NBA Handicapping Articles

NBA Odds: Friday, April 11, 2014 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 4/10/2014

Pacers at Heat on Friday will probably be for the top seed in the Eastern Conference, so might we actually see all the regulars play in a late-season game? It hasn't been happening much around the league. Here's a look at every game on Friday's schedule, with Pacers-Heat and Warriors-Lakers on national TV (NBATV).

NBA Odds: Thursday, April 10, 2014 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 4/9/2014

It's the final Thursday of the regular season with just two games on the schedule, both on national TV (TNT) and thus up for live betting at the sportsbooks. Here's a look at both matchups, and each is vital for the home side.

NBA Handicapping for the San Antonio Spurs and their Road to the NBA Title
by George Monroy - 4/9/2014

The San Antonio Spurs have all but locked up another top seed in the Western Conference and continue to chug along like a well-oiled machine through Year 17 of the Gregg Popovich and Tim Duncan era. The Spurs just hit the 60-win mark yet again and have reached that number twice in the last four years. It would probably take an entire book to explain all the reasons why San Antonio has been the model of consistency over the last two decades—the organization has missed the playoffs only once since 1990.

NBA Handicapping: Sorting Out the Eastern Conference Playoff Picture
by Trevor Whenham - 4/9/2014

A month or two ago things seemed so clear in the Eastern Conference of the NBA. The Heat and Pacers were the only two good teams, and they were headed for an obvious and highly-anticipated showdown in the Eastern Conference finals. It was even reasonably easy to make the argument that the Pacers were the better all-around team.

Sports Betting Insights: NBA Finals Matchup Futures Odds
by Dave Schwab - 4/8/2014

Now that Connecticut has shocked the basketball world in the college ranks with its 60-54 victory over Kentucky as a 2.5-point underdog to lock up another national title, it is time for bettors to turn their attention to the futures odds for potential matchups in this season’s NBA Finals.

NBA Odds: Wednesday, April 9, 2014 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 4/8/2014

Things could really melt down in Cleveland this week. Already you have Kyrie Irving and Browns receiver Josh Gordon trading barbs in the media. It's so clear that Irving doesn't want to play in Cleveland that the team almost has to consider trading him this offseason. The Cavs' loss in Atlanta on Friday all but ended their season, and they predictably followed it up with a home overtime loss to Charlotte (as projected here).

NBA Odds: Tuesday, April 8, 2014 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 4/7/2014

Think the Heat will be just slightly motivated on Tuesday night against Brooklyn? The Nets are going for the four-game sweep and would be full of confidence in a potential conference semifinals matchup with Miami. The Heat will want to put the Nets in their place. Here is a look at all of Tuesday's action in order of tipoff.

NBA Odds: Saturday, April 5, 2014 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 4/4/2014

Here's an interesting twist on Saturday's NBA schedule: All six games feature both teams that will be playing in the second of a back-to-back. That should even the odds somewhat in terms of fatigue, but it's still an advantage for the six home clubs. Here's a look at all of Saturday's action in order of tipoff.

NBA Odds: Friday, April 4, 2014 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 4/3/2014

Memphis was totally gassed on Wednesday, clearly, in getting blown out at Minnesota in its fifth game in seven days, all on the road. Zach Randolph was essentially invisible against the Wolves. Denver, meanwhile, played one of its best games of the year Wednesday, beating New Orleans 137-107 to end a four-game skid. Kenneth Faried had a career-high 34 points. Wilson Chandler missed yet another game for Denver and is probably done. Memphis leads the season series 2-1 and won 94-92 in Denver on Monday.

NBA Odds: Thursday, April 3, 2014 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 4/2/2014

The TNT doubleheader is back this Thursday, and it's a good one featuring two potential Western Conference playoff matchups in Spurs-Thunder and Mavericks-Clippers. Dallas, however, still has some work to do to reach the postseason. Here's a look at the only two games on Thursday's schedule. No early lines on each with so much up in the air.

NBA Odds: Wednesday, April 2, 2014 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 4/1/2014

You know that the Brooklyn Nets would love nothing more than to help ensure that the New York Knicks don't make the playoffs. Well, at least Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov certainly would love nothing more than that. The Nets can put a big dent in New York's postseason hopes with a win Wednesday in the lone national TV game (ESPN) of the night. Here is a look at all of Wednesday's games in order of tipoff.

NBA Handicapping: Teams that Could Close Strong
by Trevor Whenham - 4/1/2014

It seems very hard to believe, but we are now just a couple of weeks away from the end of the regular season in the NBA. For some teams that means that the urgency is intensified as they fight to secure playoff spots and to be sure they are ready to give their best effort when the postseason begins. In other cases, the end can’t come soon enough, and teams will be just mailing it in as they wait for the suffering of a long season to ease.

NBA Odds: Tuesday, April 1, 2014 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 3/31/2014

It's not impossible that Tuesday's matchup between Houston and Brooklyn is an NBA Finals preview, especially with the Heat and Pacers looking rather vulnerable in the Nets' Eastern Conference. Houston is +2500 on Sportsbook.ag to win the NBA title and Brooklyn at +4500. Here is a look at all of Tuesday's games in order of tipoff.

NBA Odds: Saturday, March 29, 2014 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 3/28/2014

Will history be made and the 76ers lose their record 27th straight game on Saturday night against Detroit? If there's one team boneheaded enough to lose to Philly, it would be the Pistons. Here's a look at all of Saturday's games in order of tipoff.

NBA Odds: Friday, March 28, 2014 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 3/27/2014

It’s one of the busiest nights the rest of the regular season on Friday with 24 of the 30 teams in action. You'd think there would be a very compelling game among the 12, but it's not really the case. The most important one is likely Memphis at Golden State as those two jockey for the final few playoff spots in the West. Here's a look at all of Friday's games in order of tipoff.

Los Angeles Clippers Odds to win NBA Finals: Championship Picks and Predictions
by George Monroy - 3/27/2014

The Los Angeles Clippers are no longer content with simply being a contender for an NBA title, and they believe they have the talent to raise a banner in the Staples Center that does not have the word “Lakers” written on it. The team opened up its checkbook this season and put Donald Sterling’s money to work, signing coach Doc Rivers during the offseason and adding bits and pieces to its roster through the year.

NBA Handicapping: Best Over and Under Teams
by Trevor Whenham - 3/27/2014

As we get down to the stretch run of the NBA regular season and look towards the playoffs, it’s time to look at the best teams at going “over” the total in the last two weeks in the NBA and the best at staying “under” (games from March 13 to 27 are included) to help you with your NBA handicapping:

NBA Odds: Thursday, March 27, 2014 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 3/26/2014

The big game on Thursday night is also the biggest mismatch: Do the Philadelphia 76ers have any prayer of pulling a mammoth upset in Houston to avoid tying the NBA's longest-ever losing streak? Here's a look at all four Thursday games in order of tipoff (no TNT doubleheader this week, either).

NBA Odds: Wednesday, March 26, 2014 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 3/25/2014

The Miami Heat don't get too worked up about many regular-season games, but you can be sure they will Wednesday night in their final visit of the regular season to Indiana with the top seed in the conference perhaps hanging in the balance. Here's a look at every game Wednesday in order of tipoff.

NBA Odds and Betting Preview for Wednesday
by Dave Schwab - 3/25/2014

The NBA’s Eastern Conference has been a two-way race for the No. 1 seed in the playoffs since opening day, and on paper it still is. The defending-champion Miami Heat are just two games in back of the Indiana Pacers in the standings, but both teams come into their upcoming showdown playing some of their worst basketball of the year. These two powers have gone just 10-10 straight up combined in their last 20 games, so something has to give when they clash this Wednesday night at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in an 8 p.m. tip on ESPN.