Tough day in NBA betting on Saturday as we hit on just 1 of 3 bets to end our profitable streak. The regular season is almost over but there’s still plenty of opportunity for wins as we kick off this week’s NBA action by previewing the key games this Tuesday, the 27th of March below.
Los Angeles Lakers at Detroit Pistons (10am AEDT)
After going through a really rough patch that saw them all but eliminated from the Eastern Conference playoff, the Pistons have bounced back over the last few weeks to win some decent games on the back of some great Blake Griffin performances. The return of Reggie Jackson to the line-up has also sparked the Pistons, who will start as 4.5-point favourites at home.
The Lakers have been fairly impressive for a non-playoff team since the all-star break. They have won four of their last 10 games and currently sit 11th in the Western Conference. They are coming off a good win over Memphis on Sunday but the absence Brandon Ingram or Isaiah Thomas in Tuesday’s clash due to injury will be a massive blow.
Tough game to call here as neither team really have much to play for in the last few weeks of the regular season. The Pistons have looked good over the past few weeks with the added playmaking ability of Reggie Jackson in the line-up. We think they cover the 4.5-point line at home.
TIP: Detroit -4.5 - $1.95 at Sportsbet
Denver Nuggets at Philadelphia 76ers (10am AEDT)
Philly were fantastic at home on Sunday as they downed the Minnesota Timberwolves 120-108. Unbelievably, the 76ers now sit in fourth position in the Eastern Conference and have won their last six games in a row. Aussie rookie Ben Simmons is surrounded by a host of sharpshooters which makes the 76ers a threat to score over 120 on any given night, and the defence lead by Joel Embiid is the fourth ranked in the league.
Denver are still in the playoff race in the Western Conference, but currently sit 1.5 games behind the Jazz in eight place. They’ll need to be near perfect in the run home to make a push at the playoffs, which starts with the challenging task of winning in Philadelphia.
The 76ers start as 6-point favourites here, which we think is a little low. They have been fantastic at home, currently holding a 24-11 record at the Wells Fargo Center and are also the best home team against the spread in the NBA at 23-12. We think they cover here.
TIP: Philadelphia -6 - $1.95 at Sportsbet
Boston Celtics at Phoenix Suns (1pm AEDT)
The Celtics started their four-game road trip on Saturday with a win over Portland and backed it up with another great undermanned win over Sacramento on Monday. They have now won their last three games, all over Western Conference opponents, and will meet another one in Phoenix on Tuesday.
The Suns are in a massive battle at the moment, for the right to hold the highest % chance in the draft lottery. They currently hold the worst record in the league by just one game in the loss column over the Grizzlies, and will want to hold onto that ‘achievement’. They’ll have no interest in winning this game.
Although the Celtics will still be without star guard Kyrie Irving for this clash, the 8 point line still seems a little low. The Suns will be missing Devin Booker, TJ Warren and Tyson Chandler for this clash, and the Celtics boast the best record against the spread, away from home in the league. Back them to cover here.
TIP: Boston -8 - $1.95 at Sportsbet
