Best bets for Wednesday's NBA games
Best bets for Wednesday's NBA games
ESPN PLUS ($ MATERIAL)
Post-All-Star break action is in full swing in the NBA, and as teams on opposite ends of the spectrum battle for either playoff contention or lottery position, each night presents at least a few games with solid betting value. Staying ahead of the curve on how teams will perform in the second half of the season should allow for profitable betting conditions.
On Wednesday nights, typically the busiest night of the week, our NBA experts -- Andre Snellings, Jordan Schultz and Doug Kezirian -- give their best bets for the slate of games.
Lines displayed are from Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook as of Wednesday morning. As always, shop around for the best price.
Denver Nuggets (-5.5) at Los Angeles Lakers
Total: 231
Kezirian: This is a classic case of Occam's razor. The Lakers have been an absolute disaster the past couple of weeks, and I don't see any reason for optimism. Their playoff hopes have essentially vanished (BPI has them at 0.1 percent), and LeBron James doesn't appear fully recovered from his strained left groin injury. I realize oddsmakers are aware of all this and thus the point spread represents such information, but I feel there should be more of an adjustment.
Kyle Kuzma will likely miss the game with an ankle injury, and the Lakers appear headed toward an ugly stretch. Plus, Denver has lost three straight games and should not overlook this opponent as it pushes for the Western Conference's No. 1 seed.
Pick: Nuggets -6
Schultz: Nothing changes here: Just keep fading the reeling Lakers. Not only are they refusing to guard anyone, but this team is a total mess offensively (21st in efficiency). There is no fluidity, no movement and no cohesion, which is why the fighting Luke Waltons are a measly 3-8 since LeBron's return to the lineup.
Denver however, comes into town highly motivated, itself on a bit of a skid, with three straight losses after a five-game winning streak. The good news is that for just the third time since Oct. 20, the Nuggets will have their full starting lineup, including scoring machines Will Barton and Gary Harris. Plus, with the Lakers lacking an answer for Nikola Jokic, the league's fifth-ranked offense should feast at Staples Center.
Pick: Nuggets -6
Dallas Mavericks at Washington Wizards (-6.5)
Total: 234.5
Kezirian: I expect to see a great amount of professionalism and pride from the Mavericks. Dallas was just embarrassed by 39 points, and all postgame comments suggest a team that will respond properly. I also have great confidence in coach Rick Carlisle. The Wizards have been a pleasant surprise since losing John Wall to injury, but this is about situational analysis. Since I am expecting a strong effort to start, I would divide the unit size accordingly.
Pick: Mavericks +6.5 and +3 1H
Snellings: The Wizards have gone 2-3 with a -1.6 average scoring margin since the All-Star break ... which isn't great. But the Mavericks have been horrendous since the break, going 1-5 with a -15.8 scoring margin. Dallas has struggled on the road all season with a 6-25 record that is the second-worst in the NBA, and they've lost their last four road games by a combined 80 points.
Pick: Wizards -6.5
Utah Jazz (-4.5) at New Orleans Pelicans
Total: 230
Kezirian: The Pelicans have performed incredibly well despite constant uncertainty surrounding the playing status of Anthony Davis. New Orleans is 6-1 ATS in its past seven games and continues to demonstrate focus and effort. However, this particular spot lends itself to a time-tested handicapping mindset. New Orleans and Utah are playing the second game in a row against each other, commonly known as a "home and home." Over the past three seasons, the team that loses the first meeting (Utah) is 28-23-2 ATS in the rematch. I'll side with the team I perceive as better (who is also laying a reasonable number).
Pick: Jazz -4.5
Minnesota Timberwolves at Detroit Pistons (-5.5)
Total: 223.5
Snellings: I used to live just outside of Detroit and went to watch the Pistons play against the Timberwolves several times. One thing that always jumped out at me in this matchup is that Andre Drummond is generally a poor matchup for Karl-Anthony Towns -- he's just too physical. Towns has been on fire of late, but the last time he faced the Pistons he was held to 16 points on 40 percent shooting from the field.
The Timberwolves have gone 3-4 with a -1.7 scoring margin since the All-Star break, while the Pistons have gone 5-1 with a +9.8 point scoring margin. The Timberwolves are also on the second half of a back-to-back after a grueling win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night.
Pick: Pistons -5.5
ESPN PLUS ($ MATERIAL)
Post-All-Star break action is in full swing in the NBA, and as teams on opposite ends of the spectrum battle for either playoff contention or lottery position, each night presents at least a few games with solid betting value. Staying ahead of the curve on how teams will perform in the second half of the season should allow for profitable betting conditions.
On Wednesday nights, typically the busiest night of the week, our NBA experts -- Andre Snellings, Jordan Schultz and Doug Kezirian -- give their best bets for the slate of games.
Lines displayed are from Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook as of Wednesday morning. As always, shop around for the best price.
Denver Nuggets (-5.5) at Los Angeles Lakers
Total: 231
Kezirian: This is a classic case of Occam's razor. The Lakers have been an absolute disaster the past couple of weeks, and I don't see any reason for optimism. Their playoff hopes have essentially vanished (BPI has them at 0.1 percent), and LeBron James doesn't appear fully recovered from his strained left groin injury. I realize oddsmakers are aware of all this and thus the point spread represents such information, but I feel there should be more of an adjustment.
Kyle Kuzma will likely miss the game with an ankle injury, and the Lakers appear headed toward an ugly stretch. Plus, Denver has lost three straight games and should not overlook this opponent as it pushes for the Western Conference's No. 1 seed.
Pick: Nuggets -6
Schultz: Nothing changes here: Just keep fading the reeling Lakers. Not only are they refusing to guard anyone, but this team is a total mess offensively (21st in efficiency). There is no fluidity, no movement and no cohesion, which is why the fighting Luke Waltons are a measly 3-8 since LeBron's return to the lineup.
Denver however, comes into town highly motivated, itself on a bit of a skid, with three straight losses after a five-game winning streak. The good news is that for just the third time since Oct. 20, the Nuggets will have their full starting lineup, including scoring machines Will Barton and Gary Harris. Plus, with the Lakers lacking an answer for Nikola Jokic, the league's fifth-ranked offense should feast at Staples Center.
Pick: Nuggets -6
Dallas Mavericks at Washington Wizards (-6.5)
Total: 234.5
Kezirian: I expect to see a great amount of professionalism and pride from the Mavericks. Dallas was just embarrassed by 39 points, and all postgame comments suggest a team that will respond properly. I also have great confidence in coach Rick Carlisle. The Wizards have been a pleasant surprise since losing John Wall to injury, but this is about situational analysis. Since I am expecting a strong effort to start, I would divide the unit size accordingly.
Pick: Mavericks +6.5 and +3 1H
Snellings: The Wizards have gone 2-3 with a -1.6 average scoring margin since the All-Star break ... which isn't great. But the Mavericks have been horrendous since the break, going 1-5 with a -15.8 scoring margin. Dallas has struggled on the road all season with a 6-25 record that is the second-worst in the NBA, and they've lost their last four road games by a combined 80 points.
Pick: Wizards -6.5
Utah Jazz (-4.5) at New Orleans Pelicans
Total: 230
Kezirian: The Pelicans have performed incredibly well despite constant uncertainty surrounding the playing status of Anthony Davis. New Orleans is 6-1 ATS in its past seven games and continues to demonstrate focus and effort. However, this particular spot lends itself to a time-tested handicapping mindset. New Orleans and Utah are playing the second game in a row against each other, commonly known as a "home and home." Over the past three seasons, the team that loses the first meeting (Utah) is 28-23-2 ATS in the rematch. I'll side with the team I perceive as better (who is also laying a reasonable number).
Pick: Jazz -4.5
Minnesota Timberwolves at Detroit Pistons (-5.5)
Total: 223.5
Snellings: I used to live just outside of Detroit and went to watch the Pistons play against the Timberwolves several times. One thing that always jumped out at me in this matchup is that Andre Drummond is generally a poor matchup for Karl-Anthony Towns -- he's just too physical. Towns has been on fire of late, but the last time he faced the Pistons he was held to 16 points on 40 percent shooting from the field.
The Timberwolves have gone 3-4 with a -1.7 scoring margin since the All-Star break, while the Pistons have gone 5-1 with a +9.8 point scoring margin. The Timberwolves are also on the second half of a back-to-back after a grueling win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night.
Pick: Pistons -5.5