Ed Welch
NBA betting is on the other side of Christmas Day, which provided some surprise results and statement games. Now, the stretch run to the All-Star Game begins as things heat up across the Association.
If you’re betting on the NBA odds this week, here are some free handicapping selections you need to keep an eye on when handicapping the action on the hardwood.
Sixers surge
The Philadelphia 76ers put the Eastern Conference on notice on Xmas Day with a one-sided win over the Milwaukee Bucks. The Sixers fell for an obvious let down against the Orlando Magic in the following contest but have some big game ahead on the schedule and can really make a push up the standings with victories over the next two weeks.
Philadelphia faces Miami, Indiana, and Houston on its current three-game road trip then returns home to take on Oklahoma City and Boston before road games at Dallas and Indiana – a span that takes the team to mid-January. The 76ers had covered the spread in three straight games before that blip against the Magic and should continue to cash in during this span as they rise to the occasion.
Golden touch
The Golden State Warriors had to hit rock bottom before coming back up – at as it pertains to the pointspread. With the roster looking nothing like the one that played in the NBA Finals this past spring – thanks to injuries to star players – the Warriors have struggled through 2019-20. However, a big win on December 25 over the Houston Rockets punctuated a possible turnover for this team.
Golden State has covered the spread in four straight outings, most recently knocking off the Phoenix Suns as home underdogs. Offense has always been the calling card for this franchise, but with a patchwork lineup of young players the team has looked to defense to make the difference.
During this four-game ATS roll, the Warriors have allowed just 101.5 points per game and limited those four foes to only 41% shooting from the field. That’s also helped payout for the Under in this span. Golden State has matchups with Dallas, San Antonio, Minnesota and Detroit ahead on the schedule.
Start your engines
The Detroit Pistons sit in the back half of the NBA in terms of points production, ranked 19th with an average of 109.1 points an outing. The Pistons, however, sit among the best scoring offenses in the NBA in the opening quarter, scoring 29.1 points in the first 12 minutes of action per game.
That opening scoring surge accounts for almost 27% of Detroit’s offense and along with a defense allowing 29.2 points against in those opening quarters, first-quarter Overs are holding solid value when the Pistons take the court.
Detroit is 21-11 Over/Under in the first frame this season, topping the first-quarter totals almost 66% of the time. On the season, the Piston full-game Over/Under record is 18-14 O/U with scoring sinking in the second half. That should have shroud this trend and allow it to hold its value in Detroit’s upcoming games.
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