Best NBA Bets for Trail Blazers vs Magic and Celtics vs. Lakers
Portland Trail Blazers vs Orlando Magic Betting Analysis
BetUS hoops handicappers Sean and Doug are expecting plenty of magic out of Orlando tonight as they have circled this showdown with Portland as one of their NBA expert picks against the spread on Thursday night.
The Magic have defeated the Trail Blazers in 4 of their last 5 meetings but are mired in a four-game slump with their latest loss, a 109-93 blowout in Toronto. Orlando has been decimated by injuries, but they do have their top player, Paolo Banchero, back after a notable two-month absence, and their defense is No. 2 in the league, allowing just 104.4 points per game, trailing only Oklahoma City in that category.
The bottom line is that neither Orlando nor Portland has much of an offense, but the Magic will tip the scales with the homecourt advantage and an imposing defense that will cause turnovers and effectuate scoring opportunities. And although Orlando has struggled with the injury bug, let’s not forget that Portland has several starters who are day-to-day, including Anfernee Simons, Toumani Camara, and Deandre Ayton.
The Magic’s drought will be over after tonight, and you can expect a double-digit victory, so include Orlando in your NBA picks today!
Pick: Magic -8 (-110)
Boston Celtics vs Los Angeles Lakers Betting Analysis
BetUS capper Sean has LA circled as one of his NBA picks as he expects the Lakers to be sky-high in this nationally televised home game against the world champion Boston Celtics, and so do I. These teams have yet to meet this season, but the Celtics have only covered in 2 of their last 7 contests and are playing the second leg of back-to-back games in front of a national audience in hostile territory.
Anthony Davis and LeBron James pose a problem no matter who they’re facing, but the rest of the team needs to chip in as well. And that is precisely what’s been happening recently as the Lakers have won 3 of their last 4 games, including their latest 23-point rout over the Wizards at home on Tuesday night.
I can’t overstate the importance of the Celtics being gassed in this one after going into overtime to wrangle a 117-113 victory over a Clippers team that was without the services of Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, and Norman Powell. This will be a step up in class, and the Lakers will pose a much more difficult challenge than the Clippers B Team did last night.
Let’s grab the 5-point head start and include the LA Lakers as one of our NBA picks against the spread today.