Tonight, we have a 4-game slate featuring a key matchup between two of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.
- The new-look Philadelphia 76ers will take on the Milwaukee Bucks.
- The Los Angeles Clippers will try to get back on track against the Orlando Magic.
- The Atlanta Hawks will look to continue their recent string of good play against San Antonio.
- The sputtering Sacramento Kings travel to Memphis to take on the Grizzlies.
Because these are all fun matchups, there should be a lot of pregame action so keep an eye on the NBA odds. Who should you back to make winning NBA picks today?
Finding Identity
An NBA team needs to be talented and well coached, but most importantly, it needs to have an identity.
- The 76ers are switching from a low post-dominated team featuring Joel Embiid to a quick-paced team featuring excellent guard play.
- The Atlanta Hawks are trying to make things work without Trae Young and have found themselves to have more of a defensive identity.
- The struggling Sacramento Kings are just looking for anything to claim as their identity.
Let’s take a look and see the best basketball bets for tonight’s exciting games.
Philadelphia 76ers vs. Milwaukee Bucks (+1.5/229)
The Philadelphia 76ers are led by Tyrese Maxey, who’s playing like an MVP candidate.
Maxey has taken over as the primary offensive centerpiece. He is averaging 32.5 points per game and 7.7 assists. Rookie VJ Edgecombe has also jumped into a large contributing role right away and is averaging 15.5 points per game.
After Embiid’s continuous injuries led people to think the Sixers were in trouble, these young players have excited Philadelphia and kept it fighting for a playoff spot. The time is now to switch the team from being built around Joel Embiid and Paul George to being built around Maxey and Edgecombe.
This new identity for the team is fast-paced and fun to watch.
Meanwhile, the Milwaukee Bucks are in a slump, losing three of their last four games. They will have the rest advantage tonight, as Philadelphia played last night, and this will be the Bucks’ first game since Monday’s 118-106 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Not only did they lose the game, but they also lost All-Star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, who left with an injury and will miss tonight’s crucial showdown. The Bucks will look to players such as Ryan Rollins, Gary Trent Jr, and Myles Turner to pick up the slack in his absence.
This will be an opportunity for the Bucks to forge a second identity that isn’t so squarely rooted in the presence of Giannis Antetokounmpo. And in spite of the loss, the Bucks will use their rest and home-court advantage to get the win over Philadelphia.
Expert Pick: Milwaukee Bucks +1.5 (-110) at BetMGM
Atlanta Hawks vs. San Antonio Spurs (-1.5/231.5)
The Atlanta Hawks are learning that there’s more to basketball than shooting and that maybe they’re building their team around the wrong guy. With Trae Young on the floor, the Hawks were 2-3. Without him, however, they are 7-2.
The Hawks’ field goal percentage has improved by almost 5%, and they are averaging 3.5 more assists per game. Their defensive rating has also gone from the bottom 10 in the NBA to the top 10 in the NBA without Young.
Rather than playing a heliocentric offense around a player who isn’t good enough to dominate consistently, the Hawks are playing a true team offense without him and enjoying Jalen Johnson’s leap to stardom.
The San Antonio Spurs are missing MVP candidate Victor Wembanyama due to a calf strain. San Antonio is 11-4 this season but is 2-0 since losing their star. However, players such as De’Aaron Fox, Harrison Barnes, and Keldon Johnson are stepping up in his absence.
Fox is used to running a team from his time in Sacramento, but doing so with solid teammates in a well-coached system has allowed the ultra-quick point guard to shine.
Both of these teams are trying to forge new identities without their stars in the lineup. Which team will come closer to finding that identity tonight? The predicted score has the Spurs winning by 4 points. Take San Antonio to establish their identity in this game.
Expert Pick: San Antonio Spurs -1.5 (-115) at BetMGM
Sacramento Kings vs. Memphis Grizzlies (-2/234.5)
The Sacramento Kings are mired at the bottom of the standings, going 3-11 on the year.
The Kings have one of the most poorly constructed rosters and are one of the worst-coached teams in recent memory. The Kings are on a six-game losing streak, and their 121.5 defensive rating is 27th in the league. They allow an average of 124.4 points per game, which is 28th in the league.
Their net rating is -11.2, which is 26th in the league. There’s no way around it; building a team around 4 isolation scorers who can’t play defense was always destined to be a disaster.
Meanwhile, the Grizzlies are 4-11 this year, and their net rating of -7.7 is 25th in the league.
Plus, Tuomas Iisalo had to suspend Morant after conduct detrimental to the team. It will not be surprising to see Morant be shopped this season. However, there might not be a market for a disgruntled guard whose game is built upon speed but is losing his athleticism.
The predicted score has the Grizzlies winning by 3 points, yet I think the margin might be even more. Continue fading the Kings until they make some moves to have a more cohesive roster.
Expert Pick: Memphis Grizzlies -2 (-110) at BetMGM
Log On and Place These Bets Now
We’ve laid out our NBA picks today across three key matchups:
- Milwaukee Bucks +1.5
- San Antonio Spurs -1.5
- Memphis Grizzlies -2
Keep in mind that these lines can move quickly, as bettors rush to bet on the games as soon as the lines are opened. The NBA is a market in which the pros love to bet early, and most of the time, their bets and the corresponding line moves are correct.
When the market moves a number one way it is usually for a good reason. When you see the bets that I’m making, you need to get them now or you could be caught having to lay more points or getting less points than outlined in this article.
Make sure you bet these plays now at any reputable sportsbook and don’t let the market moves rob you of a win.
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