NBA Sunday Betting Recap: Day of the Dogs
Shocking Upsets Shake NBA Sunday Betting Scene
It was a positive outcome for underdog bettors on Sunday as some rough results were posted in the NBA.
The most surprising result was the Denver Nuggets walloping the Milwaukee Bucks as +6½-point road underdogs. The sportsbook got the line all sorts of wrong as the Nuggets won 136-100 in a one-sided affair. Despite 29 points from Giannis Antetokounmpo, it wasn’t enough for the Bucks (31-21) to compete with the Western Conference Nuggets.
Another sizable upset was the Detroit Pistons beating the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavs had been one of the hottest teams in the NBA, but despite being a 7½-point road favorite, they couldn’t overcome the hapless Pistons (12-37). Saddiq Bey was huge with 31 points for Detroit after the Cavaliers started with a 15-0 run.
“That’s the beauty of the NBA,” Bey told ESPN. “We didn’t want to start like that, but we knew we had plenty of time to get back into the game. We just needed to start doing the little things.”
Betting online markets also took a hit with the Los Angeles Clippers not only covering a +6 line, but beating the Charlotte Hornets 115-90. Beating the Hornets on the road isn’t easy, so it was a show of fortitude from the struggling Clippers. A 31-14 final quarter was enough to seal the deal and cover the spread by 31 points, so it was a relaxing night for Clippers’ bettors.
It wasn’t a huge upset by any stretch of the imagination, but the Orlando Magic scored just their 11th win. The 110-108 victory over the Dallas Mavericks was a tense affair, but the Magic made the necessary buckets late in the fourth to secure the victory and cover the +5 spread. Luka Doncic scored 34 points, but it wasn’t enough for the visitors.
The Phoenix Suns did enough to beat the San Antonio Spurs, but it was much closer than expected. The 115-110 result was enough for the Spurs to easily cover the +13½ spread, but it was a game they should have won outright. The Suns showed their fourth-quarter prowess with a 36-19 performance to snatch the victory.
The favorites kicked back with the Atlanta Hawks beating the Los Angeles Lakers 129-121. The Hawks covered the spread by a half-point, so there were nervous moments for favorite backers, especially at the start of the fourth quarter. Atlanta trailed by 10 points, so covering the -7½ spread looked like a forlorn hope, but they turned on the jets late to cover.
NBA betting markets had the Chicago Bulls as only -5 favorites against the Portland Trail Blazers, but it was never in doubt after a big second quarter. The Bulls outscored Portland 44-30 in the second quarter to set up the comfortable victory. It was a much-needed win for the Bulls, who have been struggling with injuries this month.
Injuries have also hit hard for the Utah Jazz, which showed in their 126-106 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Jazz allowed the home side to score 40 points in the third quarter, which saw the Timberwolves cover the -2 spread and the over 227½ narrowly cover. Karl Anthony-Towns scored a triple-double for just the second time in his career.
