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All game lines via the VSiN NBA odds page. Stay up to date on injury news with our injury report page as well.
*Indicates team is on the second leg of a back-to-back
**Lines are opening numbers
Best Bets
Record: 36-43 | Units: -8.47 | ROI: -10.98%
Utah is 3-9 SU/5-7 ATS in its last 12 games, and over that stretch it has allowed the fourth most points per 100 possessions (118.9). It seems clear that the magic has worn off for the Jazz, and now they find themselves in an emotional spot with Donovan Mitchell making his return to Salt Lake City. Cleveland should be able to find offensive success in this matchup, especially with Darius Garland back in the mix. The Cavaliers also come into this game fourth in defensive rebounding (75.2%) and they will be able to keep the Jazz off the offensive glass, which is vital for any team that faces them. On top of that, Utah’s depth is being tested with Talen Horton-Tucker, Collin Sexton and Kelly Olynyk all still listed as out. Cleveland closed as 6.5-point favorites over this team at home about three weeks ago and won that game by 21 points. By my measure, this should be a higher number in favor of the Cavaliers.
Play: Cavaliers (-3)
Best Bet Recap
Cavaliers (-3)
The Rest
Joel Embiid is listed as questionable for this contest and that is a strong indication that he could return from injury, as he had been listed as out when injury reports were first posted the night prior. Should Embiid return it will be a defensive boost for Philadelphia which had allowed 121.0 points per 100 possessions in non-garbage time without him on the floor. The closing total when these two teams met on Sunday was 228.5 and the game went Over, but with Embiid back bettors should expect an even less efficient offensive performance from Detroit and look for this game to go Under the overnight total of 230 at Pointsbet and other shops.
Miami hung tough and grabbed a cover against Brooklyn over the weekend, but bettors must once again deal with a lengthy injury report if they want to back the Heat tonight. Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro both carry questionable designations for this game, and Kyle Lowry is out with discomfort in his knee. If neither Herro or Adebayo can go this number will surely dip lower, and that is not a risk worth taking preflop at all.
Toronto snapped out of its funk with a win over Portland on Sunday, but it is hardly back to form. Luckily, the Raptors get an opponent which is 4-15 SU/7-11-1 ATS in its last 19 games with a -6.5 net rating in non-garbage time. This seems like a solid match up for Toronto as well. The lone success Charlotte finds on offense is when it can force turnovers and score in transition, but the Raptors own the lowest offensive turnover rate in the league (12.4%) and rank ninth in transition defensive efficiency (123.4). Do not be surprised if this line closes higher.
As mentioned in Sunday’s column, the Portland Trail Blazers are struggling and those struggles continued in the loss to Toronto. Portland is now 3-8 SU and ATS in its last 11 games, and its offense has been average in putting up 111.1 points per 100 possessions. The Blazers are only being outscored by 1.6 points per 100 possessions during this slide, but when the team is power rated like they are it leads to poor results. It seems this would be a spot in which the team has an opportunity to get right, catching Orlando with no rest after allowing Sacramento to set a franchise record for most made 3-pointers in a game, but bettors are not getting any discounts.
Stephen Curry is expected to make his return from injury tonight, but that is the only exciting thing about this contest. Devin Booker and Chris Paul are out, and Deandre Ayton, Torrey Craig and Landry Shamet are all questionable. It seems like a very easy game to cross off so early in the day. Phoenix is 1-9 SU/3-7 ATS in its last 10 games with a non-existent offense averaging 107.1 points per 100 possessions. That is not getting much better if Ayton is out tonight, and with Curry’s return it is likely this number only grows.
Los Angeles is 0-6 SU/1-5 ATS in its last six games, and health is starting to diminish once more. Paul George is out tonight with the hamstring injury he recently suffered, Luke Kennard is expected to be sidelined as well. Luka Doncic is questionable himself with ankle soreness, and if he cannot go it would be a massive blessing for the Clippers. Doncic has terrorized Los Angeles and Ivica Zubac throughout his career, averaging 31.7 points, 8.5 rebounds and 7.9 assists per game on 47.7% shooting from the floor. It is a matchup in which he thrives, and will likely do so again if he takes the floor.