NBA Handicapping Articles

Tracking the Wizards: NBA Picks and Handicapping for Washington Basketball
by Dave Schwab - 11/14/2014

The new NBA season offers some golden opportunities to wager on the games. In an effort to prove the value of specialization as a viable betting strategy, I am exclusively handicapping the Washington Wizards all season long. To help prove the value of this approach, I will also be releasing weekly free picks with the use of Doc’s Sports Unit Betting System. My main goal is to earn a long-term profit betting Wizards’ games this year.

NBA Odds and Predictions: Friday, November 14 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 11/13/2014

Only one college football game on Friday this week, and it's the not-too-exciting American Athletic Conference matchup between Tulsa and Central Florida. So it's a good night to focus your betting action on the NBA. There are two national TV games for live betting at the various sportsbooks: Nuggets-Pacers on NBA TV and Spurs-Lakers on ESPN. Here's a quick look at every Friday matchup.

NBA Handicapping: Can Sacramento Kings Sustain Hot Start?
by Trevor Whenham - 11/13/2014

The Sacramento Kings appeared to be a cellar-dwelling team on paper heading into the season. They may still end up being one, but they certainly haven’t started out playing like one. After an opening loss they reeled off five straight wins. They have lost two since and blew a huge early lead against the Mavs in the most recent game, so things are not entirely positive. Still, even in the losses they have played better in many ways than seemed likely.

NBA Odds and Predictions: Thursday, November 13 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 11/12/2014

Four games on the Thursday schedule this week with a pretty solid TNT doubleheader that will feature live betting at WagerWeb: Chicago at Toronto and Brooklyn at Golden State. The Raptors and Bulls have the two best records in the East with Chicago a +250 second-favorite to win the conference at Sportsbook.ag and Toronto third at +900. Assuming the Raptors win the Atlantic Division, they probably will have to get past both the Bulls and Cavaliers to win the East because obviously only one of Chicago or Cleveland can win the Central Division. Here's a look at each matchup on the schedule.

NBA Odds and Predictions: Wednesday, November 12 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 11/11/2014

Pacers-Heat has been one of the NBA's best rivalries the past few seasons, although Miami always got the upper hand when they met in the playoffs. The two face off for the first time this year on Wednesday night, the opening game of an ESPN doubleheader. Alas, Pacers-Heat doesn't quite mean much this season. The other ESPN game is Rockets-Timberwolves, and WagerWeb will offer live betting on both. Here's a look at every game Wednesday.

NBA Betting Trends: Hot and Cold Teams Against the Point Spread
by Aaron Smith - 11/11/2014

We’re two weeks into the new NBA season. The NBA landscape changed in a big way when LeBron James left Miami in the offseason. Cleveland quickly became the favorite to win the title this year. The Spurs were the favorites in a loaded Western Conference. Both Cleveland and San Antonio have disappointed so far this year, but that shouldn’t come as any big surprise considering the circumstances. It’s a long season, and you are going to hear a lot of people overreact to early results. Make sure you keep a long-term perspective when betting in the NBA.

NBA Handicapping: Clippers Winless ATS to Start the Season
by Trevor Whenham - 11/10/2014

The L.A. Clippers, it seems, need drama to shine. Last year they were the fourth most profitable team in the league against the spread — a respectable and nicely-profitable 46-35-1 ATS. Since then they ditched their former owner — a stingy racist — for one of the richest, least controversial, and seemingly free-spending owners in Steve Ballmer. It should be happy, happy days in L.A.. So far in this young season, though, the team has been a disaster. Their 4-2 record isn’t terrible on the surface, but they have looked mostly lousy, and have a perfect, and perfectly awful, 0-6 ATS record.

NBA Odds and Predictions: Tuesday, November 11 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 11/10/2014

The major sportsbooks will have live betting available on two games Tuesday, both on NBA TV: Magic at Raptors with a 7:30 p.m. Eastern tipoff and, the game of the night, Spurs at Warriors at 10:30 p.m. That could easily be a preview of the Western Conference Finals, although the Spurs haven't looked that great in the early going. They remain +320 West favorites at Sportsbook.ag, with Golden State now up to No. 2 (with the Clippers) at +400. Here's a look at every matchup on Tuesday.

NBA Odds and Predictions: Saturday, November 8 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 11/7/2014

There have been some fine early-season matchups in the NBA's first week-and-a-half or so, but very clearly the best thus far we will see on Saturday night as Golden State travels to Houston in a battle of unbeatens. Unfortunately it's not on national TV -- only Pelicans-Spurs is (NBA TV) -- so I guess I'll be needing to order NBA League Pass. Oddsmakers still aren't convinced these are the two best teams in the league. At Sportsbook.ag, the Warriors are +500 third favorites to win the West, and Houston is fourth at +750.

NBA Odds and Predictions: Friday, November 7 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 11/6/2014

Even though the Cleveland Cavaliers look rather disorganized right now and are sitting at 1-3, the oddsmakers haven't lost faith. Cleveland remains the +260 NBA championship favorite at Sportsbook.ag. I was in the camp that believed it would take the Cavs a full season to learn each other and that a title wasn't in the cards. Much like LeBron's first season in Miami when the Heat were dominated in the NBA Finals by Dallas.

Tracking the Wizards: NBA Picks and Handicapping for Washington Basketball
by Dave Schwab - 11/6/2014

A new NBA season got underway last week, and in an effort to prove the value of specialization as a viable betting strategy for the games, I am exclusively handicapping the Washington Wizards all season long. To further state my case, I will also be releasing weekly free picks with the use of Doc’s Sports Unit Betting System with the goal of earning a long-term profit betting Wizards’ games this year.

NBA Odds and Predictions: Thursday, November 6 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 11/5/2014

As usual, a very light Thursday schedule in the NBA. TNT likes to keep it that way -- and the NBA obliges its TV partner -- so it can have the full attention of basketball-watching fans for its weekly doubleheader night. It's a good one this week with all four teams expected to be Western Conference contenders, and the major sportsbooks will offer live betting on both. Here's a breakdown of the two games.

NBA Odds and Predictions: Wednesday, November 5 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 11/4/2014

Here's guessing there will be plenty of good seats available on Wednesday night in Philadelphia when the 76ers host the Magic in the NBA's Toilet Bowl matchup of the week. At least we know one of those two wretched teams won't start the season breaking the NBA record of 26 straight losses (overall, not to start a year). Of course, Philly tied that record last year. Here's a look at Wednesday's full schedule, with Pacers-Wizards and Clippers-Warriors having live betting at the major sportsbooks, with both on ESPN.

NBA Betting Something or Nothing: Taking a Look at Importlant Trends
by George Monroy - 11/4/2014

The NBA is only a handful of games old, but with huge injuries mounting for various teams to go along with a multiple players doing far more than what we expected, it might be time to take a look at a few early season trends and figure out if they will have a bigger impact as the year wears on in this edition of NBA something or nothing. All odds and lines come from Sportsbook.ag.

NBA Odds and Predictions: Tuesday, November 4 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 11/3/2014

I don't know about you, but I am thoroughly enjoying how bad the Los Angeles Lakers have been thus far this season. I fully expected them to be awful, but this bad? The only way they finish with a better record than horrible Philadelphia is if Kobe Bryant stays healthy all season. Not sure I believe that will happen. Here's a look at L.A.'s game on Tuesday as well as the rest of the NBA schedule.

NBA Odds and Predictions: Saturday, November 1 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 10/31/2014

Is it too early to talk about New Orleans Pelicans' third-year star Anthony Davis for NBA MVP this season? Obviously yes, but Davis was just a monster in the Pelicans' season-opening blowout of Orlando. His chances for MVP obviously increased with Kevin Durant's injury. Of course, there's still some guy named LeBron James to deal with (although LeBron didn't look MVP worthy in his first game). Here is a look at all 12 games on a busy first Saturday of the NBA season.

Tracking the Wizards: NBA Picks and Handicapping for Washington Basketball
by Dave Schwab - 10/31/2014

I just spent the entire MLB regular season handicapping the Washington Nationals as part of a betting strategy that relies on specialization through in-depth knowledge of a particular team. I also put this knowledge to the test by releasing weekly free picks with the use of Doc’s Sports Unit Betting System. While I produced a modest return of $486 on the year for $100 bettors, I am now turning my full attention to the Washington Wizards in the NBA with the goal of doubling that return, at the very least.

NBA Odds and Predictions: Thursday, October 30 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 10/29/2014

Not sure if you heard, but LeBron James was in the news a bit this summer for his decision to shift locations. His return to Cleveland on Thursday night's first TNT doubleheader game should draw some very big ratings and betting action as the Cavs host the New York Knicks. Get used to Cleveland being on national television occasionally this season. Bovada will offer live betting on Knicks-Cavaliers as well as the second TNT game, Thunder-Clippers. Here's a look at every NBA game on the schedule. Taking a rare weekday off for Friday's action but will be back at it for Saturday's games.

NBA Betting: Top Story Lines and How They Impact Bettors
by George Monroy - 10/29/2014

The NBA is back after completing one of its most intriguing and controversial seasons in recent memory. Luckily for everyone that loves basketball, the league will have no shortage of headline-grabbing storylines heading into the year, and with the return of Derrick Rose to Chicago, LeBron James to Cleveland, to go along with Kevin Durant’s foot injury, participating in next June’s NBA Finals is as wide open as ever. The season is already underway, so let’s take a closer look at the top 2014-15 NBA storylines and figure out how they will impact bettors over the course of a long year.

NBA Odds and Predictions: Wednesday, October 29 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 10/28/2014

Very interesting slew of openers on Wednesday night. I am particularly looking forward to watching the Chicago Bulls with the return of Derrick Rose. What will the Miami Heat look like without LeBron James? The Indiana Pacers without Paul George? How about the Thunder without Kevin Durant for the first six weeks at least? Could the Philadelphia 76ers be the worst team in NBA history? Here's a look at every game on the slate. Bovada will offer live betting on four: Nets-Celtics, Bulls-Knicks, Lakers-Suns and Thunder-Trail Blazers.