The NBA season is moving along and we have had a lot of news and there are a lot of moving parts. This gives us a great opportunity to check out the OddsTrader futures markets tool to make sharp NBA wagers.
As the season has progressed, we have a good idea of which teams have a serious chance for championship contention, and how to project these teams properly for the rest of the regular season. Let’s use that information to find winning bets.
Picks Summary
- Orlando Magic: Over 33.5 Regular Season Wins (-125) at Caesars Sportsbook
- New Orleans Pelicans: To Miss the Playoffs (+800) at Caesars Sportsbook
- Houston Rockets: Under 22.5 Regular Season Wins (-140) at Caesars Sportsbook
Orlando Magic
Using the OddsTrader tool I was able to pinpoint the best sportsbook for this bet. The Orlando Magic regular season win total is set at Over 33.5 at Caesars. The OddsTrader tool allowed me to find the best price for a bet that I’m already high on.
The Orlando Magic are being undervalued by the market because they started the year with cluster injuries at the point guard position. With the lack of guards, the Magic fumbled around in their offensive sets, relying on rookie Paulo Banchero to learn on the job. Now the Magic are reasonably healthy. The team is playing much better basketball. Since starting the season 5-20, the Orlando Magic are 19-15. They are playing like a playoff caliber team.
A Stellar Lineup
Number one overall draft pick Paolo Banchero is the clear rookie of the year. He has been impressive at the forward position and his ability to create his own shot has been a delight for Magic fans. The Magic definitely have the right player to build around with Banchero in the fold.
Guard Markelle Fultz has developed into a solid player. Fultz is averaging 13 points and 5.5 assists in just 29 minutes of play. His ability to run the team effectively has been a major difference for the Magic.
Orlando is undervalued because of their terrible start to the season. We will take advantage of that by betting their Over. Add Orlando Magic Over 33.5 regular season wins to your portfolio right away.
NBA Futures Pick: Orlando Magic Over 33.5 Regular Season Wins (-125) at Caesars Sportsbook
New Orleans Pelicans
Yes, there is more than a 50% chance that the New Orleans Pelicans do make the playoffs and we lose this bet. However, the NBA odds accurately reflect that, at least on the “yes” prop.
Using the OddsTrader app I found a great price on the “no”. At Caesars, the New Orleans Pelicans to miss the playoffs is plus 800. That’s a fantastic value and only needs to happen 12% of the time for you to make a profitable wager.
Can Ingram and Williamson Stay Healthy?
If the New Orleans Pelicans stay healthy you will lose this bet. However, there is no way that there’s less than a 12% chance of both Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson staying healthy. I don’t buy that, as both players have suffered from injuries this season and the Pelicans have been bad with them out of the lineup.
This bet is simply a value play on a mispriced number. It’s hard to make arguments against the Pelicans, but when you do the math involved with the chances, it’s just too much value to pass up.
Teams such as the Clippers, Warriors, and Lakers could all be involved in the Play-In tournament with the Pelicans. At this point, you’re going to love having this ticket in your pocket.
NBA Futures Pick: New Orleans Pelicans to Miss the Playoffs (+800) at Caesars Sportsbook
Houston Rockets
Once again, using the OddsTrader app I was able to find great value for a bet that I am excited to place. The Houston Rockets are in a great position for the future. The Rockets have talented young players and plenty of draft picks. Unfortunately for Houston fans, the Rockets are not very good right now.
The Houston Rockets are not well coached and have traded away their last vestige of veteran leadership. The Rockets oftentimes are absurdly lazy on defense.
The Rockets also don’t run an offensive game plan that complements each other. They seem to fall into the trap of playing isolation ball quite often. One man will try and beat his defender with an impressive array of dribbling moves, rather than using teamwork in order to get an open shot.
The Trade Deadline May Have Done More Harm than Good
The Western Conference got better at the trade deadline with both the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers getting much better. The Minnesota Timberwolves and Portland Trail Blazers got slightly better.
Yet the Rockets traded away Eric Gordon and will now be looking to finish the year with a high draft pick. This is evident when looking at the current odds and seeing the Rockets’ regular season win total set at Over 19.5 at FanDuel.
It is under 22.5 at Caesars. A 3-game discrepancy in regular season win totals is fantastic, and you can even bet both and shoot for the middle.
NBA Futures Pick: Houston Rockets Under 22.5 Regular Season Wins (-140) at Caesars Sportsbook
