NBA Handicapping Articles

NBA Odds and Predictions: Friday, March 20 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 3/19/2015

The NBA is point guard-driven league these days. There will be few better individual matchups at that position than you will see Friday night at Staples Center. Washington's John Wall is generally considered the fastest point guard in the league, while the Clippers' Chris Paul is the best defensive player at that position. Those two face off for the last time this season, barring an unlikely NBA Finals matchup, in one of the better games Friday. Here's a look at every game on the schedule opposite the final first-round day in the Big Dance.

Tracking the Wizards: NBA Picks and Handicapping for Washington Basketball
by Dave Schwab - 3/19/2015

Specialization with a particular team can be a viable betting strategy, so I have spent the entire NBA regular season concentrating my handicapping efforts on the Washington Wizards. In an effort to prove the value of my efforts, I have also been releasing free weekly picks for the Wizards with the use of Doc’s Sports Unit Betting System. It has been a rocky road at times, but my current three-game winning streak has finally taken my record above .500 to 10-9-1 on the year.

NBA Odds and Predictions: Thursday, March 19 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 3/18/2015

With the NCAA Tournament kicking off in full on Thursday, it's a light four-game schedule in the NBA and no TNT doubleheader this week as that network is also college basketball focused for a while. The game of the night, in my opinion, is the ghastly matchup between the Knicks and Timberwolves, the teams with the worst records in the NBA. The loser could be the big winner, potentially holding a key tiebreaker by the end of the season for the most ping-pong balls in the draft lottery. Here's a look at all four games.

NBA Odds and Predictions: Wednesday, March 18 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 3/17/2015

One game clearly stands out above the rest on Wednesday night as Atlanta visits Golden State in a matchup of what will be the top seeds in each conference -- it will be shown on ESPN. Oddsmakers simply have little faith in Atlanta as a Hawks-Warriors Finals exact matchup is only the co-fourth favorite at +900 on Sportsbook.ag. You never know, the winner of this game could then hold the home-court tiebreaker if there is a Finals matchup. Only a half game separates the Hawks and Warriors at the moment. Here's a look at every game on Wednesday's schedule.

NBA Odds and Predictions: Tuesday, March 17 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 3/16/2015

Interesting schedule on Tuesday night in the NBA as there are only five games and all are matchups between Eastern and Western Conference clubs. None of the games may involve two playoff teams, although it's possible that Charlotte at the L.A. Clippers will. I guess to get my basketball fix that I'll be watching the NCAA Tournament's First Four. But here's a look at each NBA game on the schedule. Bucks-Pelicans is the only nationally televised matchup (NBA TV).

NBA Odds and Predictions: Saturday, March 14 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 3/13/2015

Knicks president Phil Jackson can only wonder what might have been on Saturday when his team visits Golden State. Jackson thought he had former player Steve Kerr signed, sealed and delivered to coach New York this offseason. However, the Warriors offered a better roster (obviously) and the chance for Kerr to stay near his West Coast home. It wasn't a no-brainer decision at the time -- it's the Knicks, after all -- but clearly Kerr made the right choice. Knicks-Warriors looks to be the mismatch of the night (season?) Saturday. Here's a look at every game.

Tracking the Wizards: NBA Picks and Handicapping for Washington Basketball
by Dave Schwab - 3/13/2015

I have spent the entire NBA regular season concentrating my handicapping efforts on the Washington Wizards as part of a betting strategy that relies heavily on specialization. In an effort to prove the value of taking this approach, I have been releasing free weekly picks for the Wizards with the use of Doc’s Sports Unit Betting System. A two-game winning streak has evened my record on the year to an even 9-9-1, but I am still down $400 on my unit plays.

NBA Odds and Predictions: Friday, March 13 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 3/12/2015

Well, here I was prepared to lead this story with how I expected the Charlotte Hornets to claim either the No. 7 or No. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference playoff chase. I felt that way because the team was playing pretty well and welcomed back arguably its best player, point guard Kemba Walker, from a long injury absence on Wednesday. Then the Hornets went out and lost at home to Sacramento and may have lost their other top player, center Al Jefferson. So now I have no idea. Here's a look at Friday's schedule.

NBA Odds and Predictions: Thursday, March 12 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 3/11/2015

No question what the game of the night on Thursday's five-game slate is: Cleveland at San Antonio in what could well be a Finals preview. Of course, LeBron James faced the Spurs while with Miami in the past two Finals, winning the first and losing last year's. If the Spurs and Cavs don't play in June, Thursday night might be the last time that future Hall of Famers LeBron and Tim Duncan compete against one another. I fully expect Duncan to hang up the sneakers after this season. Here's a look at the entire schedule.

NBA Odds and Predictions: Wednesday, March 11 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 3/10/2015

At this point, I don't care which other games are on League Pass opposite Oklahoma City, even if it's my favorite team: I'm tuning in to watch Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook. His triple-double assault continues in what could be a nice matchup against the Clippers' Chris Paul -- if Paul, who is beaten up, even plays. Westbrook is averaging 34.3 points, 10.2 rebounds and 11.4 assists since the All-Star break. Here's a look at that game and the rest of Wednesday's slate.

NBA Odds and Predictions: Tuesday, March 10 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 3/9/2015

Remember the famous Nike commercial "It's Gotta Be The Shoes" with Michael Jordan and Mars Blackmon (Spike Lee)? In one case, that's apparently correct. Mavericks forward Chandler Parsons returned to action Sunday after missing seven games due to an ankle injury. And Parsons, who has a $1 million per year endorsement deal with Chinese shoe company Anta, wore Jordan Brand sneakers with the logos covered during the game because of concerns that his Anta shoes contributed to the sprain and bone bruise to his left ankle (who checks this stuff?). Buy American folks!

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.