BIG3 Basketball Betting: Best Bets for Week 4
We're set for another BIG3 extravaganza this holiday weekend, with the action emanating from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey on Sunday.
There are two teams still sporting unblemished records through three weeks, while two, the Killer 3's and Trilogy, are still in search of their first victories.
As customary, RotoWire has quick-hit betting picks for all six clashes using DraftKings and FanDuel Sportsbook odds.
2024 Season BIG3 Basketball Betting Record: 8-4
3 Headed Monsters at Trilogy (Sunday, July 7, 1:00 p.m. ET)
There's just a single win thus far in 2024 between these two teams, belonging to the 3 Headed Monsters. However, the point differentials between these two squads are fairly similar, with Trilogy's -22 just slightly poorer than the Monsters' -14.
Both squads were also competitive against tough competition in Week 3, with the Monsters coming up six points short of the undefeated Bivouac and Trilogy falling by the same margin to 3's Company. There's plenty of solid, proven talent on each team as well – the Monsters have Greg Monroe and Jeff Teague leading the way, while Trilogy has gotten strong play from Earl Clark and saw Cady Lalanne step up with a 15-point, seven-rebound effort in Week 3.
There's plenty of reasons to think this will be a competitive matchup, but the Monsters arguably have a slight edge in overall depth and definitely do in terms of experience at the highest levels of pro basketball. Therefore, I'm in the camp of a fairly hard-fought victory for the Monsters, who should see Teague get more and more comfortable with each passing week.
The moneyline price on an outright victory for the Monsters is much lower on FD, leading me to recommend that course of action.
BIG3 Picks for 3 Headed Monsters at Trilogy
- 3 Headed Monsters moneyline (-122 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
Tri-State at Enemies (Sunday, July 7, 2:00 p.m. ET)
Tri-State moved to 2-1 in Week 3 in remarkable fashion, posting a resounding 50-34 thumping of the Killer 3s in what was the second-largest victory for the week.
The defending-champion Enemies continued a highly successful start to their defense of the league crown, moving to 3-0 with a 51-44 victory over the Enemies that once again saw Jordan Crawford and Isaiah Austin lead the way.
Tri-State saw Kevin Murphy, Jason Richardson and Henry Sims all offer double-digit scoring contributions in the Week 3 win, a testament to the depth of proven talent on their roster. The talent on each side makes this showdown a potential game of the week.
The Enemies are being afforded respect in the form of -3.5-point favorite status, and while that line is tempting, I'm even more drawn to the Over on what I feel is too modest a total.
BIG3 Picks for Tri-State at Enemies
- Over 92.5 points (-114 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
Triplets at Aliens Best Bets (Sunday, July 7, 3:00 p.m. ET)
The Triplets continued to profile as perhaps the best defensive team in the BIG3 during Week 3, as they decimated the Power by a 51-30 score. Following that thoroughly dominant performance, the Triplets have allowed a league-low 119 points through three weeks.
The Aliens gave the defending champion Enemies a fight, but they ultimately couldn't keep pace in the second half and fell by a 51-44 score. That game marked the Aliens' first without Paul Millsap (lower leg), and despite a 22-point effort from Devin Ebanks, there wasn't enough offense due to modest contributions elsewhere.
The Aliens have scored a solid 140 points overall and actually have a +3 point differential despite their 1-2 record, but this is a bad matchup for them to go into short-handed. The Triplets are due to get Joe Johnson back from his illness after he missed Week 3, and his return comes on the heels of Jannero and Jeremy Pargo combining for 40 points in his absence.
The Triplets simply have too many bodies for the Aliens to try and keep up with and too good a defense to allow them to cover a 4.5-point spread.
BIG3 Picks for Triplets at Aliens
- Triplets -4.5 (-102 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
Power at Ball Hogs Best Bets (Sunday, July 7, 4:00 p.m. ET)
The Power may still be reeling from their Week 3 experience by the time they take the floor, as Nancy Lieberman's squad was steamrolled by a short-handed Triplets squad, 51-30. Glen Rice Jr. was able to put together his usually solid contributions (14 points, seven rebounds, two assists), but no other player posted more than six points.
The Ball Hogs lost another close one, dropping a 51-47 decision to the Ghost Ballers. Through three weeks, the Hogs have just a -5 point differential despite two losses. Even in defeat, the Hogs' collection of superior talent was evident, as Jodie Meeks, Leandro Barbosa and DaJuan Summers combined for 37 points.
The Power is naturally a better squad than last week's performance indicates, but they do have yet another tough task ahead of them this week. The Hogs could arguably be at least 2-1 with a bit of better late-game play/luck, yet they're not exactly heavy favorites by any stretch.
With DK offering a spread that's a point smaller than FD for this game, I'm going with the former's line on a Ball Hogs cover.
BIG3 Picks for Power at Ball Hogs
- Ball Hogs -1.5 (-115 on DraftKings Sportsbook)
3's Company at Ghost Ballers (Sunday, July 7, 5:00 p.m. ET)
3's Company worked its way to 2-1 in Week 3 with a 50-44 victory over Trilogy, one that was truly a tale of two halves. 3's Company appeared well on its way to a rout in the first half after building a 26-15 lead, but they were outscored by five points in the second half. Michael Beasley and Nasir Core once again led the way by combining for 36 points.
The Ballers notched the aforementioned hard-fought 51-47 win over the Ball Hogs, also pushing their record to 2-1 while getting balanced contributions across the roster. Chris Johnson and Ryan Carter combined for 31 of those points, but Mike Taylor and Darnell Jackson contributed eight apiece as well and the foursome combined for 25 rebounds.
This is another game that's in the running for most competitive of the week, considering the talent that will be sharing the floor. There's some thought of going with the Ballers doing enough to cover a +2.5 spread on FD, but I'm more secure in banking on the total being exceeded.
BIG3 Picks for 3's Company at Ghost Ballers
- Over 92.5 points (-130 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
Bivouac at Killer 3's (Sunday, July 7, 6:00 p.m. ET)
The team that could arguably pose the biggest threat to the Enemies' BIG3 crown, Bivouac, kept rolling in Week 3 with a 51-45 win over the 3 Headed Monsters. As customary, Gary Payton's crew put together a balanced effort that was spearheaded by Corey Brewer's extremely well-rounded 14-point, six-rebound, two-assist, three-steal, two-block effort.
The Killer 3's fell to 0-3 with their 50-34 loss to Tri-State, even as Dominique Johnson and Franklin Sessions turned in 11 points apiece. The 3's simply don't have the degree of consistent depth that many other clubs in the league have, although it's worth noting they were highly competitive in their first two games before the Week 3 meltdown.
Bivouac is unsurprisingly being afforded solid favorite status here, with the line at -4 on DK and -4.5 on FD. However, what catches my eye more is the 2.5-point difference in the total between the two sportsbooks – it's set at 91.5 on FD and a much higher 94 on DK.
With Bivouac one of the more defensive-minded squads in the league and such solid favorites, I'm going to bank on them eventually pulling away enough for the Under on the DK number to hit.
BIG3 Picks for Bivouac at Killer 3's
- Under 94 points (-120 on DraftKings Sportsbook)
BIG3 Week 4 Best Bets Recap
- 3 Headed Monsters moneyline (-122 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Tri-State-Enemies Over 92.5 points (-114 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Triplets -4.5 (-102 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Ball Hogs -1.5 (-115 on DraftKings Sportsbook)
- 3's Company-Ghost Ballers Over 92.5 points (-130 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Bivouac-Killer 3s Under 94 points (-120 on DraftKings Sportsbook)
