BASKETBALL NBA ARTICLES

The Los Angeles Lakers bubble trouble continued in the opening game of their series against the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night. LeBron James and his mates have had all kinds of issues scoring the basketball offensively since the restart, and Game 1 was no different. The team simply wasn’t able to flip the switch as Portland controlled the game throughout. Even after coughing up the lead midway through the fourth quarter, Damian Lillard put the team on his back and led them to the outrig... 

Foul calls are up in the bubble; way up! Including technical fouls - the second called on Kristaps Porzingis with just over nine minutes remaining in the third quarter changed the entire landscape of the Game 1 matchup between the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Clippers. Without the big man around to clog the paint and make an impact at both ends of the court, the Clippers would go on to log the 118-110 win and cover as 6.5-point favorites per the closing betting line at online sportsbooks. In... 

The defending champion Toronto Raptors no longer have Kawhi Leonard on the roster, but that didn’t stop Nick Nurse’s squad from logging the second best record in the Eastern Conference as well as the NBA throughout the regular season. The team went 53-19 SU and a moneymaking 40-30-1 ATS for NBA bettors. On top of that, it went 7-1 SU and 6-2 ATS in the bubble! Though oddsmakers initially had them installed enormous -5000 favorites to advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals, the Brooklyn Nets have taken a good chunk of action since the series winner odds hit the board at online sportsbooks. A bit of a surprise considering the Dinos won three of the four regular season meetings and split the games against the closing NBA odds. The Nets going 5-3 SU and 6-2 ATS in the bubble just might have something to do with that! ... 

The Indiana Pacers were by far the better team than the Miami Heat in the bubble. The former went on to win six of its eight played games both SU and ATS, while the latter only notched three wins through eight tries both outright and against the closing NBA betting odds. In taking the Heat down 109-92 in each team’s final seeding game on Friday night, the Pacers earned the right to be the home team in this matchup as the No. 4 seed. That however doesn’t change the fact that Miami won all three p... 

The most intriguing first round matchup in the Eastern Conference is without a doubt the 3/6 pairing between the Atlantic Division rival Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics. These historic NBA franchises have locked horns in the postseason three times since the turn of the century, and it was the Celtics that came out the victor each time. That said, Philly took the 2020 regular season rivalry by taking down three of the four games both SU and ATS. However, a healthy Ben Simmons was in the lin... 

There are few teams that rank with the Los Angeles Lakers as far as public appeal and marquee branding. Only the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers from Major League Baseball along with the Dallas Cowboys from the National Football League can compare. With that name brand status comes high prices on the board. Oddsmakers know that squares flock to bet the Lakers as favorites and adjust the prices accordingly. All of which means that its hard for LA to turn a profit vs. the line, even in th... 

Fans and gamblers would be hard pressed to find a more attractive series in the first round of the NBA Playoffs than the Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets. Not only is this a matchup of the four and five seeds in the Western Conference but there is the added intrigue of former OKC star Russell Westbrook now playing with the Rockets. Oklahoma City was one of the most profitable teams on the board as head coach Billy Donovan compensated for the loss of Westbrook with a team approach. Meanw... 

Although the Los Angeles Lakers are favored to win the Western Conference, as well as the NBA itself, the LA Clippers are a popular pick as well. As popular as the Clippers are with the public, they still managed to turn a profit this season. Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and Lou Williams have been the terrific trio that have completely transformed a franchise that has always been in the shadow of the Lakers as LA’s “other team.” Luka Doncic is one of the new emerging NBA superstars and has the Da... 

Neither the Utah Jazz nor the Denver Nuggets are going to win any popularity contests with the gambling public. Rarely has either one of them been a public wagering favorite for any length of time since Karl Malone and John Stockton departed the Jazz. However, there are occasions where both the Nuggets and Jazz do provide hidden value against the more popular teams. Problematic was their inconsistent play and value during much of the 2019-20 season. Perhaps the biggest problem that each team has... 

The Milwaukee Bucks were the toast of the 2019-20 season by winning a league-high 56 games and going a moneymaking 39-34 ATS even though it went off the board favored at online sportsbooks in all but six of 73 played games; think about that for a second! The Orlando Magic finished second in the Southeast Division, but did so by way of procuring a losing 32-40 record and going 34-36-2 versus the closing NBA betting odds. With the No. 8 seed defeating the No. 1 only five times in NBA Playoffs history, it comes as no surprise to see the Bucks installed gargantuan -5000 favorites to advance into the Eastern Conference semifinals. They’ll undoubtedly be favored to win in each and every game of this 1/8 matchup. ... 

The table is set for the NBA’s first-ever play-in tournament. Thanks to Damian Lillard, who exploded inside the bubble – not literally, just on the scoring sheet – the Portland Trail Blazers earned the No. 8 seed and will face the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday. Portland was 3.5-games out of the eighth spot when the season shut down, but the Blazers went 6-2 inside the bubble, including wins in their last three games with Lillard totaling 154 points. They edged Brooklyn by a point on Thursday in ... 

The last game of the regular season will feature the Philadelphia 76ers taking on the Houston Rockets. Philadelphia is just 3-3 in the bubble, and all three of their victories have come against teams that are currently six games below .500. Houston has fared much better as although the Rockets are 4-2, they knocked off the No. 1 seed in both conferences, defeating Milwaukee and the LA Lakers within four days. The Rockets will almost certainly be favored according to the NBA betting odds in this ... 

The Portland Trail Blazers don’t look like a No. 8 seed. Portland has been one of the better teams in Orlando since the season restarted. They are 4-2 in the bubble headed into Tuesday night’s game with the Dallas Mavericks, and they are currently one of four teams competing for the Western Conference’s play-in game along with Memphis, San Antonio, and Dallas. Damian Lillard and the Blazers currently control their own destiny, and a win over the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday, August 13, at 9 p.m. ET... 

Should the Denver Nuggets take care of business against what’s proven to be a disinterested Los Angeles Lakers squad on Monday night, this Wednesday night’s tilt against the Los Angeles Clippers could have huge playoff ramifications with the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference on the line. So long as the Clippers get the job done against the Nets on Sunday, it will become a reality. Each of these teams have posted winning 3-2 SU marks at online sportsbooks in the bubble, but the Clippers have c... 

Without question Nikola Jokic’s All-Star emergence has made the Nuggets a thing again in Denver. A team that was once ignored or bet against is now getting respect at the wagering window. Best of all Denver’s prospects of being an upset sleeper for the playoffs are taken seriously. Counter to that is the massive marquee brand of the Los Angeles Lakers. Of course, we all know that the public expects LA to win the NBA every season. Even when such expectations aren’t realistic. This season the cham... 

Ever since taking over as coach of the San Antonio Spurs Gregg Popovich has been synonymous with greatness. Under Popovich, San Antonio has made the post season every year since 1997-98. However, that string is likely to end at the NBA Bubble. Father time and the salary cap have combined to tax the Spurs of betting value and playoff viability. Of course, Popovich has won a total of five NBA world championships and boasts a consecutive playoff season streak that is not likely to be equaled again. On the other hand, the New Orleans Pelicans are a team of tomorrow. 2019 NBA overall number one draft pick Zion Williamson has already made an impact. Despite missing the first 44 games of the year Williamson put the Pelicans into the post season bubble. ... 

As controversial as he may be that’s what makes Mavericks owner Mark Cuban so notorious. Cuban transformed the Mavericks from being ignored into a valued Dallas brand. As well as a world champion. Not many owners in any sport have made such a difference. The same turnaround story can be found in what Giannis Antetokounmpo has done for the Bucks. For decades Milwaukee wallowed as an NBA afterthought. Giannis powered them into a coveted and profitable team with the NBA Lines. Gamblers have faith in the Bucks as a reliable value that has consistently made profits for two straight seasons. Beyond that Milwaukee boasts the best record in the NBA. ... 

As of Wednesday night, there are only three undefeated teams currently playing in the bubble since the NBA restart. One of those teams just so happens to be an Indiana Pacers squad that isn’t playing at full strength. Even with Malcolm Brogdon and Domantas Sabonis ailing, Nate McMillan’s troops continue to pass each and every one of their tests with flying colors. Before taking the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday night, they’ll put their unblemished mark on the line versus the also undefeated Pho... 

Atlantic Division rivals will close Friday night’s slate out when the Toronto Raptors and Boston Celtics lock horns for the fourth time this season. This however will be the first time the teams will have run up against each other since way back at the end of December. But before they do, each will have to play another game first with the Dinos set to square off against the Orlando Magic while the C’s get to run with a Brooklyn Nets team that just pulled off one of the biggest upsets against the... 

They can no longer earn the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, but the Los Angeles Clippers would love to earn the No. 2 or No. 3 seed. That would ensure they avoid their city rivals until at least the Western Conference Finals, boosting their chances at becoming the preeminent team in both the city and the NBA. The Clippers bounced back with their loss to the Lakers on Thursday by thrashing New Orleans on Saturday night, and they want to keep that momentum going against Dallas on Thursday ev... 

The Los Angeles Lakers have wrapped up the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference Playoffs, so they don’t have much to play for during the last few games of the regular season. This team won’t take its foot off the gas pedal entirely given the long layoff, but the Lakers likely won’t have the same sense of urgency they did in their first few games in Orlando. That could bode well for the Houston Rockets, as the Rockets are looking to move their way up the Western Conference ladder prior to the sta... 

The Oklahoma City Thunder were considered an also-ran coming into the 2019-20 season. After getting demolished by Portland in the first round of the Western Conference Playoffs, Paul George and Russell Westbrook left for greener pastures over the summer. That left Billy Donovan to rebuild around the pieces acquired from the loss of those two players, but somehow the Thunder were still one of the best teams in the conference. Donovan was subsequently named co-NBA Coach of the Year alongside Mike ... 

Last year’s NBA champions will face the favorites to win it all this year per the NBA betting odds on Saturday night. The Toronto Raptors have outperformed all expectations without Kawhi Leonard and are looking to defend their crown, but the Los Angeles Lakers have other plans in mind this season. LeBron James didn’t make it to the NBA Finals for the first time in eight years last season, and he i... 

What a brutal beginning to the restart of the NBA betting season for the Miami Heat! Erik Spoelstra’s troops return to the hardwood to play the Denver Nuggets. That game’s followed up with a tilt against the defending champion Toronto Raptors. Then it’s this skirmish on Tuesday night against the Boston Celtics. Immediately after, Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks are up. Again, brutal! However, the Heat couldn’t ask for a better scenario than the one they currently find themselves in... 

Tough spot for the Utah Jazz on Monday night with the team coming off a crucial game against the Oklahoma City Thunder with whom their fighting tooth and nail with to secure the 4th seed in the Western Conference. Entering the bubble, Utah held a slim 1-game lead over OKC for the No. 4 slot and needed to win that game on Saturday to breathe a bit easier knowing they split with their Northwest Division rival earlier in the regular season. As for the current front runners of the Western Conference...