NBA Handicapping Articles

NBA Odds and Predictions: Tuesday, October 28 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 10/27/2014

I don't know about you, but I am downright giddy that the NBA season tips off on Tuesday night with three games, highlighted by the champion San Antonio Spurs raising a fifth championship banner to the rafters. Would have been nice to see the Cavaliers be the opponent for San Antonio, but that apparently couldn't be worked out. I will provide these opening line reports Tuesday-Saturday (most weeks), trying to get you an early betting edge and with injury updates, etc.

NBA Props Odds and Picks: Scoring, Rebounds and Assists Leaders
by Alan Matthews - 10/23/2014

I don't know about you, but I am probably more excited about this NBA season since at least LeBron James' first with the Heat when he became the league's No. 1 villain. Amazing how things have changed in four years as now James is back in Cleveland and again the NBA's most popular player. You can go home again!

2014 Houston Rockets Predictions and NBA Futures Odds
by George Monroy - 10/20/2014

The Houston Rockets believe they are a title contender and that last year’s disappointing loss during the first round of the playoffs was a temporary hiccup and not a larger indictment on the James Harden-Dwight Howard partnership. General Manger Daryl Morey has remained proactive with his team over the last two seasons and is not content on simply building a contender -- he wants to bring another title to Houston at all costs.

NBA Odds and Picks: Which Division Does Champion Come From?
by Alan Matthews - 10/18/2014

With the 2014-15 NBA season less than two weeks away -- opening night is Tuesday, Oct. 28 -- the sportsbooks are rolling out more and more season, team and individual props every day. Here I will look at which division houses the NBA champion with odds courtesy of Sportsbook.ag. I wonder why the site doesn't do this for the NFL, NHL or MLB.

NBA Handicapping: Impact of Kevin Durant Injury on Oklahoma City
by Trevor Whenham - 10/17/2014

Kevin Durant dropped a bomb on his team last weekend when he complained of an aching foot that turned out to be broken. One of the two or three best and most important players in the league was going to be out for a long period of time, and the media was obviously sent into a tizzy. I have resisted the urge to look at what it all means for bettors, though, until we knew how Durant and the team were going to deal with it.

NBA Predictions: Top and Bottom 5 ATS Teams
by Doc's Sports - 10/17/2014

The start of a new season in the NBA is right around the corner, and unfortunately we find that many sports bettors fail to take advantage of a tremendous opportunity to cash in on the games during the early part of the schedule. Given all the roster changes through free agency and new additions through a deep college draft, there are some teams poised for a fast start out of the gate. At the other end of the spectrum, there are the teams that seem destined to bring up the rear of the field.

2014 Los Angeles Clippers Predictions and NBA Futures Odds
by George Monroy - 9/16/2014

The Los Angeles Clippers ended last season amidst the Donald Sterling controversy that may have cost the team a deep playoff run. Coach Doc Rivers has since gone on record stating the toll that the remarks and subsequent outcry took on the team, which at one point was ready to boycott, toward the end of the postseason was huge. Los Angeles, however, did not lose to the Oklahoma City Thunder in six games because it was distracted; the team lost because it simply was not ready to take the next step.

NBA Futures Odds Adjustment after Kevin Love Trade
by George Monroy - 8/28/2014

The Cleveland Cavaliers gave up the last two No. 1 overall picks in the NBA Draft for perennial all-star and one of the 10-best players in the league, Kevin Love, over the summer and instantly became the favorite to win the 2015 NBA Finals. The question of whether or not Cleveland deserves to be labeled as the favorite is yet to be seen, but in the NBA the money goes where the marquee players in the league go.

NBA Picks: What To Make Of The Pacers Without Paul George
by Alan Matthews - 8/5/2014

Unfortunately, the NBA had its Joe Theismann moment last Friday night in Las Vegas. I wouldn't say the injury suffered by Indiana Pacers star Paul George was quite that bad but it was close. He was hurt in the fourth quarter of Team USA's scrimmage and is out for the year.

NBA Futures Odds Updated after LeBron James joins Cavaliers
by Trevor Whenham - 7/11/2014

Needless to say, things have changed just a little bit in the NBA futures market in the last few hours. When LeBron James rocked the foundation of the league with his announcement that he was returning home, the Cavaliers immediately and predictably became the favorites to win the title. The Heat, meanwhile, are no longer favorites — not by any means. So, how have all the changes shifted the search for value in the futures market? Let’s take a look (odds are from Bovada):

NBA Handicapping: Betting on the Cleveland Cavaliers with LeBron James
by Trevor Whenham - 7/11/2014

In what is unquestionably the biggest NBA story since the last time he made a decision, LeBron James’ choice to return to Cleveland for, presumably, the rest of his career, has rocked the league this morning. When he first opted out of his contract in Miami, anything other than a return to South Beach seemed like a pipe dream. Now here we are — suddenly the Cavaliers are the most popular team in the league, and Miami is a sad afterthought.

Handicapping the Miami Heat Post-LeBron
by Trevor Whenham - 7/11/2014

Few times in sports history have we seen a team self destruct so dramatically and unexpectedly as the Miami Heat have. A month ago few would ever have imagined that they would have been anything other than the Big 3 plus a shuffled group of support players when this next season started. Even when the players all opted out, it just seemed like the next step in a plan for world domination.

Betting Questions Raised by Big 3 from Miami Heat and Free Agency
by Trevor Whenham - 7/9/2014

TV doesn’t provide much in the way of new drama during the summer. Luckily, then, the NBA is providing a world-class soap opera to keep us entertained during the long rerun season. The Carmelo Anthony saga seemed like it would be a world-class thrill ride, but it was soon completely eclipsed by what has gone on in Miami. LeBron James opted out of his contract. Seemingly the rest of the team followed suit.

NBA Rookie of the Year Odds with Picks and Predictions
by Trevor Whenham - 7/1/2014

Now that the NBA Draft is over and we know where the next generation of young stars will be playing, it’s a good time to look for value in NBA Rookie of the Year futures with some picks and predictions on the candidates (odds are from Bovada):

2014 NBA Draft Grades: Best and Worst Picks
by Trevor Whenham - 7/1/2014

Now that the NBA Draft is in the rearview mirror, the job for bettors is to look at what happened. Which teams got better in the short term — are more attractive to bet on now than they were a week ago? Which first-round picks, from a betting perspective, are just a disaster? Here’s a look at five in each category (odds to win the Rookie of the Year are from Bovada):

NBA Draft Props Odds with Betting Predictions
by Trevor Whenham - 6/24/2014

It seems to have taken forever to get here, but we are now just hours away from the NBA Draft. This is a wide-open draft in many ways because it is so deep and intriguing up top. There may not be many sure-fire superstars, but there is a stunning amount of potential. This could be an all-time great draft or a totally forgettable one depending on how things turn out. As we get ready for the draft, here are five players who are the most relevant for bettors to pay attention to:

Carmelo Anthony Prop Odds: What Team will Melo Play for Next Season?
by Trevor Whenham - 6/24/2014

The first chapter in what has turned into a truly fascinating NBA free agency season came to be when, after much deliberation, Carmelo Anthony officially informed the Knicks that he was opting out of his contract to become a free agent. Now he is available to any team, and he will be highly valued. He would have been the most valued free agent except for what came next — LeBron James opted out of his deal as well.

2015 NBA Championship Odds with Picks and Predictions
by Trevor Whenham - 6/20/2014

The Spurs have won yet another NBA title, so it is a good time to look ahead to what might happen next year. The next season is still months away, but Bovada has already posted NBA championship futures. Let’s take a look at some odds to win the NBA Finals with picks and predictions.

2014 NBA Draft Odds and Betting: Who Will Go No. 1?
by George Monroy - 6/11/2014

The 2014 NBA Draft was being talked about before any of the top prospects had even stepped foot on a college basketball court. Andrew Wiggins was supposed to be the next superstar in the league, while Jabari Parker, Julius Randle and Aaron Gordon were hailed as the second coming of this player or that player. And while each one of those assessment could still come true, a lot has changed since the basketball world was first introduced to these players.

NBA Finals Betting Trends and Game-by-Game Results
by George Monroy - 6/4/2014

The Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs are set to meet in the NBA Finals for the second straight year. The series may not be the biggest matchup the 2014 playoffs could have produced—a Heat versus Oklahoma City Thunder finals, with the league’s two best players, would have taken that honor—but it certainly is the best possible matchup. Miami, while it may not be as good as last year’s team, is still a juggernaut, particularly with LeBron James at the peak of his powers.