook has remade himself into a super-charged distributor. He’s had double-digit assists in his last four games - and in the game before he had nine. We feel like a Brodie double-double and a Brow double-double is highly likely, and pays off at +250. If you believe in Westbrook getting enough rebounds for a prime time triple-double, parlaying that with an AD double-double is +2000. We also don’t hate betting the Lakers’ moneyline, Davis over 30 points, and Westbrook 10+ assists, also at +2000.

Meanwhile, Devin Booker and Kendall Jenner have broken up, just before cuffing season. Without Chris Paul in the lineup, Booker has been scoring in bunches, putting up 49 points and ten assists against Utah last week. There’s no better time to impress a new lady, whether she’s an influencer, an Instagram model, or even a different billionaire reality star. Book will be extra motivated knowing that Jenner’s other ex, Ben Simmons, played in the early TNT game.

There’s a simple parlay we like, taking the Suns and giving 9.5 points, while betting Booker to go over 30 points, over 5 assists, and over 5 rebounds, for +500. We also like taking the Suns on the moneyline, Booker 30+ points, and replacement point guard Cameron Payne +20 points, for +550.

The Lakers also give up the second-most three-pointers in the league, while the Suns make the eighth-most. Give us a parlay of Payne and Damion Lee to get 2+ three-pointers and Booker +3, for +450. Unfortunately, you can’t bet on how many likes Booker gets for his tunnel fit, but it should be spectacular.

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