Tag Archives: NBA Betting

Mike Conley Injury: Grizzlies Could Struggle Without Star Point Guard

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The Memphis Grizzlies went back to their grinding ways to turn their 2016-17 NBA season around after a slow start. They now may have to lean on that style of play more than ever.

Conley Hurts Back

Per reports, the Grizzlies will be without star point guard Mike Conley for an “indefinite” amount of time, after the star guard suffered a vertebrae fracture in his back on Monday Night. Conley suffered a transverse process fracture to his vertebrae and will be held out of all basketball activities for at least the next six weeks:

This is a crushing blow for Memphis, who had just gotten on a roll with a 7-3 run in their last 10 games. That hot streak helped them crawl out of an sluggish 4-4 start to the year and had them within striking distance for the top of the Southwest Division at 11-7.

String of Injuries

Memphis hasn’t been able to catch a break for over a year now, as they had a strong start to the 2015-16 season marred by a rash of injuries and were already dealing with banged up bodies again even before the Mike Conley injury. Star center Marc Gasol is still being limited in some cases as he continues to work his way back from a foot issue, while free agent acquisition Chandler Parsons hasn’t been healthy since joining the team.

Veterans such as Tony Allen and Zach Randolph have also missed time due to injuries and personal reasons.

Needless to say, the nightmare season Memphis endured just a year ago has come flashing back and many are concerned that with such a big injury hitting Memphis this early in the year, it could mark the beginning of the end.

Backup Plan

It’s hard to dispute that logic, as Memphis is losing a massive impact player. Conley just got done signing a big 5-year, $153 million deal to stay with Memphis so the team could “finish what it started”, and was enjoying his best season yet as a scorer with over 19 points per game.

Losing Conley for any amount of time puts Memphis in a bad spot, but the silver lining may be that the Grizzlies get to make good use of 2016 NBA Draft pick, Wade Baldwin. The versatile combo guard showed well in preseason play and is a young talent the Grizzlies are high on. He could see ample minutes with Conley out, while Tony Allen, Andrew Harrison and possibly Chandler Parsons (once fully healthy) could also get more run until Conley returns.

Leaning on a rookie or anyone other than Conley is a downgrade, but on the bright side, this could be an opportunity for Baldwin and other players to develop.

Betting on Grizzlies

On the down side, Memphis could fall into a bad hole while Mike Conley is out.

The Grizzlies were heating up with Conley enjoying a career season, so much of the scoring load will shift to center Marc Gasol, among others. That may be too much to ask, especially since Conley covered so much area as a scorer for a team not exactly flush with them.

The other angle is Conley’s irreplaceable impact as a defender on the other end. Memphis’ ability to grind their way to wins goes hand in hand with Conley’s two-way abilities and without him, the Grizz are sure to take a defensive hit.

Naturally, the Grizzlies could struggle to adapt to life without Conley, and it could equate to a slew of losses. Six weeks puts Mike Conley out until mid-January, probably at the earliest, and by then the Grizzlies could potentially be in a hole too big to come out of.

As they stand, Memphis is third in their division and fifth in the Western Conference. However, the New Orleans Pelicans are getting healthy at just the right time and other teams just below them like the Lakers, Kings, Blazers and Nuggets could see this as a perfect opportunity to make a run at a playoff spot.

How things unfold is anyone’s guess. Memphis could find a way to hold up while Conley is out, or he could even return ahead of his six-week time table. Regardless, betting on the Grizzlies is going to become a risky proposition very quickly. We still think Memphis could be a fine bet at home against the right opponent, but against elite teams or games on the road may be situations to avoid.

We should learn over the next week or so just how bad off the Grizzlies will be. For now, bet against Memphis and track how they play with Conley sidelined.

NBA Betting: Lakers Could Be in Trouble With D’Angelo Russell Out For 2-3 Weeks

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The Los Angeles Lakers have been one of the pleasant surprises during the young 2016-17 NBA season, having staged several solid upsets and gotten off to a respectable 8-7 start. Unfortunately, that solid start could quickly be halted by some unfortunate news; star point guard D’Angelo Russell will miss the next 2-3 weeks with a knee injury:

Down Goes D-Lo

Russell had missed two of his last three games following a massive outing against Brooklyn Nets, where he poured in 32 points and hit seven three-pointers. D-Lo experienced soreness in his left knee shortly after, however, and was held out of two of his next three games and limited to just 23 minutes in an outing against the Chicago Bulls.

The Lakers have opted to take the cautionary route, and will reportedly hold their star point guard out for the next 2-3 weeks after undergoing platelet-rich plasma injections in his sore left knee.

Next Man Up

The D’Angelo Russell injury forces veteran point guard Jose Calderon into the starting lineup and could sap the Lakers badly on the offensive end. Calderon seeing any serious action is a negative for the Lakers, who already struggle immensely on defense and only get worse in that regard by losing Russell.

Calderon can still hold his own offensively, as evidenced by his 12 points in a surprise win on Tuesday night over the Oklahoma City Thunder.

It’s not Calderon that was be tasked with shouldering Russell’s departing scoring load, of course. That job goes to the Lakers’ bench, which has consistently been among the best in the entire league. Lou Williams and Jordan Clarkson have both fared well in bench roles and should see their minutes (and shots) only spike with D’Angelo Russell hitting the sidelines.

Fellow starters Luol Deng, Julius Randle, Nick Young and Timofey Mozgov could also be asked to play a little more than usual and also help offensively.

Rough Stretch

The D’Angelo Russell injury news comes at a bad time, as the 8-7 Lakers enter a back-to-back set against the Golden State Warriors, followed by contests with the Atlanta Hawks, New Orleans Pelicans and Chicago Bulls to close out November.

That alone is a troubling stretch, as the Warriors will be tough to even compete without one of their top scorers, while the Hawks have proven to be one of the better defensive squads in the NBA and both games versus the Pels and Bulls will be on the road.

It doesn’t get a whole lot easier come early December, either, with dates against the Toronto Raptors, Memphis Grizzlies, Utah Jazz and Houston Rockets all looming over the first seven days of December.

While the Lakers could still end up competing and possibly even get some wins during that stretch, that’s just two weeks of their schedule that looks awfully tough. Naturally, with one less scorer and distributor to lean on, they could be hard-pressed to maintain the current win/loss pace they’ve started the season with.

Betting on Lakers

If you’re thinking of betting on the Lakers this season, it’s obviously not for them to make an epic leap to NBA Finals contenders in one season. Their +6600 NBA Finals odds are kind of fun, but even with improved play, they aren’t profitable enough to truly consider.

That being said, the Lakers have proven to be a very deep, balanced and competitive bunch under rookie head coach Luke Walton. They play a fun brand of basketball and seem to be getting better by the game. They are still a shaky bet even when they’re 100%, however.

With D’Angelo Russell out during a very tough stretch of their schedule, betting against the Lakers is going to be the logical move. They could still be a dangerous team going forward, but until Russell gets back, we’d refrain on going hard at them too often.

NBA Picks: Rockets Over Thunder and 4 Upsets to Chase on Wednesday Night

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The NBA picks up the pace quite a bit on Wednesday night, as Big NBA Wednesday returns in full force with a crazy 11-game slate. We come in all smiles after a successful run on Tuesday’s slate saw us go a clean 5-0 with straight up NBA picks.

It’s going to be much more difficult to go perfect on such a busy slate, and it’s typically a good idea to corral your NBA betting on insane nights like this, too. Due to that, we’ll scale it back a bit tonight and focus only on four underdog NBA picks we really like. Let’s get to it:

Houston Rockets (+2.5) Over Oklahoma City Thunder (-2.5)

Anytime James Harden faces his former team, we need to pay attention. Harden absolutely lights these guys up, with almost 29 points per game averaged against them in his career. Last year specifically he put over over 33 points per game against OKC.

The Thunder sport the league’s 7th rated defense and obviously have a monster of their own in Russell Westbrook, but they’re only 4-3 on their home floor and they’re struggling badly (four straight losses) right now. On paper, Houston has been a little better and really pushes the envelope offensively. If Harden is on – and history suggests he will be – we love the Rockets as an upset pick.

Pick: Rockets 105, Thunder 102

Indiana Pacers (+3.5) Over Cleveland Cavaliers (-3.5)

This game is currently locked at most gambling sites like Bovada and others, as the odds will eventually be adjusted with the news that LeBron James will rest tonight:

That being said, Cleveland could still easily be viewed as the favorite with both Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love still expected to suit up. The Cavs will be on the second of a back to back set, but they’re 9-1 on the year and they surely won’t want to lose.

Not wanting to lose is one thing, but no LeBron James changes things, especially with this game going down in Indy, where the Pacers are an elite 5-1 this year. They’re just mediocre overall and their defense is atrocious, but a big game out of Paul George wouldn’t be shocking. Regardless of what the final spread looks like, we’ll roll with the Pacers for the upset.

Pick: Pacers 104, Cavaliers 101

Phoenix Suns (+4.5) Over Denver Nuggets (-4.5)

This might be the funnest NBA game of the night, as the early Total reports as 221 and both teams can move the needle offensively. Vegas must be picking the Nuggets because they’re at home, but they’re actually 0-3 on their own floor so far this year and as usual, stink at defense.

The Suns can’t defend either and are a putrid 1-5 on the road, but there are going to be a lot of points here and both of these teams aren’t very good. In what amounts to a toss-up, we’ll at least take the Suns to beat the spread in what should be a shootout.

Pick: Nuggets 106, Suns 104

Philadelphia 76ers (+7.5) Over Washington Wizards (-7.5)

Our favorite upset of the night is Philly beating the spread. I doubt they go out and full blown upset the Wizards, who are without Brad Beal but still have John Wall and everyone else. The Sixers are down Joel Embiid, too, so the real goal will be just keeping this one close.

I think they can do that against the Wizards, who are just as bad at 2-7 right now and are 0-4 on the road. Their defense is trash and they’ll be without Beal and with Wall are a  minutes limit.

None of that is great news for the Wiz, but it should only aid Philly, who will shoot for their second win on the year (as well as at home). I don’t see Philly winning but, this spread is generous enough to pick them ATS.

Pick: Wizards 102, 76ers 98

Cavaliers vs. Raptors and Tuesday’s NBA Picks

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The NBA picks back up on Tuesday night with a solid five-game slate, featuring the second meeting of the year between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors.

LeBron James and co. got the win in Canada earlier this year, which served as a friendly reminded that the Raptors may not be quite ready to take down the Cavs in a rematch of last season’s Eastern Conference Finals.

The game was close, however, and DeMar DeRozan comes in extremely hot, averaging a ridiculous 34 points per game. It will be more than interesting to see if he can keep that up at Quicken Loans Arena, where the Cavs have lost just one game in this young season.

Let’s break down the matchup between the Cavs and Raptors, as well as the other four games on tonight’s slate as we issue Tuesday’s NBA picks:

Toronto Raptors (+6.5) @ Cleveland Cavaliers (-6.5)

Game two of a four-game season series tips off in Cleveland tonight, where the Raptors will surely look to avenge a loss from earlier in the year. It’s tough to see them getting it tonight, of course, as Cleveland is at home and pretty well rested. They should even get J.R. Smith (ankle) back tonight, so the Cavs can figure to be at full strength at both ends.

Cleveland usually does a fantastic job of taking care of business at home, so don’t be shocked if they put the clamps down and hand DeRozan one of his worse games of the young season.

Pick: Cavs 108, Raptors 102

Atlanta Hawks (-7) @ Miami Heat (+7)

The Hawks come into tonight’s clash with the Heat riding a four-game winning streak and have quietly looked like a title contender in the early going. They’ve only had three road games, but they’re 2-1 in those games and even took it to the Cavs in one of their wins.

This just doesn’t look good overall for Miami, who probably won’t have Goran Dragic and have struggled badly during a five-game losing streak. Look for it to hit six games tonight.

Pick: Hawks 101, Heat 95

Charlotte Hornets (-1) @ Minnesota Timberwolves (+1)

The tightest game of the night belongs to the Hornets and Timberwolves, who will do battle in Minnesota tonight. Charlotte enters with a solid 6-3 record and is playing fantastic defense with Nicolas Batum and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist out on the wings, so it makes sense that the Wolves could struggle offensively – especially if Zach Lavine is out again tonight.

Minnesota is 2-2 on their home floor, but they aren’t stopping anyone (giving up 105 points per game) and might be a little too short-handed to really challenge the Hornets. The oddsmakers call this close, but we like the Hornets to win it fairly easily.

Pick: Hornets 103, Wolves 89

Chicago Bulls (+4) @ Portland Trail Blazers (-4)

The Bulls go to Portland tonight in search of win number seven. After a nice 3-0 start, Chicago has been a little inconsistent (3-4 over their last seven) as their lack of shooting has unsurprisingly popped up a few times. They could be a little under-manned in this one, as Rajon Rondo is iffy to play.

They might be better off without Rondo, who isn’t shooting well or defending on a high level. His presence could be bad news against a red hot Damian Lillard, who is coming off of two straight huge performances and tends to play his best ball at home. The Blazers are the mild favorites, but we like Chicago’s slight defensive edge.

Pick: Bulls 106, Blazers 103

Brooklyn Nets (+7) @ Los Angeles Lakers (-7)

The Nets and Lakers both have a very good shot at a win tonight, but logic suggests L.A. has the clear edge. The Lakers are surprisingly decent in this young season, as Luke Walton has them off to a 6-5 start and they’re specifically keeping things together at the Staples Center (3-1).

Backing the Lakers by a gaudy seven points isn’t realistic, but the Nets don’t defend, are down Jeremy Lin and stink on the road (1-4). Los Angeles is the easy pick, but expect a ton of points and the Nets to keep it fairly close after getting housed by the Clippers here last night.

Pick: Lakers 108, Nets 104

NBA Picks: Can Anthony Davis and Pelicans Finally Win a Game?

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The New Orleans Pelicans are in bad company to get the 2016-17 NBA season going: they’re one of two winless teams in the league.

No one thought Anthony Davis and co. would be title threats suddenly after a bad 2015-16 run, especially with Jrue Holiday away from the team (personal) and Tyreke Evans (leg) still on the mend. But few probably thought they’d be here, either, staring at an ugly 0-8 start – one that is actually worse than the Philadelphia 76ers.

New Orleans hasn’t had it easy, to be sure. Not only are Holiday and Evans not around to help out The Brow, but the team let Eric Gordon and Ryan Anderson walk this summer in free agency.

Suffice to say, it’s not all that surprising the Pelicans have struggled to find wins.

Of course, one would think they would have at least one by now, seeing as Anthony Davis is having a career year, averaging over 30 points and 11 rebounds per game.

Will those numbers finally help the Pellies get a win on Thursday night? Read on in Thursday night’s NBA picks to find out:

Chicago Bulls (+2) @ Miami Heat (-2)

Dwyane Wade should get ready for the tears on Thursday night, as he prepares to return to South Beach for the first time since leaving behind the Heat for his hometown Chicago Bulls. Chicago lost in Atlanta last night and could be a tough underdog bet to have much faith in with this road game coming on the second game of a back to back set, but it’s going to be awfully difficult to eliminate the Wade revenge factor.

The other issue is Miami is slumping, having lost two straight (just 2-4 on the year). They haven’t even been great at home (1-2) and tonight may be too much for them to handle with Wade returning in an emotional environment. The Bulls (4-4) have collapsed after a 1-3 start and could be tired, but this is basically a pick’em and they do look to be the better team on paper.

Ultimately, we can’t deny Wade in his return to Miami.

Pick: Bulls 101, Heat 99

New Orleans Pelicans (+5) @ Milwaukee Bucks (-5)

The big question arrives at the Bradley Center tonight; can the Pelicans win a freaking game, already? This would certainly be a good spot to imagine that happening, as betting sites like Bovada are giving the Pellies a decent spread here and they did give the Bucks (4-3) a run for their money in a wild 117-113 loss earlier this year.

The reality is neither of these teams are very good, as they both can’t defend and the Bucks don’t have a single player who can slow down The Brow. We’re surely headed for another back and forth game with a good amount of points, but the Pellies are the easy play here as they desperately hunt that first victory.

New Orleans should at least beat the spread tonight, but we’re also targeting them for a big road win.

Pick: Pelicans 108, Bucks 105

Golden State Warriors (n/a) @ Denver Nuggets (n/a)

The Dubs enter Denver tonight on the second game of a back to back set without any betting info available, largely due to Stephen Curry (ankle) being somewhat questionable for this one. Curry said he’s fine and that he’ll play, for what it’s worth.

Still, the Dubs should probably rest some of their guys in a road game they’d have a decent chance of winning, no matter who they sat. Denver isn’t terrible, of course, as they can certainly put up points and have looked solid during their 3-4 start. This is just their second game at home, too, which arguably makes their competitive start all the more impressive.

With or without Curry, however, the Warriors are the obvious favorite. Look for them to win and unless the spread is something crazy like +15, they’ll likely cover, as well.

Pick: Warriors 110, Nuggets 104

Los Angeles Lakers (+5.5) @ Sacramento Kings (-5.5)

This is the third game of the night that might be tough to call, as both the Lakers and Kings look better than they did a year ago. Los Angeles is a decent 4-4 after eight games and are putting up over 108 points per game. That could be troubling for the Kings, who are just 4-5 and have not displayed elite defense this year.

Of course, Los Angeles has not been nearly as good away from home this year (1-3) and their lack of defense (allowing 108 points per game) tends to put them in a tough spot. That likely will be the case tonight, with the Kings looking for their third win in a row in an effort to get back to .500. We could get a fairly tight game, but a big game from DeMarcus Cousins is safe to expect in a Sacramento win.

Pick: Kings 106, Lakers 102

4 NBA Upset Picks For Friday Night’s Games

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The NBA gives us a full, meaty slate again on Friday night, with a jam-packed 9-game schedule coming our way. It’s a star-studded affair, too, with the likes of John Wall, Stephen Curry, Anthony Davis, Blake Griffin and so many others gracing the hardwood in some big games tonight.

We could hand out our regular NBA picks for this slate, but with so many games, this feels like a good spot to concentrate more on the upset specials that could be worth betting on. Here are our favorite underdog NBA picks for Friday night:

Memphis Grizzlies (+6) Over Los Angeles Clippers (-6)

The Clippers have honestly looked fantastic for much of the young NBA season, but they finally slipped up the other night in a loss to the Thunder. Losing to Memphis tonight certainly isn’t in their plans, but Memphis has rebounded from a slow start and can be tough at home.

If we’re betting straight up, the Clippers are still our pick, but Memphis isn’t even 100% healthy and will want to fight a rival tooth and nail in this one. Tony Allen is also back, so hitting outside shots could get a little more difficult for the Clips tonight. Brace for a slower-paced game and Memphis beating the spread.

Pick: Clippers 98, Grizz 95

Brooklyn Nets (+7) Over Charlotte Hornets (-7)

The Brooklyn Nets have been an odd team, as a few times now they’ve been on fire from outside and in just about every game they’ve really struggled on the defensive end. With Jeremy Lin sidelined with an injury, we can expect the latter to continue and the former to possibly be put on hold.

That being said, the Nets are at home and Charlotte can be a very hot and cold team. If Brooklyn doesn’t rest Brook Lopez, he could have a big game and the Nets could keep it close at the Barclays Center.

Pick: Hornets 104, Nets 101

Miami Heat (+7) Over Toronto Raptors (-7)

Miami is our first straight up upset pick of this grouping, as Goran Dragic and Hassan Whiteside headline a fairly underrated team that can dictate the pace of games. Toronto can, too, but the only guy really firing on all cylinders for them at the moment is DeMar DeRozan. With Justise Winslow potentially locking him down defensively, this could be a great spot for Miami to stage a nice road upset.

Pick: Heat 97, Raptors 96

New York Knicks (+8) Over Chicago Bulls (-8)

It’s the Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah revenge game we’ve all been waiting for. It’s easy to see the allure of this matchup, as Chicago’s prodigal son returns home and after a “meh” start to the year, could be ready for his first true breakout game.

Even if Rose doesn’t blast off in his first trip back to the United Center, perhaps Chicago finally goes completely cold from the floor. They’ve gotten by on jumpers thus far, but still will need to prove the oddsmakers wrong for a while before we fully buy into them as a high end playoff contender.

Look for Rose to get his revenge and the Knicks to get the upset road win.

Pick: Knicks 101, Bulls 99

That does it for our Friday night NBA upset picks. We’ve got two teams beating the spread and two flat out pulling off upsets. Bet at your own risk, but regardless the path you take, we wish you luck in your NBA betting endeavors tonight.

NBA Picks For Tuesday Night’s Games

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The NBA has been quiet the past few nights, but it storms back in full force on Tuesday, with a strong nine-game slate to play with. NBA betting fans will come out for tonight’s action, as James Harden and LeBron James get things started at 6 pm ET.

The stars are out to play on this slate, as Harden vs. James is just the beginning to a jam-packed night that includes studs like DeMarcus Cousins, Anthony Davis and the Golden State Warriors. Let’s take a look at each matchup and see which way you’ll want to be leaning in our Tuesday night NBA picks:

Houston Rockets (+9.5) @ Cleveland Cavaliers (-9.5)

James Harden and LeBron James usually make for good television when they face each other, and that’s what we’re mostly expecting when the two start tonight’s action off at Quicken Loans Arena tonight. Houston’s offense could make this an exciting matchup, but the Cavs are brutal at home and their schedule has allowed them to come in pretty well rested.

I could possibly see an offensive explosion here, but Cleveland dictates the pace well and plays good defense. Even if it gets out of control, the Cavs still have the offensive fire power to withstand the Rockets. That being said, I think Houston still shows up for this one and give the Cavs a mild fight. It won’t be close, but this is a weird spread given the talent, so Houston barely beating it makes sense here.

Pick: Cavs 109, Rockets 100

Los Angeles Lakers (+9.5) @ Indiana Pacers (-9.5)

This is another rough game when you look at the spread, as the young Lakers still aren’t very good despite a 1-0 start. Indiana is also at home, where they’ve historically been quite good, while Paul George and co. will also want to bounce back from an ugly loss to the Chicago Bulls. Look for that to happen in a big win for the Pacers.

Pick: Pacers 106, Lakers 90

Orlando Magic (-5) @ Philadelphia 76ers (+5)

Someone wins tonight, as the Magic and Sixers are both winless and face off tonight in Philly. This is a very tough game to call, seeing as Joel Embiid is set to get up to 24 minutes tonight and Orlando is truly awful on the road. That being said, Embiid may not be on hand when it counts in this one and Orlando still appears to be the better team on paper.

We expect a close game here, so while we’ll take Orlando to win, we wouldn’t be shocked if this one goes to OT and stays very close. Philly should beat the spread.

Pick: Magic 105, Sixers 102

New York Knicks (+4.5) @ Detroit Pistons (-4.5)

Carmelo Anthony and co. visit Detroit tonight to try to become the first team to beat the Pistons at their home base this year. The Knicks have actually been pretty competitive through two games, but they still haven’t come together all the way and the Pistons feel like the deeper, more well-rounded team. Look for the Pistons to hold down the fort and cover at home.

Pick: Pistons 97, Knicks 92

Sacramento Kings (+4) @ Miami Heat (-4)

The Kings have to be super tired coming into tonight, as they played last night and have played four games in the last eight days. I doubt we need a whole lot more analysis for that, as Miami is fresher, at home and plenty talented in a matchup that should favor them.

Pick: Heat 107, Kings 101

Memphis Grizzlies (+3.5) @ Minnesota Timberwolves (-3.5)

Memphis heads to Minnesota tonight, where they’re oddly the underdogs against a young Timberwolves team that hasn’t won yet this year. News also broke that Ricky Rubio will be out tonight (and for a while), so you have Mike Conley going up against rookie point guard, Kris Dunn.

The advantage lies with the Grizz, especially with them currently listed as the underdog. I’ll chase that all day and at worst play them to beat the spread.

Pick: Grizz 102, Timberwolves 98

Milwaukee Bucks (+3.5) @ New Orleans Pelicans (-3.5)

Anthony Davis hosts the Bucks tonight, in a game where he should devour their souls. Milwaukee tends to struggle on the road and they’re not good this year defensively (or offensively). It’s basically going to be The Brow versus Giannis Antetokoumpo and while that could be fun, this might be the perfect spot for the Pellies to earn their first win of the year.

Pick: Pelicans 105, Bucks 101

Utah Jazz (+10.5) @ San Antonio Spurs (-10.5)

Utah comes into San Antonio still without Gordon Hayward or Alec Burks, and as we all know, being short-handed against the Spurs works out great. Derrick Favors has also been limited (knee), so as decent as Utah should eventually be, they aren’t currently in good enough shape to hand the Spurs their first loss of the new season.

Pick: Spurs 104, Jazz 88

Golden State Warriors (-5.5) @ Portland Trail Blazers (+5.5)

This is the game of the night when it comes to targeting the Over, but given how shaky the Dubs have been so far, it’s a fair bet that could go either way if you’re picking the actual winner. Portland has looked pretty good this year, with their lone loss coming against a very good Clippers team.

I don’t expect Portland to rise up and get the win here, but they should stick with the Dubs and have a good shot at beating the spread.

Pick: Warriors 111, Blazers 107

Clippers Stay Perfect and Monday’s NBA Predictions

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The NBA slows down a bit on Monday night, as we try to pick up the pieces of a crazy weekend. If we haven’t all learned from past year’s by now, weekend basketball is about as unpredictable as it gets. Naturally, we’ll hopefully all have a better handle on tonight’s four-game slate.

That being said, it feels like a pretty wide open slate, as all four games are likely to have an obvious outcome. We see one potential upset looming, however, so let’s take a look at all four Monday night NBA matchups and see which way you’ll want to be leaning with your NBA bets:

Chicago Bulls (-6) @ Brooklyn Nets (+6)

You have to admired the Brooklyn Nets, who have been in all three games so far this year despite casting a band of misfits as their key players. Jeremy Lin, Trevor Booker and Bojan Bogdanovic have looked good together, though, while big man Brook Lopez returns tonight after sitting out Brooklyn’s last game due to rest.

It’s very likely the wheels come off eventually for the Nets, but we need to appreciate the fact that this team is well-coached, plays hard and last year enjoyed most of their success at home at the Barclays Center. This could also be a great spot for the undefeated Bulls to unravel a bit. Dwyane Wade and co. have looked great through two games, but their severe lack of shooting could come back to haunt them.

All of that could be true tonight, but if there is a reason to buy into the new-look Bulls for one more night, it’s probably a showdown with the beatable Nets. That being said, Brooklyn has fought hard so far this year, so don’t be shocked to see them beat the spread tonight.

Pick: Bulls 105, Nets 102

Denver Nuggets (+7) @ Toronto Raptors (-7)

Denver is going to be a very big problem for teams that don’t play defense, as they’ve shown their ability through two games (110 points per game on offense). Unfortunately, I’m not buying them as a winner on the road just yet and I’d be much more concerned with their leaky defense (giving up 108 points per game).

It’s tough to win in Toronto as it is, but when you can’t defend and you’re on the road, troubles arise. The Raptors nearly pulled off an upset win over the defending champion Cavs the other day and you better believe they’ll want to turn right around and protect their home base. If not, they’d be sliding into a 1-2 hole.

Pick: Raptors 107, Nuggets 96

Sacramento Kings (+7) @ Atlanta Hawks (-7)

This might be my favorite upset pick on tonight’s NBA slate, as the Kings seem like a really tough out (2-1) in the early going here, with an improved defense (allowing 99.7 points per game) potentially being the driving force to a better season. Atlanta at home is never easy, but the Hawks have coasted to two easy wins so far this year.

One huge reason why the Hawks have been so tough is their elite defense (allowing just 85 points per game), but two games is a small sample size and this could be a big opportunity for David Joerger’s Kings to prove they’re not the same old mediocre crew we’re used to. I think Sacramento at least beating the spread is in play here, but I like the Kings to stage a nice road upset behind a huge game from DeMarcus Cousins.

Pick: Kings 98, Hawks 96

Phoenix Suns (+10.5) @ Los Angeles Clippers (-10.5)

Both of these teams are entering the second game of a back to back set, but the Suns are on the road and L.A. stays at home after playing earlier in the day on Sunday. Advantage goes to Clippers all around, but a closer look reveals their starters didn’t need to grind themselves into the ground yesterday, so Los Angeles should be much fresher.

Normally I’d give the Suns a chance to beat the spread here, but the Clippers usually are very good at home and they’ll be better rested. Phoenix has the ability to put up points, but they’re giving up over 110 on the other side per game and have a tall order on the road against a superior team. This might be the easiest call of the night.

Pick: Clippers 108, Suns 97

NBA Picks: Previewing and Picking Friday Night’s Games

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After a quiet Thursday night in the pro basketball realm, things pick back up considerably on Friday, with eight NBA games donning the schedule. We made out okay with our NBA picks from last night, going a solid 3-1 in what was a pretty easy slate, if we’re being honest.

Things get a little trickier tonight, however, so let’s take a look at each matchup in Friday night’s NBA picks:

Cleveland Cavaliers (-3.5) @ Toronto Raptors (+3.5)

LeBron James and the Cavs head up to Canada on Friday night, where the Raptors await for a rematch of last year’s Eastern Conference Finals. Toronto does provide a tough test on paper, as they defend well and slow the pace of games, plus this game is on the road. Cleveland looked fantastic in their home debut earlier in the week, however, and don’t feel like a team about to drop to 1-1. Toronto should keep it close, but the Cavs should pull away and cover in the end.

Pick: Cavs 101, Raptors 97

Indiana Pacers (-6.5) @ Brooklyn Nets (+6.5)

The Brooklyn Nets host the Indiana Pacers at the Barclays Center tonight, as the Pacers aim for a 2-0 start and the Nets try to avoid an 0-2 hole. This one should be an easy call, as the Nets simply do not have that much talent and the Pacers added solid veterans in Jeff Teague and Thaddeus Young this past summer.

In fact, Young’s return to Brooklyn after being traded away is a huge narrative tonight, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see him enjoy a nice game in a Pacers win. Indy could play around with the Nets early on, but they’re the far better team. Look for them to cover in this one and get to 2-0.

Pick: Pacers 106, Nets 98

Orlando Magic (+3.5) @ Detroit Pistons (-3.5)

Orlando was the same old team despite a new-look squad earlier this week, but they’ll try to turn things around in Detroit tonight against the Pistons. Both teams are 0-1 to start the year, but the clear advantage lies with the Pistons, who were fairy strong at home last year and look to be the superior club.

Orlando was atrocious on the road a year ago, so it will be very interesting to see how the Magic perform with their new additions away from home this season. Early on, the odds are likely they’ll struggle. Look for a big game out of Andre Drummond as the Pistons protect home base and get to 1-1.

Pick: Pistons 108, Magic 101

Charlotte Hornets (-1.5) @ Miami Heat (+1.5)

The Hornets and Heat gave us an epic playoff battle last year and during the regular season posted the exact same record. In the span of one summer, however, the Hornets got a little bit better and Miami regressed sharply. Dwyane Wade, Joe Johnson, Luol Deng and Chris Bosh aren’t in South Beach anymore and their absence puts a lot of pressure on a young Miami squad to improve a good amount rather quickly.

Miami might still be competitive behind Goran Dragic and Hassan Whiteside this year, but they aren’t the better team in this matchup. Look for the Hornets to prove that in a tight win.

Pick: Hornets 102, Heat 99

Phoenix Suns (+9.5) @ Oklahoma City Thunder (-9.5)

The Phoenix Suns certainly have talent and could matchup with the Thunder well when it comes to style, but they were terrible on the road a year ago and don’t promise to be competitive in this one. All eyes will continue to be on Russell Westbrook, who was a monster in OKC’s opening win over the Sixers.

We can expect more dominance out of Westbrook as he continues to get this OKC squad to play together. That being said, the Suns can still produce points and OKC let the Sixers of all teams hang around. Don’t be shocked if the Suns stick around and give the Thunder a go late.

Pick: Thunder 109, Suns 106

Houston Rockets @ Dallas Mavericks (pick’em)

This is probably the most difficult game to gauge, as both of these teams can fill it up offensively, but tend to leave a lot to be desired on the other end. James Harden dazzled in his debut as Houston’s main point guard, but all of his offensive glory couldn’t save the Rockets from an 0-1 start by the hands of…the Lakers.

If Houston is going to do anything of merit this year, they need to get something going early. Dallas feels like a team more in transition, as they have some nice young pieces but still don’t see to know where everything goes. Dallas does tend to play well at home and they do have quality talent, but something tells me Harden will be the difference in an explosive shootout.

Pick: Rockets 112, Mavs 110

Golden State Warriors (-11) @ New Orleans Pelicans (+11)

While the Rockets vs. Mavs game might be the toughest to predict, this has to be the easiest. Stephen Curry and co. can not be too pleased about losing at home to start the year, while the Pelicans clearly have nothing beyond Anthony Davis. The Brow went completely nuts two nights ago (50 points!), yet his team still lost to a mediocre Denver Nuggets team.

That’s not a good omen for the Pelicans, who shed some key players this summer and are still missing Jrue Holiday and Tyreke Evans. The Dubs should get it together for this one and it shouldn’t be close.

Pick: Warriors 114, Pelicans 97

NBA Picks: Predicting Thursday’s NBA Games

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We are already two days deep into the 2016-17 NBA season and we’ve learned a lot. For one, the Golden State Warriors aren’t invincible. They already got trounced – at home, mind you – by the San Antonio Spurs. James Harden and Anthony Davis are also going to be in the league MVP discussion, even though they both are 0-1 and aren’t locks to make the playoffs.

That’s just the top of the iceberg. There were a ton of awesome performances across the first 13 NBA games of the year and on Thursday night the story gets a little bit richer with four more contests. Let’s break all four games down and see which way we’ll want to be leaning via NBA betting in tonight’s NBA picks, per Bovada:

Washington Wizards (+3.5) @ Atlanta Hawks (-3.5)

The Wiz and Hawks start us off with the first contest of the night in a nice Eastern Conference rivalry that was very back and forth last year (2-2), but the Hawks dominated two years ago (3-1). What is even more interesting is the changes to these two teams, as the Wiz brought in new head coach Scott Brooks and also have big man Markieff Morris for a full season, while the Hawks handed Dennis Schroder a starting gig and signed center Dwight Howard.

Do the Hawks improve/regress? Are the Wizards a viable playoff threat under Brooks’ guidance? It sure is tough to say, but we’ll probably find out quite a bit tonight.

Atlanta plays host tonight, which alone gives them a mild bump in what could be a pretty tight game. Historically, Atlanta is the deeper team and plays better defense, plus Dwight Howard looks pretty determined this year. Only time will tell if that means anything for him and the Hawks, but I can see him eating Marcin Gortat’s lunch in this one. I don’t think Dennis Schroder can stop John Wall, but with Dwight in the paint, Wall may have to rely on his jumper a bit more. That’s not usually a good thing. I like a close game, but the Hawks should hold serve at home.

Pick: Hawks 99, Wiz 96

Boston Celtics (-1) @ Chicago Bulls (+1)

This is a very interesting game, as we should learn right away if the new-look Bulls are a team to be feared in the ever more competitive Eastern Conference. On the flip side, Boston looked fantastic last night in a win, and though likely tired, they’ll shoot for a fast 2-0 start. Doing so on the road at the United Center isn’t ideal, but they come in with the slightest of edges in what betting sites like Bovada are clearly tossing out as a pick’em contest.

Though tired, Boston looks like the better team going into the new year and they’ve taken the Bulls out lately (2-1 in last three meetings). It’s possible the additions of Rajon Rondo, Dwyane Wade and Robin Lopez jolt Chicago, but this team still suffers from a severe lack of shooting. That could be bad news against a Celtics team that typically plays pretty solid defense.

The simply reality here is the Celtics are favored to finish #2 in the East this year, while no one even knows if Chicago is a playoff team. We need to side on logic here and bank on the Celtics taking care of business while the Bulls try to find themselves in the early going.

Pick: Celtics 102, Bulls 99

Los Angeles Clippers (-2) @ Portland Trail Blazers (+2)

Lob City travels to Rip City for a rematch of a first round playoff series of a year ago. The Clippers were looking like winners in that series until they got ravaged by injuries and you best believe they’re going to want to dish out some payback on the Blazers en route to a 1-0 start. The Warriors are 0-1 inside their division, too, so there’s no time like the present to get a leg up on the supposed best team in pro basketball.

This is simply a matchup that favors Los Angeles in general, as Blake Griffin should feast on Portland’s weak interior defense and Damian Lillard isn’t necessarily as likely to erupt with the disruptive Chris Paul in his grill. That being said, Portland provides potent offense – especially on their home floor.

The Clippers are going to have their work cut out for them, and they’re not usually as in sync on the road, but in their 2016-17 debut, I think they get the job done.

Pick: Clippers 109, Blazers 106

San Antonio Spurs (-8.5) @ Sacramento Kings (+8.5)

The Spurs enter tonight with a cushy spread and it’s tough to imagine them coming up short. They had a day off after demolishing the Warriors at Oracle Arena and the Kings aren’t half the team Golden State is. DeMarcus Cousins and co. can certainly put up points and the Kings did win last night, but this team being any kind of tired on the second game of a back to back set should be bad news.

San Antonio has the coaching, talent, depth and style edge here. The only two things you can use to pull for the Kings are home court advantage and the desire to play up to San Antonio’s level. Kawhi Leonard should thrive against a bad Kings’ defense and also take Rudy Gay out of this one, which leaves just Boogie and not much else for Sacramento. This probably won’t be much of a game after the second half. Look for the Spurs to topple the Kings, cover and get to 2-0.

Pick: Spurs 114, Kings 102