This Hump Day NBA-NHL parlay will make your week

It's the middle of the week and we've cooked up just the Hump Day parlay you need to get you through the rest of the week. I know, I know ... you're dying for the NFL divisional round to start on Saturday. But instead of anxiously waiting for Saturday to come, put some serious money on this NBA-NHL parlay.

The Pelicans are 3-4 so far in 2023 without Zion Williamson, and though the Miami Heat have had an up-and-down season, betting against the Pelicans is a must. But don't focus on the moneyline. Instead, focus on the alternate spread and take the Heat (+5.5) points. Jimmy Butler is healthy once again, and the Heat are dialed in defensively. 

Miami is second in the league in points allowed per game, and without Zion, the Pelicans haven't struggled so much on offense, but much more so on defense. New Orleans has allowed over 115 points a game since the New Year, and even though the Heat are last in the NBA in scoring, they've started to score more consistently with Butler back in the lineup.

Miami probably wins this game, simply because New Orleans will be without Zion, but just to be safe, take Miami and the 5.5 additional points via the alternate line. Excluding Monday's defeat to Atlanta, Miami hasn't lost a game by more than five points in nearly a month. Expect this game to be close, and ultimately, for the Heat to pull away late. 

As for the last leg of our parlay, take the over of five goals between Dallas and San Jose. The Sharks are the best team in the NHL against the over, and 19 of their last 20 games have featured five or more goals. That's hard to believe, but impressive nonetheless.

Meanwhile, Dallas ranks 10th in the league in scoring, and San Jose has allowed the fourth-most goals in the NHL. And don't forget when these two teams faced each other on New Year's Eve, the combined score was seven. Don't be surprised if the over of five goals hits midway through the third period, which is why taking the over of five combined goals between the Sharks and Stars is a must. 

The Parlay: Miami Heat (+5.5) vs. New Orleans Pelicans AND Dallas Stars/San Jose Sharks (over 5 goals) (-110 odds via BetMGM)

Bet $110 to win 100

In the news ...

Rodgers mulls future — Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has yet to decide whether or not he'll play in the NFL next season after discussing his future on Tuesday during an appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show." The future Hall of Famer said he doesn't want to be part of a rebuild and will take some time before making a decision on whether or not to retire. The Packers missed the playoffs for the first time since 2018 after finishing 8-9 this season. 

Titans expected to hire 49ers' Carthon as GM — The Tennessee Titans plan to name San Francisco 49ers' director of player personnel Ron Carthon as their next general manager, per ESPN's Dianna Russini and Jeff Darlington. Carthon has 15 years of front office experience, spending the past six years with San Francisco. The Titans missed the playoffs for the first time since 2019 after finishing 7-10 this season. 

Warriors visit White House to celebrate 2022 title — The Golden State Warriors visited the White House on Tuesday to celebrate their 2022 NBA title with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. The Warriors have won four NBA titles since 2015 and are currently 9.5/1 favorites to repeat as NBA champions this season. 

Today's Bark Bets is written by Jared Shlensky