NBA Online Betting – Big Week On The Hardwood After The All-Star Break
Online betting players should have an exciting week when it comes to NBA betting as there are a number of great matchups on tap after the All-Star break, beginning with Blake Griffin’s homecoming, a trip to Portland for the defending two-time NBA champions, a meeting of two major East contenders, and finally, the next edition of the newly competitive “Battle of Los Angeles”.
(All numbers as of Monday, February 21st)
Clippers Thunder Betting – Tuesday, 8:00 PM ET
The Thunder should be the NBA betting favorites in their first game after the All-Star break, and this game has extra meaning as Clippers All-Star Blake Griffin was born in Oklahoma City and went to school at Oklahoma. The Clippers have been very successful since the Thunder moved from Seattle to Oklahoma City, going 3-0 SU and ATS with two of those games going over the posted total, and that could happen again in a game of two exciting teams who give up more than 101 points per game. The Thunder are 14-14 ATS at home, while the Clippers are 11-14-1 ATS on the road, but we’re taking Oklahoma City to pull this one and claim a victory as they were starting to roll before the Break, and should be able to resume that against the Clippers, who are still without guard Eric Gordon.
Betting Edge: Oklahoma City Thunder
Lakers Trailblazers Betting – Wednesday, 10:30 PM ET
The Lakers have only been the underdog in two games this year, going 1-1 ATS, so it’s likely that they’ll be a slight NBA betting favorite in Portland, where they are 1-4 SU and ATS in their last five trips. The Trailblazers are 15-10 ATS at home this season, while the Lakers are 15-15 ATS away from the Staples Center, so the line won’t be large either way. The Trailblazers may have a small advantage as they have Tuesday off, while the Lakers will host a tough Atlanta team, but Los Angeles is a sterling 9-1 SU in the second half of back-to-back games, and they’ll be hungry to come out strong after the break due to a three-game skid prior to the weekend. The SU pick is tough, and we think the Lakers will pull it out, but we would take the Trailblazers for your ATS wager; they’ll be rested and the Rose Garden is a tough place to play.
Betting Edge: Portland Trailblazers
Heat Bulls Betting – Thursday, 8:00 PM ET
In the first game of the TNT doubleheader, you will probably find the Bulls as a slight NBA betting favorite at the United Center, where they are a spectacular 19-9-1 ATS this season, while the Heat are 18-13 ATS on the road. The Bulls are 3-2 SU and ATS in their last five meetings with the Heat at home, including a three-point win over Miami on January 15th in their first meeting in Chicago against the “Big Three” of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, who were all courted by the Bulls during the offseason. Wade is from Chicago, so he always wants to play well in his hometown. But the Chicago guy to watch may be Derrick Rose, who scored a career-high 42 points in a win over San Antonio in the final game before the break, and he had 34 points in the first meeting. Will Wade be at full strength after aggravating a sprained ankle during the All-Star break? We’re going to go with Chicago, who have turned the United Center into a fortress.
Betting Edge: Chicago Bulls
Clippers Lakers Betting – Friday, 10:30 PM ET
The week’s NBA betting action wraps up with the “Battle of Los Angeles” between the two tenants of the Staples Center, and the Lakers have won the last six meetings SU when they are the “home” team against the Clippers, who are 2-4 ATS in those games. Overall, the Lakers are 2-3 SU and 1-4 ATS in their last five meetings with the Clippers, who have been the “home” team in the last three meetings, and the last two games have been close, with the Lakers eking out a one-point win in December, then the Clippers won by seven in January in a testy game which ended with the ejections of Griffin, Baron Davis, Lamar Odom and Ron Artest. The Lakers are used to rolling over the Clippers, who are putting up a fight now, so this should be another great game. Still, until the Clippers get Gordon back, we can’t take them over the Lakers, who may have a resurgent Kobe Bryant after his All-Star MVP win. This can only boost their sports betting chances.
Betting Edge: Los Angeles Lakers
