NBA Handicapping Articles

NBA Odds and Predictions: Tuesday, April 7 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 4/6/2015

So you are the Golden State Warriors. You have nothing whatsoever to play for on Tuesday night in New Orleans. Do you rest some guys and "let" the Pelicans beat you to improve their chances of winning the No. 8 seed in the West? Maybe the Warriors would prefer to face New Orleans in the first round of the playoffs instead of having to deal with Oklahoma City and Russell Westbrook. I would think that's the Warriors would much prefer the inexperienced Pelicans. We shall see. Here's a look at every game on Tuesday.

NBA Odds and Predictions: Saturday, April 4 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 4/3/2015

Unlike Friday's schedule, there are some pretty good NBA matchups on Saturday night featuring likely playoff teams. There are few bigger fans of the Association than I, but I'll certainly be watching the Final Four instead of the professionals on Saturday night. But, hey, there are always potential NCAA/NBA parlay options. Here's a look at every game on the penultimate Saturday of the 2014-15 NBA regular season.

NBA Odds and Predictions: Friday, April 3 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 4/2/2015

Somewhat of an unusual schedule on a pretty busy Friday as only one game features two teams that for sure will make the playoffs: Thunder at Grizzlies in the first game of ESPN's doubleheader. The Thunder haven't clinched a spot yet, but it's probably only a matter of time -- although New Orleans still might have something to say about that. Memphis entered play Thursday tied with Houston (which was in Dallas on Thursday night) for the Southwest Division lead, and the winner of that probably gets the No. 2 seed in the West. Here's a look at every game Friday, with Blazers-Lakers also on ESPN.

Tracking the Wizards: NBA Picks and Handicapping for Washington Basketball
by Dave Schwab - 4/2/2015

The NBA regular season continues to wind down with the start of the playoffs right around the corner. All year long I have been handicapping the Washington Wizards in an effort to demonstrate the value of specialization when it comes to betting on the NBA. I have also been releasing free picks with the use of Doc’s Sports Unit Betting System for select games to help prove the point. It has been a roller-coaster ride so far that has added up to an 11-10-1 record on the year.

NBA Odds and Predictions: Thursday, April 2 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 4/1/2015

Typically light schedule this Thursday with the TNT doubleheader and just one other game. Perhaps the most interesting one is Miami at Cleveland, the final time LeBron James sees his former team this regular season -- and you know he doesn't want to lose the season series to old buddy Dwayne Wade. It's quite possible that Cleveland and Miami would face off in the first round of the playoffs as the Cavs are probably going to be the No. 2 seed and the Heat currently are No. 7. Think the TV networks would like that matchup? Here's a look at Thursday's games.

NBA Odds and Predictions: Wednesday, April 1 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 3/31/2015

Great news for Bulls backers on Monday as Derrick Rose -- yes, we are back giving daily Derrick Rose injury updates -- took part in his first full-contact practice since undergoing surgery on the torn meniscus in his knee. Coach Tom Thibodeau said Rose looked winded afterward but otherwise had no ill effects. He then scrimmaged on Tuesday.

NBA Playoffs Seeding: Handicapping the Potential No. 8 Seeds Eastern Conference
by George Monroy - 3/31/2015

The Eastern Conference may be a little light on .500 teams—at the moment there are only five—but the way the playoff structure is set up, somebody from the conference has to make the playoffs no matter how bad their records are. The sixth-, seventh- and eighth-seeded teams are all on course to make a postseason appearance while winning less than half of their games this season, and three sub-.500 teams would be the worst playoff output the East has produced in the last 10 years.

NBA Odds and Predictions: Tuesday, March 31 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 3/30/2015

There's a TNT doubleheader on Tuesday in addition to Thursday this week, and Tuesday's is highlighted by an NBA Finals rematch between San Antonio and Miami. OK, that's sort of tongue in cheek as obviously the Heat are a vastly different team now without LeBron James, but his last Miami home game was a Game 4 107-86 blowout loss to the Spurs on June 12, 2014, that all but ended the series as it gave San Antonio a 3-1 lead.

The State of OKC Thunder with Durant Ruled out for Season
by Trevor Whenham - 3/30/2015

In the rankings of anti-climactic news this would rank pretty high — the Oklahoma City Thunder have officially announced that Kevin Durant will be lost for the rest of the season and that he will be facing yet another foot surgery. It’s obviously far from ideal news — losing an MVP rarely is, never mind in the middle of a fight for your playoff lives. It had been essentially a lost season for Durant, though, so it’s not like they have to suddenly and rapidly adjust to a harsh new reality. Whenever news this significant comes out, though, the betting public is going to take notice. The more smart handicappers can anticipate and respond to public thinking, the better off they are. To help you out, here are a collection of thoughts about the Durant injury situation:

2015 NBA MVP Odds with Expert Picks and Predictions
by George Monroy - 3/30/2015

The 2015 NBA’s Most Valuable Player race may see the tightest vote in the history of the award. The season has been nothing but one-upsmanship from three of the NBA’s best players. One day it’s Stephen Curry going behind the back and scoring on four defenders. The next day it’s Russell Westbrook leading the charge on a destructive 30-point, 12-rebound and 10-assists triple-double. Another night its James Harden scoring 40 and having a hand in nearly every point his team scores down the stretch. And that is not even mentioning the stellar seasons that LeBron James and Anthony Davis are having—the NBA has been that good in 2015.

NBA Coaches: Assets and Liabilities Heading into Playoffs
by Trevor Whenham - 3/30/2015

The more I watch the NBA, the more I come to the conclusion that coaches matter more than any other factor. A good coach can elevate a team. A bad coach — and there are plenty of them in the league — can make it very tough for the team to reach their potential and can consistently turn victory into defeat. As we head towards the playoffs, then, it makes sense to look at coaches who are assets for their teams — they make the team better by their presence and have to be respected in the playoffs as a result — and those that stand in the way of their rosters being as dangerous as they could potentially be.

NBA Odds and Predictions: Saturday, March 28 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 3/27/2015

I'd like to say there are some great NBA matchups opposite the NCAA Tournament's two Elite Eight games on Saturday. I'd like to tell you that. But there's only one game between teams both in the playoffs right now, and I have a feeling the visitor in that one is going to be less than full strength. Probably the biggest story line of the night is that Portland faces Denver for the first time since acquiring Arron Afflalo from the Nuggets for a bunch of garbage and a protected 2016 first-round pick at the trade deadline. Here's a look at each matchup.

Tracking the Wizards: NBA Picks and Handicapping for Washington Basketball
by Dave Schwab - 3/27/2015

I have spent the NBA regular season concentrating my handicapping efforts on the Washington Wizards in an effort to prove the value of specialization when it comes to betting on the NBA. With the use of Doc’s Sports Unit Betting System, I have also been releasing weekly free picks in an effort to return a solid profit with my unit plays. It has been a roller-coaster ride so far that has added up to an even 10-10-1 record on the year.

NBA Betting Trends: Hot and Cold Teams Against the Point Spread
by Aaron Smith - 3/27/2015

We're right in the thick of March Madness and the NCAA Tournament, but don't forget about the NBA. Things are getting interesting in the playoff races in both conferences. There are only three weeks left in the regular season. This can be a really tricky time to handicap games since there are a lot of teams pushing to improve seeding, but there are also plenty of teams ready to go home for the offseason. Motivation is a key factor the rest of the way during the regular season!

NBA Odds and Predictions: Friday, March 27 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 3/26/2015

The great thing about there being just the one NBA game on Thursday night is that you don't have to worry about any back-to-backs on Friday and thus possibly some guys sitting out for rest (although then some teams play again Saturday). The clear game of the night is Golden State at Memphis, although in reality it means nothing for the Warriors because they are going to clinch the top seed in the West probably by the end of the weekend. The Grizzlies perhaps need to make a statement in this one after getting routed by Cleveland on Wednesday. Here's a look at every game -- lot of home dogs.

NBA Handicapping: How to Bet the No. 1 Seeds During the Stretch Run
by Trevor Whenham - 3/26/2015

The Golden State Warriors have clinched their division — the first time they have won it since 1976. The Atlanta Hawks have clinched theirs, too. Both squads have an eight-game lead in their conference, so it will be no time at all before they have mathematically wrapped up what is already theirs — conference titles and home-court advantage through the first three rounds of the playoffs.

NBA Odds and Predictions: Wednesday, March 25 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 3/24/2015

Very busy NBA schedule on Wednesday because there's only one game Thursday night opposite the start of the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16 (thus no opening line report NBA story previewing that day). Clearly the best NBA matchup of the night is Cleveland at Memphis in a potential NBA Finals preview. Both seem likely to finish with the No. 2 seed in their respective conferences. A Cavs-Grizzlies finals is priced as the fourth-favorite on Sportsbook.ag at +700.

NBA Handicapping: Can the OKC Thunder Succeed in the Playoffs?
by George Monroy - 3/24/2015

Russell Westbrook has been more than a MVP candidate and a triple-double machine—though he has excelled in both of those categories. He has also morphed into the most devastating one-man force in the league and put himself on top of “the most entertaining player in basketball” list during a season that has seen Stephen Curry throw up a highlight-reel play almost every night. Westbrook has been a revelation for an Oklahoma City Thunder team that needed him to be spectacular on a nightly basis in order for the squad to even remain in contention for a playoff spot.

NBA Odds and Predictions: Tuesday, March 24 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 3/23/2015

This is my first time writing an NBA story since hearing of the news that Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant has had a setback and now is out indefinitely as he continues to have soreness in that surgically-repaired foot. What a shame! I really wanted to see a first-round Western Conference playoff matchup between No. 1 Golden State and No. 8 Oklahoma City, with the Thunder at full health. Now I'd be shocked if Durant plays this season as there are just too many risks when dealing with that type of foot injury.

NBA Odds and Predictions: Saturday, March 21 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 3/20/2015

A rather bland NBA five-game schedule on Saturday as it's definitely overshadowed by the first games of the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament. However, one of those NBA games I do want to see is the last of them (10:30 p.m. ET) as Utah visits Golden State. Sometimes defense can be interesting to watch, and that will be on display here. The Jazz have been by far the NBA's best defensive team since the All-Star break, while Golden State leads the NBA with a defensive efficiency rating of 97.6 points allowed per 100 possessions. Guess which way I'll be leaning on the "over/under'" in that one? Here's look at each game.