NBA Handicapping Articles

Free NBA Player Props Picks for Monday
by Dave Schwab - 3/9/2015

Most people who wager on sports tend to stick with bets on the sides and total line in a particular matchup, but they may be missing a golden opportunity to supplement this action with a few extra wagers on some of the player prop bet odds that sportsbooks release in conjunction with that day’s games.

NBA Odds and Predictions: Saturday, March 7 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 3/6/2015

I thoroughly enjoy watching the Portland Trail Blazers play basketball because it's usually an exciting, up-tempo game. Of course, their stars are LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard. I thought the team had a legitimate shot to win the West after acquiring Arron Afflalo at the trade deadline from Denver. I don't think that any longer because the Blazers lost very underrated guard Wesley Matthews for the season to a torn Achilles' tendon on Thursday. He had started every game this season and averaged 15.9 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists while ranking fourth in the NBA in 3-pointers made.

NBA Odds and Predictions: Friday, March 6 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 3/5/2015

Honestly, if I'm the Atlanta Hawks then I'm happy to lose Friday's home showdown with Cleveland in the game of the night in the NBA (sadly not on national TV). The Hawks are the first team to clinch a playoff spot and are going to be the East's top seed without question. What they need is to have Cleveland finish with either the No. 2 or 3 seed as opposed to the No. 4 to avoid the Cavaliers until potentially the Eastern Conference Finals. The Cavs remain the -180 East favorites at Sportsbook.ag with the Hawks next at +280. I think Cleveland will get to No. 2.

NBA Betting Trends: Hot and Cold Teams Against the Point Spread
by Aaron Smith - 3/5/2015

There have been some amazing performances in the NBA in the last few weeks. Russell Westbrook is on an incredible tear as he carries the Oklahoma City Thunder. James Harden continues to have a good year for the Rockets. There is a bunch of talk about the NBA MVP race this season. Many believe it is the toughest race to call in a long time. Soon the majority of the talk will about the race for playoff seeding as well. The stretch run of the season isn't as far away as it seems.

Tracking the Wizards: NBA Picks and Handicapping for Washington Basketball
by Dave Schwab - 3/5/2015

Specialization when it comes to successfully wagering on the NBA can prove to be a viable betting strategy over the long run. I have spent the entire NBA regular season concentrating my handicapping efforts on the Washington Wizards, and to help prove this point I have been releasing free weekly picks for the Wizards with the use of Doc’s Sports Unit Betting System. The results have been mixed at best with a year-to-date record of 8-9-1, but I began to turn things around with a 4-Unit payoff in my last pick.

NBA Handicpping: Boston Celtics Playing Hard and Cashing Tickets
by Trevor Whenham - 3/5/2015

The Boston Celtics are not a good team. They have a flawed roster and are in the midst of a long rebuild. Lately, though, they have done a very good job of imitating a solid team. Since Feb. 3 the team is 8-5 and looking quite solid. The winning isn’t the only thing going their way lately, either. Trading away Rajon Rondo looks better every single day. The trade deadline went fairly well — and looks better lately, too. This is not a title contender or anything, but it is a lot easier to be optimistic about this team now than it has been for a while.

NBA Odds and Predictions: Thursday, March 5 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 3/4/2015

It's the second week in a row where we are given only the two TNT games on the NBA schedule for Thursday, but again they are good matchups with all playoff teams. We had another coaching firing Tuesday in Denver's Brian Shaw. That should be it for the firings this season, but what's interesting in Thursday's Thunder-Bulls matchup is that I could easily see both OKC's Scott Brooks and Chicago's Tom Thibodeau elsewhere next season. Brooks might get the blame if the Thunder don't have a good playoff run, while Thibs just doesn't get along with the Chicago front office.

NBA Odds and Predictions: Wednesday, March 4 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 3/3/2015

As usual, a very busy Wednesday schedule in the Association with 26 teams in action. Three matchups clearly stand out as potential playoff previews: Cavaliers-Raptors, Grizzlies-Rockets and Trail Blazers-Clippers. That latter game is nationally televised on ESPN as is, unfortunately, the Lakers at Heat. Guess ESPN wasn't able to change that one. Hornets-Nets also could have some importance down the line in terms of playoff tiebreakers at the bottom of the Eastern Conference. Here's a look at every game.

NBA Odds and Predictions: Tuesday, March 3 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 3/2/2015

Did you happen to watch Friday's Oklahoma City game against Portland? Red-hot Russell Westbrook took a knee to the face from teammate Andre Roberson. It left Westbrook with a very freaky-looking dent in his face. He underwent surgery on Saturday to repair a fractured cheek bone, and the team will re-evaluate him this week to determine when Westbrook can return. Currently he is +450 to win the NBA MVP Award at Sportsbook.ag but obviously more multiple games missed severely hurts his chances. Steph Curry remains the -220 favorite. Here's a look at Tuesday's schedule.

NBA Handicapping: Utah Jazz a Hot Bet
by Trevor Whenham - 3/2/2015

The Utah Jazz are playing very well right now. I know, it’s hard to believe — I almost didn’t believe it, and I’m the one writing it. But it’s true. They have won six of their last eight games, and are 17-16 since Dec. 17. That’s hardly an incredible record, but for a team that was 6-19 up to that point it’s practically impossible. It’s hard to believe that a team that has seemed so directionless and, frankly, clueless, for too long has outperformed their incompetence, but that seems to be the case.

NBA Odds and Predictions: Saturday, February 28 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 2/27/2015

I want to hit on something that has nothing to do with Saturday's games but that I'm hugely in favor of and that Mavs owner Mark Cuban said this week many owners are as well: stretching the regular season a few weeks. We all know that the month of July is the worst from a sports betting perspective. Why not have the NBA Finals at least in the first week of the month? July 4 could become a big-time NBA night.

NBA Odds and Predictions: Friday, February 27 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 2/26/2015

This late in the season, I figured every NBA coach was safe from being fired until the offseason. I mean, what's the point of dumping a guy with only 25 games left or so? Now I'm not so sure, mostly about Washington's Randy Wittman, a guy who has had only one good season there. His Wizards are in a complete tailspin and I might start getting my references ready if I'm Wittman. Especially is his team loses at Philly on Friday. Here's a look at every game on the schedule.

Tracking the Wizards: NBA Picks and Handicapping for Washington Basketball
by Dave Schwab - 2/26/2015

I have spent the entire NBA regular season concentrating my handicapping efforts on the Washington Wizards. Specialization can be a viable betting strategy when it comes to wagering on the NBA, and to help prove this point, I have been releasing free weekly picks for the Wizards with the use of Doc’s Sports Unit Betting System. The results have been mixed at best with a year-to-date record of 7-9-1, but I still feel confident that I can rally to build a positive return by the end of the season.

NBA Odds and Predictions: Thursday, February 26 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 2/25/2015

Just the two NBA on TNT games on this Thursday's schedule, but they are pretty big ones. There's a potential NBA Finals preview between the Warriors and Cavaliers in Cleveland to open the doubleheader. That is the +300 favored exact Finals matchup on Sportsbook.ag. Then the Thunder visit the Suns in the nightcap as those two are fighting for the last playoff spot in the Western Conference. I fully expect Oklahoma City to take that no matter how long Kevin Durant is out.

NBA Odds and Predictions: Wednesday, February 25 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 2/24/2015

There hasn't been much reason for fans in Minneapolis to see their awful Timberwolves this season in person, but you can expect a sellout on Wednesday as the fans welcome back the greatest player in franchise history, Kevin Garnett. He's expected to finally make his debut after being acquired from Brooklyn last week. Don't be surprised if KG is part of a group that buys the Wolves here in the few years as well. Here's a look at every game on Wednesday's schedule.

NBA Odds and Predictions: Tuesday, February 24 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 2/23/2015

It was interesting to watch the Miami Heat futures odds over the past few days. They got a major boost after Thursday's trade for Phoenix point guard Goran Dragic but then changed dramatically, and not in a good way, with the news that star forward Chris Bosh would miss the rest of the season due to a blood clot in his lung. Would the Heat have still traded for Dragic had they known that beforehand? Hard to say. And will it affect Dragic's choice of whether to re-sign there? Bosh is expected to be fine for next season. No Heat game on Tuesday but here's a look at each matchup.

NBA Handicapping: Betting on the Philadelphia 76ers after the Trade Deadline
by Trevor Whenham - 2/22/2015

The popular wisdom after the trade deadline — and before it really — is that Sam Hinkie has lost his mind and that the Philadelphia 76ers are spinning completely out of control. They trade away any player they get who seems to have any potential, they accumulate draft picks in bulk, there are teams with payrolls for their stadium ushers that are higher than what Philadelphia pays their team, they are openly and aggressively tanking, and they have waived more players this year than some teams have played.

NBA Handicapping: Teams that Improved at the Trade Deadline
by Trevor Whenham - 2/22/2015

That was an absolutely brilliant NBA trade deadline from a fan perspective. As entertaining as it could possibly be. The fireworks started early, and they didn’t let up until the last possible second. There were huge deals galore, a lot of teams that improved dramatically, and some that just made bizarre decisions.

NBA Betting: Teams that got Worse at the Trade Deadline
by Trevor Whenham - 2/22/2015

Usually it is the NHL trade deadline that is the one to watch because of the big deals and bigger risks teams take in an attempt to make themselves better now or in the future — almost never both. This year, though, the NBA’s deadline was so incredibly good that there is little chance that the NHL will be able to match it. The NBA deadline featured a ridiculous amount of deals. What was striking, though, is that for every player we knew was moving — Goran Dragic or Reggie Jackson, for example, there were several that were a total surprise.

NBA Handicapping: Buyouts on the Horizon
by Trevor Whenham - 2/22/2015

The NBA trade deadline season brings another burst of activity — buyouts. They aren’t directly tied to the trade deadline, but the timing overlaps — in order for a player to be available for playoff action he needs to be waived by March 1. Also, the most common type of player to be bought out is one who has been traded — typically to a non-contender. So, why are players bought out? Well, most often either a team going nowhere will dump salary to get their salary cap situation in line — like the Knicks are doing now — or a team will trade for a player they don’t want in order to acquire another asset like a pick they do want, and then they buy out the contract.