Cash That Ticket - Wednesday February 25th

Munaf Manji and Dave Essler talk betting for Wednesday. Munaf Manji returned with a solo edition of Catch That Ticket on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, keeping the focus strictly on the NBA while Uncle Dave enjoyed a day off on the golf course. The pod opened with momentum, as the duo improved to 4 and 0 on best bets for the week following a 2 and 0 sweep the previous night. Uncle Dave cashed Missouri plus 3.5 in an outright win over Tennessee, while Manji delivered with Paolo Banchero over on points, rebounds, and assists as Banchero poured in 36 points in Orlando’s 110 to 109 victory over the Lakers. Manji briefly addressed listener feedback, thanking supporters for positive reviews while emphasizing that the core mission remains consistent, beating the books and putting money in listeners’ pockets. Tuesday’s NBA recap highlighted Cleveland’s 109 to 94 win over the Knicks in a game that stayed under the total, Toronto’s home loss to Oklahoma City despite key Thunder absences, Boston’s 97 to 81 win over Phoenix without Jaylen Brown, and Orlando’s road victory in Los Angeles. Looking ahead to Wednesday’s slate, Manji broke down several back to back scenarios. Oklahoma City travels to Detroit after playing in Toronto, and the Thunder have struggled on the second leg of back to backs with a 1 and 8 record against the spread. Detroit, one of the league’s top defensive teams with a 108.3 season long defensive rating and strong recent form, is positioned as a measuring stick opponent. With both teams ranking in the top five defensively over the last 10 games and playing at below average pace, Manji leaned under 219.5 in that matchup, while also favoring the Pistons minus 7.5. In Toronto, the Spurs visit the Raptors, who are also on a back to back. San Antonio enters healthy and playing balanced basketball, benefiting from multiple contributors alongside Wemby. With Toronto trending under in these spots and covering just 40 percent on the second leg of back to backs, Manji backed Spurs minus 7.5 and also targeted a Raptors team total under 110.5. In Houston, the Rockets host the Kings as heavy 13.5 point favorites. Sacramento snapped a 16 game losing streak but continues to struggle defensively, ranking near the bottom of the league. Houston has shown offensive efficiency against weaker defenses, and despite playing at a slow pace, has capitalized in favorable matchups. Rather than lay the large spread, Manji preferred the Rockets team total over 118.5. The marquee matchup features Boston in Denver, with the Nuggets laying 3.5 and a total of 229.5. Boston has been strong on back to backs, going 6 and 3 against the number and 7 and 2 to the under. Both teams rank first and second in offensive rating season long, yet play at slow pace, with Boston dead last in pace and Denver below league average. Manji projected a half court game and favored the under 229.5 while also leaning Nuggets minus 3.5 in a bounce back spot. He also noted Boston’s resilience without Jayson Tatum, highlighting their depth and efficiency, and suggested the Celtics remain a team to monitor in futures markets. Manji closed by promoting discounted college basketball packages at pregame.com using promo code EAST25 and confirmed his best bet for the night as Rockets team total over 118.5, aiming to extend the podcast’s winning streak to five straight. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices