Free NBA Picks Wednesday 8/5/2020 and Opening Line Report

by Jason Radowitz - 8/4/2020

The NBA will feature six more games on their slate for Wednesday. Games begin at 2:30 p.m. EST, and we’ll get a couple exciting matchups, including Chris Paul going up against LeBron James. The Thunder have been one of the NBA’s hottest teams this season. The young squad, led by Paul, will take on the potential champions in the Lakers, who are led by LeBron James. There’s a reason this game is on at 6:30 EST on ESPN. Here are the leans for all six games in the NBA.

Grizzlies vs. Jazz 8/5/20 (-4.5, 225 )

The Grizzlies and the Jazz look like bottom tier teams to begin the NBA restart. Ja Morant struggled from the field for the Grizzlies in their last game against the Pelicans, but that didn’t stop him from taking 21 shots. He made only five and went 0-10 from downtown. The Grizzlies have now lost three straight in the restart, but the first two were either in overtime or by a basket. The Jazz won their first game against the Pelicans but have since dropped two straight to the Thunder and the Lakers while giving up an average of 113 points. The Jazz should defend well enough to get this win, but it’s hard to back either of these teams right now.

Key trends: Grizzlies are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games overall.

Early lean: Jazz, Under

76ers vs Wizards 8/5/20 (+10.5, 223 )

The 76ers are exactly what we thought they’d be. Kind of good but not really good. The 76ers dropped their first game in the bubble but eventually won the second game against the Spurs, 132-130. What happened to the defense for the 76ers? The Wizards are one of the more fast paced teams in the league. And even without Beal, they’re watching the over in these games soar. The Wizards have lost all three games to start the restart. The 76ers should be fine, but any arguments on the court could derail that.

Key trends: Wizards are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.

Early lean: 76ers, Over

Nuggets vs Spurs 8/5/20 (TBD, TBD)

The Nuggets have been without their point guard in Jamal Murray. They’ve also played without Will Barton and Gary Harris. That’s three starters out of the lineup for the Nuggets. All three are day-to-day and could play in this contest. The Nuggets defeated the Thunder, 121-113, in overtime after a stunning 20-point loss to the Heat to start their second season. The Spurs have been poor defensively but are scoring at a high rate in the bubble. The Nuggets have one of the better defenses in the league and should be able to shut down the Spurs enough to get this win.

Key trends: Under is 3-1-1 in Nuggets last 5 games following a straight up win.

Early lean: Nuggets, Under

Thunder vs Lakers 8/5/20 (TBD,TBD )

The Thunder have exceeded expectations all season long, but they’ll be without sixth man Dennis Schroder as he witnesses the birth of his son. The Lakers are coming off a win against the Utah Jazz but lost to the Raptors two days before by 15. The Lakers will be up and down throughout the season as they prepare to make a run for the championship. The reality is, the Thunder might be too quick for the Lakers. In that Toronto game, the Lakers just seemed lazy and lackadaisical. The Thunder, led by Paul, have plenty of young talent that have brought plenty of energy to this team. There might be an upset brewing. I’ll look at the Thunder on the spread, though.

Key trends: Lakers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 Wednesday games.

Early lean: Thunder, Under

Raptors vs Magic 8/5/20 (+5, 224.5)

The Raptors have come into the bubble on a mission, defeating the Lakers and the Heat in their first two games of the season. Now they’ll take on the red-hot Orlando Magic who have won two straight as well but will ultimately play a back-to-back game as they’ll play the Pacers before this one. With that said, the Raptors will have an extra day to prepare for this one. They’ve won six straight dating back to March. The streak continues against the Magic.

Key trends: Raptors are 40-17 ATS in their last 57 games playing on 1 days rest.

Early lean: Raptors, Over

Nets @ Celtics 8/5/20 (TBD, TBD)

The Nets and the Celtics will play the second game of a back-to-back in this one. The Celtics will come off a hard fought game against the Heat, while the Nets will have ultimately waved the white flag in their day-game against the Milwaukee Bucks. The Nets are going to be sitting a bunch of players against the Bucks. It’s unclear whether all of those players will return to action for this one. The Nets are playing without many of their rotation players due to injuries and COVID-related circumstances. I’m not sure how the Nets have a shot in this one if Jayson Tatum is back to his old form.

Key trends: Celtics are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games playing on 0 days rest.

Early lean: Celtics, Over

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Free NBA Picks Wednesday 8/5/2020 and Opening Line Report

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