Peter’s Points: NBA Best Bets Today (Predictions, Prop Bets for Knicks-Celtics, Raptors, Timberwolves)

It may be Super Bowl Sunday, but we’re still betting on some NBA here at SI Betting.

There are four NBA games to dive into this afternoon as a little appetizer before the biggest NFL games of the season, and I’m eyeing several games for today’s edition of Peter’s Points:

New York Knicks at Boston Celtics
Miami Heat at Washington Wizards
Indiana Pacers at Toronto Raptors
Los Angeles Clippers at Minnesota Timberwolves

A massive Eastern Conference clash kicks off the day, as the No. 2 Boston Celtics look to take the lead in their season series with the No. 3-seeded New York Knicks. New York could be down several players in this game, which has led to it being set as a 3.5-point underdog.

In the Western Conference, the game of the day is between the Los Angeles Clippers and Minnesota Timberwolves – the final matchup before Super Bowl LX kicks off. Anthony Edwards and the Wolves are favored against the new-look Clippers that really shook up their roster at the trade deadline.

With the All-Star Game looming, I’m trying to keep this season’s record in a positive place, and so far we’re up over 11 units!

Here’s a full breakdown of my plays for Super Bowl Sunday – Feb. 8 – with the NBA owning the afternoon action.

1 Season, 600 Bets: NBA Betting Record

2025-26 season record: 164-124 (+11.11 units)
2024-25 season record: 281-293-5 (-4.94 units)
OVERALL (since 2021-22 season): 1455-1361-27 (+44.27 units)

Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.

NBA Best Bets Today

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Boston Celtics -3.5 (-110) vs. New York Knicks
John Collins OVER 22.5 Points and Rebounds (-128)
Toronto Raptors-Minnesota Timberwolves Moneyline Parlay (-145)

Boston Celtics -3.5 (-110) vs. New York Knicks

These teams have split their two matchups so far this season, but there is a lot going in Boston’s favor on Sunday afternoon.

The Knicks are coming off an awful showing against the Detroit Pistons on Friday night, as they lost by 38 with Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby out of the lineup. Now, there’s a chance Towns, Anunoby and Josh Hart are all sidelined on Sunday.

Even if those guys suit up, the Knicks struggled against Boston in early December, allowing 123 points while Jaylen Brown dropped 42.

Boston is one of the few teams in the NBA that outranks the Knicks in offensive rating (No. 2 vs. No. 3), and it has posted an average scoring margin as home favorite of +9.0.

All season long, the Knicks have been awful on the road, going 11-13 straight up and 8-16 against the spread – the second-worst ATS record in the NBA. If any of the Knicks’ key players sit, Boston should roll at home.

John Collins OVER 22.5 Points and Rebounds (-128)

I love this bet for Los Angeles Clippers forward John Collins, as he’s taken on a bigger role as of late with Ivica Zubac sidelined before he was traded to the Indiana Pacers.

Collins put up 19 points and seven boards against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Feb. 4 and 22 points and seven boards against the Sacramento Kings on Feb. 6. Collins is averaging just 13.8 points and 5.0 rebounds per game, but he’s seeing an expanded offensive role with James Harden and Zubac out of the picture.

Darius Garland and Bennedict Mathurin have both been ruled out for this game, leaving L.A. with a rather thin lineup on Sunday.

The Timberwolves are a solid team on the glass (ninth in rebound percentage), but I think Collins is undervalued at this number. He has averaged 14.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game without Zubac (six games) and has cleared 22.5 points and rebounds in six of his last 10 games and four of his last five.

Toronto Raptors-Minnesota Timberwolves Moneyline Parlay (-145)

Toronto Raptors

Toronto hasn’t been great against the spread at home this season, but this is a favorable matchup against an Indiana team that will be short-handed following the Ivica Zubac trade.

The Pacers won’t have Zubac this afternoon, and they could be without Aaron Nesmith (questionable) leaving them with very few viable rotation players.

All season long, the Pacers have been awful on the road, going 3-21 straight up while posting a net rating of -12.7 (29th in the NBA).

The Raptors are over .500 at home (15-12) and they’re 20-7 against teams that are under .500. On top of that, Toronto has wins by 18, two and 14 against the Pacers this season.

So, I’m buying this squad to pull off the sweep, especially since it has the No. 6 defense in the NBA. The Raptors should be able to shut down this Indiana offense, that is dead last in the league in offensive rating and has 111, 95 and 101 points against Toronto in the 2025-26 campaign.

Minnesota Timberwolves

I was going to swear off the Minnesota Timberwolves in parlays after bad losses to Memphis and Chicago (when I took them to win) earlier this season, but I’m getting back on the wagon earlier than I thought.

Minnesota made a great move at the trade deadline, adding Sixth Man of the Year candidate Ayo Dosunmu to transform its guard rotation. Dosunmu should immediately slot into a big role off the bench, and that should help the Wolves’ offensive woes when Anthony Edwards is on the bench.

The Clippers are short-handed on Sunday after trading away James Harden and Ivica Zubac at the deadline, as they won’t have Darius Garland or Bennedict Mathurin in action. So, I wouldn’t be shocked to see the Wolves (17-9 at home) overwhelm them in this matchup.

The Clippers are just 9-20 straight up against teams that are .500 or better this season. Now, Minnesota is just 9-13 against the spread as a home favorite, but this could be an ugly game for the Clippers if Kawhi Leonard doesn’t go off.

L.A. lost by 33 to the Cavs without Harden and Zubac and barely hung on to beat the Sacramento Kings (114-111) on Friday night.

Minnesota should at least win this game, even if it fails to cover.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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