Tag: NBA betting odds lines and picks

The NBA’s restart in the Orlando bubble has been action-packed through the first two days. Most of the matchups thus far were tightly contested, including two single-possession games on the first night and two overtime games in the second.

BetMGM Sportsbook will have NBA odds and NBA props for all games so we’re bringing you the best bet for every day of the NBA action.

Philadelphia 76ers vs. Indiana Pacers Under 218.5

Philadelphia and Indiana are both playoff teams keyed by their defenses. They each sit in fourth-place in opponent’s points per game (107.4 PPG) and the Pacers are ranked seventh in defensive efficiency while the 76ers are sixth.

The biggest question for any NBA team in 2020 is how you shoot and defend the three. Indiana is above-average at preventing threes (12th in opponent’s threes attempted per game) and their opponents have the sixth-worst three-point percentage in the NBA. Philadelphia’s foes shoot threes at the 15th-best rate in the NBA, however, the 76ers allow their opponents to shoot the least threes per game. Also, the Pacers take the least three-pointers per game in the NBA.

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Both are slower paced teams, who aren’t aggressive about getting to the line.  Indiana plays at the 24th-fastest pace and Philadelphia is ranked 19th in pace. The Pacers are last in the NBA in free throw attempts per field goals attempted and the 76ers aren’t much better (ranked 21st in that same category).

Indiana will be without All-Star, and defensive anchor, PF Domantas Sabonis, but how I factor that into the handicap is it’ll make it easier for the 76ers to lock down the paint and closeout on threes. And while he is pivotal to their defensive rotations, Sabonis is also their second-leading scorer.

Furthermore, Indiana’s injury report heading into this game is worrisome for the offense. Four of their five starters are listed as at least questionable (Sabonis is listed as out). That will give more minutes to their best three-point shooters – PG Aaron Holiday and SG Justin Holiday – but, again, the 76ers know this and are great at defending threes.

Eight of the last nine 76ers-Pacers games have gone Under the projected total and so will this one.

Get some action on this game or others by placing a legal NBA bet in CO, IN, NJ and WV at BetMGM Sportsbook.

For more NBA sports betting tips and advice, visit SportsbookWire. Follow @Geoffery_Clark on Twitter, and follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook.

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]

Day two of the NBA’s restart in the Orlando bubble is a six-game slate featuring the Milwaukee Bucks versus the Boston Celtics and, Southwest Division rivals, the Houston Rockets playing the Dallas Mavericks.

BetMGM Sportsbook will have NBA odds and NBA props for all games so we’re bringing you the best bet for every day of the NBA action. Today we’re focusing on a key NBA betting line in the Phoenix Suns vs. Washington Wizards matchup.

Phoenix Over 56.5 first-half points (-115)

Washington is the worst defensive team in the NBA. They rank last in the NBA in defensive rating and opponent’s effective field goal percentage. They are only second-to-last in opponent’s points per game because they are usually getting routed in the first half and the opponent takes their foot off the gas. Case in point, the Wizards give up the most first-half points in the NBA (by a 2.1-point gap) and are 27th in first-half point margin.

Plus a good defense is predicated by communication, which the Wizards could be lacking with all the injuries to their roster. As in their defensive woes could be amplified in this restart.

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Place your legal NBA sports bets in CO, IN, NJ and WV at BetMGM! Register and bet now.

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Aside from Washington’s porous defense (which we can pile more alarming stats onto), Phoenix should be able to get to the free-throw line against the Wizards where they excel. The Suns have the highest free throw percentage in the NBA and attempt the ninth most free throws per game. Washington also sends their opponent to the free-throw line the second-most in the NBA.

The teams’ head-to-head trends line up nicely for our first-half Over bet as well. Five of the last six Suns-Wizards games have gone Over the projected total, and Phoenix has scored 69 points and 59 points in back-to-back first halves against Washington. The Wizards have the sixth-most Overs in the NBA and the Suns-Wizards combined Over/Under record on the season.

Finally, judging by the game flow of last night’s contests, which both had higher scoring first halves, and mixing in the stat of Washington allowing an NBA-high 63.1 points per first half, expect Phoenix to smoke the Wizards early on.

Get some action on this game or others by placing a legal NBA bet in CO, IN, NJ and WV at BetMGM Sportsbook.

For more NBA sports betting tips and advice, visit SportsbookWire. Follow @Geoffery_Clark on Twitter, and follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook.

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]