NBA Handicapping Articles

NBA Betting Trends: Totals Report for Hot Over and Under Teams
by Aaron Smith - 2/26/2016

With the All Star Break in the rear view, it is time to start looking at the playoff races. Remember, in less than two months the NBA Playoffs will be here. Portland has been scorching hot in recent weeks, and the Blazers are now in the seventh spot in the Western Conference. Utah is half a game behind Houston for the No. 8 spot. In the Eastern Conference, the No. 4-ranked team in the standings (Miami) is only 3.5 games ahead of the ninth team (Detroit). The NBA Southeast Division is the only real divisional race we have right now, but playoff seeding will be vitally important.

NBA Odds: Friday, February 26, 2016 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 2/25/2016

While it's easy for Golden State to cast a huge shadow over every other team in the NBA, there's actually other important basketball being played at times. And the game of the year in the Eastern Conference is Friday night when Cleveland visits Toronto, one of the biggest regular-season games in that city's history. The Cavs (41-15) lead the Raptors (38-18) by three games atop the conference. Oddsmakers have little faith in the Raptors winning the East as they are +700 compared to -450 for Cleveland.

NBA Betting Advice: Teams that Should be Worse Down the Stretch
by Trevor Whenham - 2/25/2016

We are getting into the stretch drive of the NBA season. For a lot of teams this is when the desperation of their situation really sinks in, and things can really go off the rails. They know they are not good and that the season has not gone according to plan, and they start to let that depressing reality further erode their level of play. Their season is hopeless, and they just give up and accept it. That is no fun for the players and the fans, but for bettors it can lead to consistent and easy profits.

NBA Betting and Handicapping: Buyouts can Help Teams Down Stretch
by Trevor Whenham - 2/25/2016

As soon as the NBA trade deadline passes, attention turns to the next way that teams can change their rosters down the stretch - buyouts. A player needs to be waived before the end of February in order for him to be able to join a new team and be eligible for the postseason, so we are in the midst of a tight window. Players will be bought out for a number of reasons - because they were throw ins to make trades work but weren't wanted on their new team, because they are aging and want a shot on a contender before their time is done, because they have unwieldy contracts that teams don't want to be weighed down by anymore, because the team was unable to trade the player, because the team needs a roster spot, and so on.

NBA Odds: Wednesday, February 24 2016 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 2/24/2016

All of the so-called experts thought the Detroit Pistons did pretty well in last week's three-team trade with Houston and Philadelphia that landed the Pistons forward/center Donatas Motiejunas and guard Marcus Thornton from the Rockets. Houston was to get a top-eight protected 2016 draft pick from the Pistons and rights to forward Chukwudiebere Maduabum from the Sixers, who acquired center Joel Anthony in the deal.

NBA Odds: Saturday, February 20 2016 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 2/19/2016

The trade deadline was pretty much a dud. The Chicago Bulls were rumored to be shopping All-Star Pau Gasol. Instead they traded 82-year-old backup guard Kirk Hinrich. The Houston Rockets were shopping Dwight Howard. They dealt Donatas Motiejunas and Marcus Thornton. The Atlanta Hawks surely were going to trade either Jeff Teague or Al Horford. They instead sent away Shelvin Mack. Three title contenders appeared to make solid secondary moves with Cleveland getting stretch forward Channing Frye from Orlando, Oklahoma City acquiring Randy Foye from Denver, and the LA Clippers landing Jeff Green from Memphis while dumping the headache that is known as Lance Stephenson (addition by subtraction there).

NBA Odds: Friday, February 19, 2016 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 2/18/2016

Terrible news out of Miami this week in that All-Star forward Chris Bosh is apparently dealing with blood clot issues again, the same thing that not only cut last season short but put his life in a bit of jeopardy. It wasn't supposed to be a recurring problem but Bosh is back on blood thinners and his season likely is over -- there's also a chance his career might be.

NBA Betting Storylines for the Playoffs Stretch Run
by Chris Vasile - 2/18/2016

As the weather gets warmer and the glitz and glamour of NBA All-Star Weekend fades away into the sunset, 26 teams (better luck next year Philadelphia, Phoenix, LA Lakers and Brooklyn) will fight tooth and nail to put themselves in a position to make the playoffs and give their team a chance to contend for the Larry O'Brien trophy.

NBA Odds: Thursday, February 18 2016 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 2/17/2016

Thursday is one of the best days of the NBA regular season as not only does the second half tip off but it's also the day of trade deadline at 3 p.m. ET. It should be an interesting deadline because very few teams have to dump salary due to the salary cap going way up this summer thanks to the new TV deal.

NBA Betting Trends: Hot and Cold Teams Against the Point Spread
by Aaron Smith - 2/15/2016

The Western Conference beat the Eastern Conference 196-173 in the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday night. Yes, that was actually the score of the game. That's about the score of two NBA regular-season games combined. The 369 combined points blew away the previous record for most points scored in an NBA All-Star Game. Russell Westbrook was named the Most Valuable Player of the game. Maybe I could be called too much of a purist, but I for one will be excited to get the regular-season action back underway this week. I prefer to see both the offense and defense working hard, and there was zero defense in Sunday night's game.

2016 NBA All-Star Game Expert Betting Picks and Best Props Predictions
by Chris Vasile - 2/12/2016

As a basketball fan, this is definitely the weekend I look forward to the most in the NBA season. Not only does this event bring the stars from every team together, formulating mouthwatering fantasy lineups, it sees celebrities flock by the dozens in support of their favorite athletes or best buds. The pageantry surrounding this spectacle is second-to-none, and no detail is too small for this global event including kick-off parties, fan zones, pre-game entertainment, half-time performances, and everything in between.

2016 NBA All-Star Slam Dunk Contest Odds and Expert Betting Picks
by Chris Vasile - 2/12/2016

When NBA fans look back at the history of the Slam Dunk contest, they are usually quick to point out Michael Jordan's dunk in 1988 from the free-throw line as one of their all-time favorites. While that's not exactly going out on a limb, you can never go wrong with choosing Jordan as a choice to rank No. 1 in anything basketball related. He made all his attempts look graceful and as dynamic as he could have ever hoped.

2016 NBA 3-Point Contest Odds and Expert Betting Picks
by Chris Vasile - 2/12/2016

With all due respect to NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, the 3-point contest is usually the best event of the weekend. While everyone clamors about the excitement that is the Slam Dunk Contest, this event is when the superstars come out and shine.

NBA Handicapping: Are Toronto Raptors a Legit Threat in Eastern Conference?
by Trevor Whenham - 2/11/2016

The Toronto Raptors are hosting the NBA All-Star Game this year, but they aren't heading into the break like they would like to be. In their final game before the break they were up by 18 points over the Timberwolves in Minneapolis with just minutes left in the first half, yet somehow they managed to lose the game by five. Ugly, ugly game.

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.