Now that the weekend is here, it’s time to simplify the grind. Instead of splitting sides/totals and player props into separate pieces, my weekend columns will bring everything under one roof — a streamlined look at my favorite bets for the day’s slate. Fewer words, hopefully the same results. Keep reading for my NBA picks and predictions for Sunday, February 8.
RELATED: Check out the Pro Picks page for more selections from our talented VSiN hosts and analysts!
NBA Best Bets Today (Sides/Totals)
PARLAY: Timberwolves ML vs. Clippers & Raptors ML vs. Pacers (-143)
Clippers at Timberwolves – 3:00 pm ET
Pacers at Raptors – 3:00 pm ET
The Timberwolves are coming off a miserable home loss to the Pelicans, but that should mean that they’ll get up for this meeting with the Clippers. Los Angeles is just 11-16 with a net rating of -3.6 on the road this year, and Minnesota is 17-9 with a net rating of +5.1 at home. The Timberwolves are also in better shape when looking at the injury report here. The Clippers still don’t have Darius Garland, so they’re short a shot creator — while James Harden is already killing in Cleveland. I’m just taking the better team at home. Minnesota can definitely be a little hard to trust during the regular season, but Chris Finch should have his team ready after last game’s dud.
The Raptors are facing a Pacers team that has to wait a little longer for the debut of Ivica Zubac. That means Indiana really doesn’t have a major edge over Toronto at the center spot, where the Raptors are weakest. That should bode well for Toronto here, as the Raptors definitely have a massive advantage on the wing. Toronto is also coming off two full days of rest, so the Raptors should be ready to pounce here. Toronto is 15-12 with a net rating of +1.3 at home this season, while Indiana is 3-21 with a net rating of -12.7 on the road.
NBA Player Props Today
Neemias Queta Over 7.5 Points (-121) vs. Knicks
Knicks at Celtics – 12:30 pm ET
The Celtics acquired Nikola Vucevic at the deadline, addressing a center position that definitely was a bit of a weakness. However, Queta has had a great year for Boston, and I don’t see him going away anytime soon. He’s a much better defender than Vucevic, and the Celtics are going to need that in some matchups. Well, this might be one of them. I think Queta will get some burn in this one, and his point total is low. He can easily score eight points, which he has in both games he has played against New York. The Knicks might need to be overaggressive defending some of the Celtics shooters, meaning Queta could get some easy buckets at the rim.
2025-26 NBA Record: 330-312 (+5.97 units)
