NBA Betting – Weekend Trends And Picks
Sports betting players looking for some NBA action will find a game each night of this weekend to wager on, and injuries will play a role in the weekend betting lines as there are a couple of important players (and former MVP winners) on the shelf, while a city rivalry will wrap up the action on Sunday.
Mavericks Spurs Betting – Friday, 8:00 PM ET
There is no NBA betting line for this contest yet as the Mavericks are awaiting word on injured superstar and former MVP Dirk Nowitzki, who has missed eight games with a knee injury, and that has led to a 2-6 mark for Dallas in that time. It’s not likely that Nowitzki will suit up, and even if he did, the Spurs would probably be favored at home, giving that they’re on a four-game winning streak and it would be too much to ask of Nowitzki to step right in and correct Dallas’ problems. The Spurs are 3-2 SU and 2-2-1 ATS in their last five meetings at home with the Mavericks, who did win 103-94 in San Antonio on November 26th. Only two of those games have gone over the posted total, and we would go with the under again as the Mavericks have had problems scoring without their star; Dallas has scored 100 points or more in two of the eight games Nowitzki has missed. Take the Spurs to extend their six-game lead over the Mavericks atop the Southwest Division.
Heat Bulls Betting – Saturday, 8:00 PM ET
This is another NBA betting line that will be affected by injury as Miami’s LeBron James missed their 130-102 loss in Denver on Thursday because of a sprained ankle. This may push the line towards Chicago’s direction, but the Bulls may have been favored in this game anyway, given their 17-3 SU and 12-7-1 ATS records at the United Center. This is Miami’s first game in Chicago since acquiring James and Chris Bosh, and you must remember that the Bulls were probably James’ second choice. The Bulls are 3-2 SU and ATS in their last five games at home against the Heat, but again, it’s hard to count those records as the Heat are a completely different team from the past. The Heat have lost two in a row for the first time since late November, before they started to gel, and they may have a small edge in rest as the Bulls will be in Indiana on Friday, but Chicago is a stellar 8-3 in the second half of back-to-back games anymore. Derrick Rose has energy for days, averaging 27.0 points in 10 of those games. This game largely rests on James’ ankle; if he plays, put money on the Heat. If the “King” is on the sidelines again, take the Bulls in your sportsbook.
Lakers Clippers Betting – Sunday, 3:30 PM ET
The Battle of Los Angeles resumes on Sunday afternoon, and the Lakers will be the NBA betting favorites here. It’s an interesting dynamic when it comes to this matchup in regards to home-court advantage, as these two share the Staples Center, so it’s likely that, even though the Clippers are the home team, the Lakers will have more fans in the seats. However, it does seem to affect the psyche of the teams as the Clippers are 3-2 SU in their last five as the home team against the Lakers, who are 5-0 SU when they’re the home team. But the Lakers keep it close as a visitor, going 4-1 ATS, and they had won six in a row heading into Friday’s visit from New Jersey. The Clippers play Friday night in Golden State, taking a three-game winning streak into that game, and they’re definitely no doormats anymore thanks to the presence of Blake Griffin, a massive favorite for Rookie of the Year. The Lakers needed a buzzer-beater from Derek Fisher to beat the Clippers 87-86 on December 8th, but they should win more comfortably this time. The Clippers are definitely a team on the rise, but the Lakers have bounced back from a slump about a month ago, and they’ll be out to show they’re still the big dogs in the Staples Center. Take the Lakers in your online betting book.
