The NBA season is getting increasingly more unpredictable as the calendar moves forward and Tuesday’s five-game slate, including some fascinating matchups, should only contribute to that trend.
Start with the Los Angeles Lakers-Boston Celtics rivalry. Will the Celtics, who looked like world-beaters less than a week ago, be able to avoid a three-game slide and get back to dominating? Or will the Lakers prove their recent surge isn’t just a product of beating bad teams?
How about out East? Are the Philadelphia Sixers back on track with better health? Or perhaps the Sacramento Kings can continue their stellar season.
Could the Golden State Warriors-Milwaukee Bucks battle in the midwest serve as an NBA Finals preview?
There are many storylines ahead of the night’s games and a lot to be excited about in general. But things will be even more intriguing after some wagering. We’ll walk through every game and find one perfect bet for each.
All odds via BetMGM.
Sacramento Kings vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Joel Embiid and James Harden are healthy and playing some of their best basketball of their tenure together. With those two clicking, this game taking place in Philadelphia (where no beams will be lit) and the Kings being somewhat hobbled (De’Aaron Fox having missed the last two games with an injury), the Sixers should have too much for the Kings to overcome.
Make the simple bet for this game and take Philly to cover the spread.
Golden State Warriors vs. Milwaukee Bucks
With so much star power on the court, there are a number of wagers that bettors should feel comfortable making. For instance, as Brook Lopez sits in a drop in pick-and-roll defense, it would be easy to imagine Stephen Curry hitting the over on his 4.5-threes prop. Better yet, what about Klay Thompson’s over 4.5 makes, after drilling 19 triples over his last four games?
Either could work, but the best money spent has got to be on Giannis Antetokounmpo securing over 11.5 rebounds against this smaller Golden State lineup. Assuming he stays out of foul trouble and that the game isn’t a blowout, Giannis should be on the court long enough to grab north on 11 boards, which he’s done in half of his last six games.
Lock this one in and don’t think twice about it.
Phoenix Suns vs. Houston Rockets
The Suns have lost four straight games and will be without Devin Booker, who is nursing a hamstring injury. Meanwhile, the Rockets have won three of their last four games, with each win coming against potential championship contenders (Phoenix, Philadelphia, Milwaukee).
In other words, there’s no way I’m betting on the sides here. The outcome feels too unpredictable.
However, there are some good player props sprinkled in here. My personal favorite is Eric Gordon to make more than 1.5 3-pointers. Gordon is having an “okay” season from deep at 34.7 percent with 1.9 makes per game. But we know the minutes and the volume are always going to be there. If he can get up at least five shots, as he has in eight of his last nine games, I feel confident that he’ll knock down at least two.
New Orleans Pelicans vs. Utah Jazz
Vivant Arena is a tough place to play, and it’ll be even tougher for the West’s first-place New Orleans Pelicans to get a win there on Tuesday with Lauri Markkanen and Mike Conley available to play for the Jazz. So, it’s hard to say which team will win and which will lose.
The safer play to make is on the over/under (232.5 points). The total is high, but both the Jazz and Pelicans are ranked amongst the league’s top-5 offenses and also are two of the five highest-scoring teams in the NBA. This game is going to get weird, just like the first one (122-121, Jazz win) and I wouldn’t be surprised in the least bit if the over hits.
Boston Celtics vs. Los Angeles Lakers
I’m not sure if this is the game of the day, but it certainly will have some deserved hype around it.
The Celtics are an elite team but have dropped two straight games by double digits after beginning the season with a record of 21-5. On the other hand, the Lakers have somewhat saved their season after an ugly, doom-and-gloom start. And as the two meet on Tuesday night, the outcome is going to be decided by the stars. Can Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown bounce back from recent mediocre performances and outduel Lebron James and Anthony Davis?
My answer is no, although they might have solid games. With Robert Williams and Al Horford unavailable, the Celtics are incredibly thin in the frontcourt, which is great news for Anthony Davis. He’ll mostly be challenged by Blake Griffin and Grant Williams in this matchup and should have no problem cleaning up the glass. Lock in his over 12.5-rebound prop.
