NBA restart win totals: Pelicans, Celtics will fly over

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For the second straight summer, bettors are digging for edges in 2019-20 NBA win totals. Only this time, the sample size is much smaller.

The league's July 30 restart will feature 22 teams playing just eight games prior to the postseason. Naturally, oddsmakers gave bettors the chance to go over or under the number.

Here's how the win totals currently stack up, as well as which bets we like the most.

NBA restart win totals

Best bets

Pelicans over 5.5

Motivation is a tough factor to account for, but the Pelicans will have no issue getting up for the restart. They're currently on the outside looking in and understand they deserve to be in the playoff mix with a healthy squad.

Since rookie phenom Zion Williamson debuted on Jan. 22, New Orleans' starting five has recorded an otherworldly, league-leading plus-minus of +130. To put that into perspective, the second-best rotation over that span is +63 (Milwaukee).

The Pelicans also have the easiest path in the restart, with six games against sub-.500 teams.

Celtics over 5.5

This is a plus-money play I can get on board with. I've been beating the Celtics' drum all summer, considering they've been both unhealthy and unlucky throughout the regular season - two factors that should point to some positive regression.

Boston is second in the league in wins lost due to injury and should be three wins better than its 43-21 record based off point differential.

The C's should also benefit from a relatively light schedule, which ranks No. 17 in strength among the bubble teams.

Trail Blazers under 3.5

This just isn't Portland's year.

A year after reaching the conference finals, the Trail Blazers don't even own a playoff bid; they're 3.5 games behind the Grizzlies for the final spot in the West entering the restart.

It's weird to see a team with experience and star power underachieve, but there aren't any excuses: Portland's 29-37, and based off point differential should be ... 29-37.

Seven of Portland's eight opponents have a winning percentage of .600 or better. If the Blazers struggle early and slip out of the playoff race, they'll be packing their bags sooner than later.

Alex Kolodziej is a betting writer for theScore. He's a graduate of Eastern Illinois who has been involved in the sports betting industry for 12 years. He can quote every line from "Rounders" and appreciates franchises that regularly wear alternate jerseys. Find him on Twitter @AJKolodziej.