Drake opened with a 101-48 win over Central College, a Division III school from Pella, Iowa, forcing 24 turnovers and recording 18 steals. Southern has turned the ball over 18 times at SMU and 22 at TCU, 20 a game, and lost those two road games by 13 and 52. Drake grabbed 22 offensive rebounds and scored 43 points off those turnovers, so the possessions Southern gives away turn into points at the other end. Drake has played one game, against a Division III school, and Southern’s two losses came against SMU and TCU. Drake wins.

Minnesota leads the NBA in point differential at plus 10.7 and allows 107.7 points a game, seventh-fewest, while Utah is 1-8 and 0-4 on the road, with the fifth-worst point differential in the league. The Jazz are without Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jusuf Nurkic, and Lauri Markkanen is questionable with a wrist sprain. Utah scores 106.9 a game, second-worst in the league, and allows 118.2. Anthony Edwards is out after knee surgery, and Minnesota is 4-2 without him, outscoring opponents by 6.5 a game in those six. A road team that scores 106.9 and has not won away from home does not beat a defense this good, and Minnesota takes it at home.

Boston is 7-2 with the third-best point differential in the NBA, plus 9.7. It allows 105.1 points a game, fourth-fewest. Milwaukee is 1-8 and allows 122.1, fourth-worst in the league and 17.0 more a game than Boston gives up. The Bucks have given up at least 109 in each of their last five games, including 121 to Toronto on Friday. Boston beat Milwaukee 109-102 on Wednesday and won 119-80 at Charlotte on Friday. The Wednesday game was decided by seven points and Boston’s offense is 14th in the NBA at 114.8 a game, but Milwaukee’s offense is 22nd at 109.7. That adds up to a Boston win.

Back Drake (-2400 moneyline), Minnesota (-525 moneyline) and Boston (-669 moneyline) in a three-team parlay at -235.