Forget College Football And World Series: Here Are 3 NBA Best Bets!
This is my busy season in sports handicapping. I'm an NBA junkie and will have action every night of the regular season and playoffs. I'll try to keep up with the 2023 World Series and college football but I'm not making any promises.
Through the first three nights of the NBA regular-season, my record is only 6-4 and my bankroll is only +1.43 units (u). I'm taking two teams in their home openers and a player prop in a revenge game for my ...
NBA Saturday Gambling Looks
Chicago Bulls at Detroit Pistons (+1.5), 7 p.m. ET tip-off
For the record, Chicago has beaten Detroit in 15 straight meetings, covering 12 with one split. The Pistons will snap this losing skid vs. the Bulls because they have a deeper and younger roster with a better coach.
Both teams are playing the 2nd of a back-to-back (B2B). But, the Bulls (1-1) should be worse off and the Pistons (1-1) are playing in their home-opener Saturday.
Chicago got past the Toronto Raptors 104-103 Friday in a hard-fought overtime game. While Detroit handled the Charlotte Hornets 111-99 on the road Friday.
However, the Raptors are an awkward team to play that likes to muck games up. Between the overtime affair and Toronto's physical style, the Bulls may get tired early vs. the Pistons.
Detroit Pistons PG Cade Cunningham drives to the basket against the Hornets at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports)
Furthermore, Chicago has a bunch of veteran players while Detroit has a young, up-and-coming roster. Pistons rookie wing Ausar Thompson is an athletic freak that could make life difficult for Bulls wing DeMar DeRozan.
Also, Chicago was 1-5 straight up (SU) and 0-5-1 against the spread (ATS) last season in the 2nd of B2B vs. divisional opponents. One of those games was a 117-115 over the Pistons. But, Detroit was missing PG Cade Cunningham and bigs Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart.
Lastly, Detroit has been the better 3-point shooting team through two games. The Bulls have a -4 margin in 3-pointers made and the Pistons are +3 in made 3-pointers. Chicago has allowed the 2nd-most wide-open 3-point attempts and Detroit has allowed the fewest.
My prediction: Pistons 108, Bulls 104
Wizards PG Tyus Jones OVER 13.5 points (-115) vs. Grizzlies, 7 p.m. ET tip-off
This is a Revenge Game for Jones who was part of the 3-team deal between Washington, Memphis and the Boston Celtics. Memphis got PG Marcus Smart, Boston received Kristaps Porzingis and Jones went to D.C.
Jones was Grizzlies PG Ja Morant's backup and was one of the best backup guards in the NBA. The Wizards promoted Jones to a starter. His offensive rating and true shooting are both higher as a starter than off the bench.
Wizards PG Tyus Jones goes to the basket on the Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indiana. (Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports)
The 9-year vet scored 16 points vs. the Indiana Pacers in Washington's season opener. But, Jones could've had a bigger game. He scored 14 points in the 1st-half and didn't play in the 4th-quarter despite hitting 58.3% of his shots including 2-for-4 from three.
I'm assuming Grizzlies SG Desmond Bane guards Jones and Smart will be defending Wizards SG Jordan Poole. Since Smart is one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA and Poole is a more dynamic scorer than Jones.
Bet 0.58u on Wizards PG Tyus Jones OVER 13.5 points (-115)
Miami Heat at Minnesota Timberwolves -5 (-110), 8 p.m. ET tip-off
The Timberwolves (0-1) lost their season-opener 97-94 at the Raptors and the Heat (1-1) lost at the Boston Celtics 119-111 last night (Friday).
With that in mind, Minnesota performed well last season with a rest edge. The T-Wolves 16-6 SU and 14-8 last season when they had a rest edge over their opponent. And Miami was 6-11-1 ATS with a rest disadvantage last season.
Also, the Heat are 0-4 SU with a -7.8 scoring margin in their four visits to Minnesota since acquiring Jimmy Butler in a sign-and-trade in 2019. Three of those games were the 2nd of B2B as well.
Timberwolves big Karl-Anthony Towns drives on Heat big Bam Adebayo at the Target Center in Minneapolis. (David Berding/Getty Images)
My takeaway from this trend is Miami just doesn't get up for these games vs. the Timberwolves. This could certainly happen again Saturday. The Heat just played on the road vs. the Boston Celtics in a rematch of the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals.
Finally, Minnesota's size could be an issue for Miami. The T-Wolves have two pedigreed bigs in their starting 5 in Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert. Both of whom can do different things. KAT is an elite scorer and Gobert is one of the best defensive bigs of this era.