Category: NBA

Utah Jazz at Portland Trail Blazers odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s Utah Jazz at Portland Trail Blazers sports betting odds and lines, with NBA matchup analysis, picks and tips.

The Utah Jazz (32-16) and Portland Trail Blazers (22-27) will tip it up at 10:30 p.m. ET at Moda Center. We analyze the Jazz-Trail Blazers odds and lines, with NBA betting advice and tips around the matchup.

Get some action on this game or others by placing a bet at BetMGM.

Jazz at Trail Blazers: Key injuries

Jazz

  • C Tony Bradley (knee) questionable

Trail Blazers

  • SF Carmelo Anthony (personal) questionable
  • PF Zach Collins (shoulder) out
  • SG Rodney Hood (Achilles’) out
  • PF Skal Labissiere (knee) out
  • C Jusuf Nurkic (leg) out

Jazz at Trail Blazers: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips

NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 12:00 p.m. ET.

Prediction

Jazz 121, Trail Blazers 113

Moneyline (ML)

The Jazz (-250) are facing a Trail Blazers (+200) that fought through an emotional night, topping the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center Friday in their first game since the death of Kobe Bryant. Now, the Blazers must return to Rip City and bring it again versus a difficult Western Conference foe. Utah will cost you more than twice your return, so look to the spread instead. AVOID.

Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

The JAZZ (-6.5, -110) are No. 1 in the NBA in three-point percentage (38.6), and they’re fifth in the league in field-goal percentage (47.4), too. Surprisingly, that equates to just 111.2 points per game (PPG), ranking a rather middling 16th. However, that combination of shooting and strong defense (6th in scoring D – 106.7 PPG) will be enough to overcome the Blazers (+6.5, -110).

Over/Under (O/U)

The OVER (109.5) is worth a small-unit wager. The over is 6-1 in Utah’s past seven on the road and 7-3 in the past 10 overall. The over is also 6-2 in the past eight at home for Portland against teams with a winning road record, and the over is 16-6 in the past 22 meetings in this series in Rip City.

Want some action on this game? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips and advice, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Atlanta Hawks at Dallas Mavericks odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s Atlanta Hawks at Dallas Mavericks sports betting odds and lines, with NBA betting picks, tips and best bets.

The Dallas Mavericks (29-19) host the Atlanta Hawks (13-36) Saturday at American Airlines Center for an 8:30 p.m. ET tip-off. We analyze the Hawks-Mavericks sports betting odds and lines, with NBA betting advice and tips around the matchup.

Hawks at Mavericks: Key Injuries

Hawks

  • SG Deandre’ Bembry (hand) out
  • PF Bruno Fernando (calf) questionable
  • SF De’Andre Hunter (ankle) questionable
  • C Alex Len (hip) out
  • PF Jabari Parker (shoulder) out
  • SF Chandler Parsons (concussion) out

Mavericks

  • SG Luka Doncic (ankle) out
  • C Dwight Powell (Achilles) out

Get some action on this game or others by placing a bet at BetMGM.

Hawks at Mavericks: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips

NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 11 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Mavericks 120, Hawks 118

Moneyline (ML)

The MAVERICKS (-200) enter Saturday having lost two straight games, falling 133-104 to the Phoenix Suns Tuesday and 128-121 to the Houston Rockets Friday. They’re one game into what’s expected to be at least a six-game absence for their MVP contender in Doncic. The Mavs are an unimpressive 13-12 on home court for the season, but they’re still the easy choice Saturday against the Hawks (+165).

Atlanta is coming off an impressive 127-117 win over the Philadelphia 76ers Thursday, but it is just 5-20 on the road and has  won two straight games just twice all season.

Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

Take the HAWKS (+4.5, -106) on the spread to help hedge against the pick of the Mavs on the moneyline. Atlanta will need to stay within 4 points in a loss or win outright for an ATS bet to cash.

The Hawks are 23-26 against the spread overall and 8-17 on the road, but the Mavs are just 9-15-1 ATS at home. The hosts are also just 3-3-1 ATS when playing the second half of a back-to-back. Atlanta is 8-1 ATS when playing with a rest advantage over its opponent.

Over/Under (O/U)

Take the OVER 236.5 (-121). The Mavericks are shorthanded and on the second half of a back-to-back, providing a scoring boost for a Hawks team averaging 109.2 points per game on the season. The Mavs managed to score 121 points Friday without Doncic in the lineup, as PF Kristaps Porzingis stepped up with 35 points in the loss.

Esten’s NBA betting record: 170-140

Want some action on this game? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips and advice, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Minnesota Timberwolves at Los Angeles Clippers odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s Minnesota Timberwolves at Los Angeles Clippers NBA matchup, with NBA betting odds, picks and best bets.

The Minnesota Timberwolves (15-32) and Los Angeles Clippers (33-15) will square off at 3:30 p.m. ET inside Staples Center in L.A. Saturday. We analyze the Timberwolves-Clippers odds and lines, with NBA betting advice and tips around the matchup.

Get some action on this game or others by placing a bet at BetMGM.

Timberwolves at Clippers: Key injuries

Timberwolves

  • SG Allen Crabbe (knee) out
  • SF Jake Layman (toe) out

Clippers

  • SF Kawhi Leonard (back) questionable
  • PG Derrick Walton Jr. (elbow) questionable

Timberwolves at Clippers: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips

NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated Saturday at 9:45 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Clippers 123, Timberwolves 107

Moneyline (ML)

The Clippers (-625) will cost you more than six times your potential return on investment. That’s just way too expensive, even if L.A. is a near-certainly to top the Timberwolves (+425). AVOID.

Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

These two teams have something in common — they each lost to the Sacramento Kings in their most recent outing. The CLIPPERS (-10.5, -106) should bounce back against the lowly Timberwolves (+10.5, -115), a team reeling after blowing a 17-point lead in the final three minutes against Sacramento, being forced to overtime on a controversial bucket at the buzzer that should have counted, and then losing a rough one.

The T-Wolves are just 8-20-1 ATS over their past 29 games overall, and 0-4 ATS in their last four against winning teams. While the Clips are 1-5 ATS in the past six against teams with a winning percentage under .400, they’re 22-7 ATS in the past 29 after a straight-up loss.

Over/Under (O/U)

As of 9:30 a.m. ET, the over/under for this game has not been posted. However, the approach to this bet should remain the same regardless of the posted total: the over is the play as long as Leonard is in the lineup. If he is held out of action — and he could potentially sit with a weak opponent on the schedule — then the under would be the lean. The Over is 12-3 in the last 15 meetings at Staples, and 7-1 in the previous eight battles overall.

Want some action on this game? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips and advice, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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New York Knicks at Indiana Pacers odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s New York Knicks at Indiana Pacers sports betting odds and lines, with NBA betting picks, tips and best bets.

The New York Knicks (13-36) visit the Indiana Pacers (31-17) Saturday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET. We analyze the Knicks-Pacers sports betting odds and lines, with NBA betting advice and tips around the matchup.

Knicks at Pacers: Key Injuries

Knicks

  • SG RJ Barrett (ankle) out
  • PG Frank Ntilikina (groin) probable

Get some action on this game or others by placing a bet at BetMGM.

Knicks at Pacers: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips

NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated Saturday at 9:25 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Pacers 116, Knicks 99

Moneyline (ML)

The Pacers (-589) have their full lineup for Saturday’s home date with the Knicks (+425), and they’re rightfully commanding favorites. Pacers SG Victor Oladipo returned to the lineup Wednesday and put up 9 points, 4 assists and 2 rebounds in his first 21 minutes of the 2019-20 season. Indiana is 8-2 across its last 10 games and 18-5 on home court for the season.

New York is 3-7 across its last 10 games and a woeful 6-18 on the road. Both teams last played Wednesday, when the Pacers beat the Chicago Bulls 115-106 in overtime and the Knicks lost 127-106 to the Memphis Grizzlies.

The Pacers are the easy choice to win this game, but we don’t swallow that kind of chalk around here. PASS on the moneyline in favor of the spread.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Pacers to win outright returns a profit of just $1.70.

Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

The spread becomes a little more interesting, with the PACERS (-10.5, -115) needing to win by at least 11 points. They’re still the pick, despite beating the Knicks by a narrow 104-103 count Dec. 7 in the season’s first head-to-head meeting.

The Pacers are 27-20-1 against the spread overall and 13-9-1 on their home floor. The Knicks are 25-24 ATS overall and 12-12 on the road. Indiana is 20-8-1 ATS when playing on equal rest as its opposition. New York is 13-11 ATS in the same situation.

Over/Under (O/U)

Take the OVER 213.5 (-115) on a low projection. I expect a better offensive performance from Oladipo in his second game back from injury. The Knicks are also missing a key defender in Ntilikina. The Pacers have scored at least 110 points in each of their last four games.

Esten’s NBA betting record: 170-140

Want some action on this game? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips and advice, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

[lawrence-newsletter]

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All-Star vote: The players who always do better with fans than peers

For the fourth year in a row, the NBA has disclosed the vote for All-Star starters of fans, media and players. Since we now have the data of where each player ranked in the final results, we decided to look for patterns. For example, which players …

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For the fourth year in a row, the NBA has disclosed the vote for All-Star starters of fans, media and players. Since we now have the data of where each player ranked in the final results, we decided to look for patterns.

For example, which players do better with fans than with their NBA peers?

We found out 16 guys have ranked higher in the fan vote than in the players vote every year since 2017. Only two on the list have made the All-Star Game and they are both members of the world-beating Golden State Warriors: Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. Kind of makes you go ‘Hmmm’, right?

The largest disparity between player and fan vote happens with Jordan Clarkson, though, which was kind of unexpected.

For more details, you can check the gallery above. All rankings based on position and conference.

See Usher’s incredible performance of ‘Amazing Grace’ before Lakers-Blazers game

Usher sang ‘Amazing Grace’ in tribute to Kobe and Gianna Bryant.

The Lakers celebrated the lives of Kobe and Gianna Bryant on Friday night before their first game since the tragic accident that claimed nine lives last weekend. The team arranged a special musical performance during a tribute video on the scoreboard, and LeBron James delivered a moving speech prior to tipoff. Usher opened the ceremonies with an unforgettable performance of “Amazing Grace.”

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Watch LeBron James’ moving speech before Lakers-Blazers game

“Live on, brother.”

The Lakers celebrated the lives of Kobe and Gianna Bryant during an emotional pregame ceremony on Friday night before a game against the Trail Blazers, and LeBron James delivered a speech to the crowd before tipoff.

James began his speech by reading the names of the nine people who lost their lives in the tragic crash, and then threw out his script for the speech and spoke from the heart.

“The first thing that comes to mind is all about family. And as I look around this arena, we’re all grieving. We’re all hurt. We’re all heartbroken. When we’re going through things like this, the best thing you can do is lean on the shoulders of your family.

…. I want to continue along with my teammates and continue his legacy, not only for this year, for as long as we can play this game of basketball that we love, because that’s what Kobe Bryant would want.”

The Lakers played a emotional tribute video to Bryant during the pregame ceremonies.

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Watch ESPN’s beautiful tribute video for Kobe and Gianna Bryant

This was incredible.

The Los Angeles Lakers returned to the Staples Center to play their first game since NBA legend Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and seven others lost their lives in a tragic helicopter accident last weekend.

In the pre-game broadcast on ESPN, a panel of former players and broadcasters shared their memories of Bryant, and ESPN aired a phenomenal tribute video narrated by actor Michael B. Jordan.

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See LeBron James’ new Black Mamba tattoo in honor of Kobe Bryant

LeBron James shows off his new Kobe Bryant tattoo.

NBA players across the league have been paying tribute to Kobe Bryant and Bryant’s family this week after the horrible tragedy that claimed nine lives last weekend. Lakers stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis revealed on social media that they were both getting tattoos in honor of Bryant, and James showed off his new ink on Friday.

Before taking the floor at Staples Center for the Lakers’ first game since Bryant’s passing, James shared a photo of his new tattoo on Instagram. The tattoo, an illustration of a black mamba, features Bryant’s two numbers with the Lakers, and the words “Mamba 4 Life.”

The Lakers are paying tribute to Bryant for the rest of the season with a patch on their jersey, and the team also added Bryant’s numbers and initials to the floor design.

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