Unfortunately our run of profitable days came to an end on Thursday as we had two tough losses to go with one win for the day. The Pacers were able to push through the Victor Oladipo injury to defeat the Raptors, although the Nets and 76ers fell one point and 2.5 points short of their spread, respectively. We now shift our focus to the 10-game slate on Saturday and look to exploit some more value in the market. Good luck to everyone following!
NBA Betting Tips Saturday January 26th
Washington Wizards @ Orlando Magic (11am AEDT)
We kick start our Saturday betting tips with a play on the Washington Wizards at Orlando Magic match-up. The regular season series is currently split at 1-1 between these teams, with each club defending their home court.
The Wizards are set to finally hit the road after a long six-game homestand that saw them go 4-2. They come into Orlando on the second night of a back-to-back after playing the Warriors on Friday in a game they lost by eight points. The Wizards are currently in 10th spot in the Eastern Conference standings at 20-27.
The Magic return home for this encounter with the Wizards after a two game road trip that they split at 1-1. Their most recent game was on Thursday where they were ultra-competitive against the Nets, but eventually fell short by four points. Magic are currently in 11th spot on the East with a 20-28 overall record.
The Wizards are bound to be tired when they travel back to the East coast after a tough match against the Warriors. They also hold one of the worst road records in the NBA at 5-18 and come up against a desperate Magic outfit. We expect Steve Clifford’s Magic to control this game from the outset and win comfortably at home.
New York Knicks @ Brooklyn Nets (11:30am AEDT)
Our second play of the day comes from the Eastern Conference duel between the New York Knicks and the Brooklyn Nets. This is the fourth and final contest between these teams this season. The Nets currently lead the series 2-1 after pinching the most recent match-up at MSG.
The Knicks currently hold the equal longest losing streak in the NBA with seven consecutive losses to their name. They’ve struggled just as much, if not more than what we expected from them in the pre-season. Unfortunately, things don’t look like getting better anytime soon for the 14th placed Knicks.
Meanwhile, the Nets have won five on the spin and are one of the most in-form teams in the entire league. In some ways the recent success has come out of the blue for the Nets, but we’re sure their success-starved fans aren’t complaining. They come into this in sixth place at 26-23 in the East.
The Nets are certainly going to win this game, it’s just a matter of by how much. And we believe the answer to that question is A LOT. They’re playing terrific team basketball and it would shock me if they didn’t defeat the Knicks by 10+ at home.
Toronto Raptors @ Houston Rockets (12pm AEDT)
Our third and final play comes from the inter-conference battle ween the Toronto Raptors and the Houston Rockets. This is the first of two scheduled meetings between these teams this season.
The Raptors lost their most recent game to the Pacers, but will most likely welcome back superstar forward Kawhi Leonard from his four game hiatus. As you would expect, the Raptors are a much better team with the perennial All-Star in the team and all sources are pointing towards a return here. The Raptors are currently in second spot in the East at 36-14 and are breathing down the Bucks neck in first position.
The Rockets continue to grind out wins thanks to the spectacular play of reigning MVP James Harden. ‘The Beard’ poured in a career high 61 points in his last outing, which takes his season average to over 36 points per game. It’s just ridiculous stuff from Harden, who has led the Rockets to a respectable 27-20 record, which is currently good enough for fifth spot in the stacked Western Conference.
Even with how great Harden is playing, we can’t go past a near full strength Raptors outfit here. They’ve simply got too many pieces for the Rockets defence to handle, especially in the front court with Siakam, Ibaka and Leondard. We expect them to win this on the road.
Toronto Raptors Win
$1.80
