The Golden State Warriors are zeroing in on the top spot in the Western Conference, and they are widely expected to get another step closer on Thursday. Golden State has to go on the road but is still a huge favorite in a matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers. The opening line has Los Angeles as double-digit underdogs now that superstar forward LeBron James has been ruled out for the rest of the season with the Lakers eliminated from playoff contention.
This is one of a few opening lines that have already been released by the oddsmakers. It is interesting to see where the spreads have been pegged before the betting action moves the lines in NBA wagering.
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Odds Analysis
The Warriors are listed as big-time 13-point favorites on the road. Golden State beat the Nuggets last time out to move two games ahead of Denver for the top seed as the Western Conference winds down. Denver may soon wave the white flag on the chase and settle for second by resting some of its players in order to be ready for the playoffs. The Warriors can expedite that decision with a victory in this matchup.
The Lakers are at home, but it’s not a long flight for Golden State and the crowd is not going to be very raucous by any means. The spread is certainly large but the Warriors have a humongous talent advantage and are the choice to cover the spread by dominating this matchup from start to finish. The scoring total in this game is 227 points. Golden State will be able to get easy buckets at will, but the “under” could still hit because the Lakers are going to have a tough time scoring consistently against an underrated Warriors defense.
Another game on the Thursday NBA schedule features the Philadelphia 76ers against the Milwaukee Bucks. These are two of the best teams in the Eastern Conference, and Milwaukee is quickly closing in on locking up the best record in the NBA.
Milwaukee would like to win this game but it won’t be easy. Star forward Khris Middleton is banged up and it’s unknown if he will be available. Philadelphia forward Jimmy Butler is also dealing with an injury, so it’s important to know what these lineups will look like heading into this showdown.
There is no opening line yet as the oddsmakers wait for some details, because they don’t want to give gamblers an easy win. If Milwaukee is an underdog in this game, jump on those NBA odds because the Bucks should be able to pull out this victory on the moneyline.
Free NBA ATS Picks
The early line that should be gambled on is the one that has pitted the Sacramento Kings as the 9.5-point home favorites against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Kings aren’t going to the playoffs this season but showed marked improvement and look like a team on the rise. Sacramento is certainly the pick to win this game as it aims to finish the season strong. However, even though Cleveland is one of the worst teams in the NBA, it should be able to hang closer than the oddsmakers believe.
The Cavs are the choice to cover the spread on the road in Sacramento. The scoring total is 228.5 points and the game should feature plenty of running and gunning as it seems unlikely either team will have much urgency to dominate on the defensive end. With that in mind, the “over” is the choice on the total.
NBA ATS Pick: Cleveland Cavaliers to cover the spread against the Sacramento Kings
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