NBA Handicapping Articles

NBA Handicapping: are Surging Boston Celtics for Real?
by Trevor Whenham - 2/11/2016

The Boston Celtics can't be called a real surprise this year, but they have unquestionably taken another big step forward after last year. They have won 10 of their last 12 games, and that has taken them from just over .500 to the top half of the Eastern Conference. Last year they were just lucky to make the playoffs and they knew it. This year they will likely be favored in their opening playoff series, and they have to be considered as one of the few teams that can be considered even a potential threat to the presumed winners of the East, the Cavaliers.

NBA All-Star Weekend Special Prop Odds and Betting Picks
by Dave Schwab - 2/10/2016

The only NBA betting action on the board this weekend is centered on this Sunday's All-Star Game in Toronto as The Association goes on its annual break from Friday right through next Wednesday. If you are looking to cash in on a few special player props leading up to Sunday's main event, Bovada has released its betting odds for the top two player competitions: the NBA Three-Point Contest and the Slam Dunk Contest.

NBA Odds: Thursday, February 11 2016 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 2/10/2016

Some bad injury news for two Western Conference teams on Tuesday that could shake up the playoff race in the West and affect the trade market. First up, Memphis learned that its best player, center Marc Gasol, suffered a broken foot on Monday night. No one on the team thought it was anything serious at the time. After the game, Grizzlies coach Dave Joerger simply said Gasol was "just dinged up." But tests on Tuesday revealed the break.

NBA Odds: Wednesday, February 10 2016 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 2/9/2016

I'm not a huge fan of either Kobe Bryant or LeBron James, but I obviously respect their greatness. And it's a shame that arguably the two best players of this generation never got to play against one another for an NBA championship. Of course they have played together for Team USA in the Olympics, winning gold in 2008. But their best chance for a Finals matchup probably was in 2009. Those Cavaliers led the NBA with 66 regular-season wins and the Lakers were second with 65. But the Cavs were knocked off by Orlando in the conference finals.

NBA Odds: Tuesday, February 9 2016 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 2/8/2016

Need a point guard or power forward/center? The Milwaukee Bucks apparently are open for business and are happy to take offers on guard Michael Carter-Williams, whom the team acquired last year at the trade deadline from Philadelphia, and big man Greg Monroe, whom the team just got in free agency this summer.

New York Knicks NBA Handicapping: Betting Impact of Fisher Firing
by Trevor Whenham - 2/8/2016

In a move that hardly qualifies as shocking, the New York Knicks have decided that Derek Fisher no longer deserves to coach their team. He has been fired before the all-star break in his second season. What is shocking, though, is that the Knicks ever thought that hiring Fisher was a good idea in the first place - and that he managed to last as long as he did.

NBA Odds: Saturday, February 6 2016 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 2/5/2016

Many around the NBA think that the team with the best chance to beat the Golden State Warriors in this year's playoffs is not the San Antonio Spurs but the Oklahoma City Thunder. That's because obviously OKC has two of the best players/scorers in the NBA in Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook and they are capable of matching Steph Curry point-for-point.

NBA Betting Trends: Totals Report for Hot Over and Under Teams
by Aaron Smith - 2/5/2016

One week until the NBA All-Star Break. The Golden State Warriors are back on pace to best the Chicago Bulls record of 72-10. As someone who has been high on Golden State for a long time, this Golden State team is surpassing even my highest expectations. Oklahoma City has quietly won 12 of their last 13 games. The Thunder still have two superstars on their roster and they won't be an easy out in the playoffs. Even with the Warriors looking totally dominant, I think there is plenty of competition to make things exciting in the Western Conference the rest of the way.

NBA Odds: Friday, February 5, 2016 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 2/4/2016

I'm not sure if you still care about the Dunk Contest on All-Star Weekend considering no superstars compete any longer, but the field for the Feb. 12 event in Toronto has been released. And unfortunately it doesn't include Minnesota's Andrew Wiggins, who is one of the best dunkers in the NBA and from Toronto. He decided to pass, saying that he "retired" from dunk contests after losing the one in the McDonald's All-American game in high school.

NBA Betting Trends: Pace vs. Totals Wagering
by Chris Vasile - 2/4/2016

One animal (unwillingly) has been synonymous with sports betting ever since I can remember. That poor animal is the moose. Getting "moosed" refers to a bet that has gone horribly wrong despite the fact that everything was progressing just as planned.

NBA Odds: Thursday, February 4 2016 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 2/3/2016

Can you even imagine Kevin Durant on the Warriors with Golden State still able to keep Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green? Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski, who is about as plugged in as any NBA reporter, reported on Tuesday that the Warriors would be the front-runners to sign Durant as a free agent this summer if he decides to leave Oklahoma City. Just think about that. These Warriors might break the NBA single-season record for wins and then add perhaps the league's second-best player?

NBA Odds: Wednesday, February 3 2016 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 2/2/2016

Looking for a decent longer-shot bet to win the Eastern Conference? Consider the Charlotte Hornets, who are currently +20000. Sure, Cleveland is probably going to roll to a second straight East title as long as LeBron James stays healthy. And the Hornets aren't even a playoff team as things stand, sitting in the ninth spot. But if the Hornets can finally get to full health, this could be a dangerous team. That's because defensive dynamo Michael Kidd-Gilchrist surprisingly returned to action over the weekend.

NBA Odds: Tuesday, February 2 2016 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 2/1/2016

I felt pretty confident that the plummeting Phoenix Suns were going to fire coach Jeff Hornacek during the All-Star break, but ownership decided to do so ahead of schedule as Hornacek was dumped on Monday. The Suns have lost 19 of their past 21 games and are 14-35 (.286), which is on pace to be the franchise's worst season since the inaugural team went 16-66 (.195). The team has lost 14 straight road games.

NBA Betting Trends: Hot and Cold Teams Against the Point Spread
by Aaron Smith - 1/29/2016

The NBA All-Star Break is a couple weeks away. While it is hard to imagine, I'm starting to believe the Golden State Warriors still haven't gotten the respect they deserve. A reigning NBA Champion with the record they have right now should be even more highly thought of than Golden State is right now. The Warriors are 28-17-1 against the spread this year, which is crazy considering the books know they have to set Golden State's lines high because they are now a public team.

NBA Odds: Saturday, January 30 2016 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 1/29/2016

Sometimes when I speak with people who know nothing about sports betting, usually women, they don't understand anything about spreads or moneylines. "Why can't you just bet on which team wins?" I'm often asked. Exhibit No. 1 for why you need a spread in a game is on Saturday evening when we will see probably the third-biggest spread all season as the NBA's best team, record-setting Golden State, visits the league's worst, Philadelphia.

NBA Odds: Friday, January 29, 2016 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 1/28/2016

In my opinion, the best trade by any team in the NBA this past offseason was by Charlotte last June when it acquired swingman Nic Batum from Portland for guard Gerald Henderson and young power forward Noah Vonleh (close second: Dallas getting Zaza Pachulia from Milwaukee for peanuts). From the Blazers' thinking, they were dealing a guy who had dealt with some injuries and was entering the final year of his contract.

NBA Betting Trends: How Teams Perform ATS with Rest
by Chris Vasile - 1/28/2016

The Golden State Warriors came out of the gates flying and got off to a 24-0 start before being upended by the Milwaukee Bucks. Steph Curry is playing like a man possessed, hitting seemingly every shot he takes (30.3 points per game) despite missing a few games due to injury. It will be interesting to see if the Warriors (42-4) can stay hot and threaten the NBA record of 72-10 for a complete season.

NBA Odds: Thursday, January 28 2016 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 1/27/2016

The Los Angeles Clippers don't play on Thursday, but I want to address the Blake Griffin issue. He apparently will miss 4-6 weeks with a broken hand, although Coach Doc Rivers says that timetable is unrealistic. Griffin was hurt after punching the team's assistant equipment manager a few times outside a Toronto restaurant over the weekend. Apparently the two are good friends and had vacationed together but were arguing about something. I'm sure TMZ will have video eventually. Griffin was one of the most disliked players around the NBA, so I'm sure many locker rooms are filled with laughter right now.

NBA Odds: Wednesday, January 27 2016 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 1/26/2016

I will be interested to see how the San Antonio Spurs and Golden State Warriors follow up Monday's highly-anticipated matchup in Oakland in their games on Wednesday. Unfortunately, Monday's game itself was pretty uninteresting unless you are a Warriors fan or gave the points. Golden State made a major statement with a 120-90 rout.

NBA Odds: Tuesday, January 26 2016 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 1/25/2016

I'm starting to like the Lakers' Kobe Bryant in his crusty old age. Kobe knows his career is going to end on a down note because the Lakers obviously aren't going to the playoffs again this season. But at least Kobe isn't going down without a fight. He ripped rookie D'Angelo Russell and second-year player Julius Randle following L.A.'s sixth straight loss on Saturday night. That's the role Bryant has to play now: veteran teacher. He's not going to help the Lakers win much on the court, but he needs to instill a killer instinct in the team's future star players.