This week's hot and cold NBA bets
By MATT FARGO
The NBA is now in full swing and our eight-month marathon of the pro basketball season is underway. Covers Expert Matt Fargo will be looking into Hot and Cold NBA bets throughout the season and he takes a look at four games that you will want to pay attention to.
Hot Bets This Week
Tuesday – Philadelphia 76ers at Chicago Bulls 8:30 PM ET
At first glace this seems like a good spot for the Sixers to avenge their loss to Chicago at home on Sunday, but the Bulls will be in a good position to make it back-to-back wins over Philadelphia.
I have brought up this Chicago annual road trip a few times and one of the best spots falls into place on Tuesday since it is the first home game for Chicago following that circus trip and first home game since November 15th. Over the last five years, the Bulls have won and covered the first home game right after the extended trip all five times and by an average of 11 points.
Philly is struggling with four straight losses and it does not get easier with the Lakers and Pistons on deck. The acquisition of Elton Brand was supposed to make Philadelphia a challenger in the Eastern Conference but the club is 8.5 games behind Boston and sitting in 11th place in the conference standings.
Wednesday – New York Knicks at Cleveland Cavaliers 7:00 PM ET
Cleveland has gotten off to an incredible start with a 14-3 mark on the year (13-4 ATS), including a 9-0 record at home (7-2 ATS). It faces off against the Knicks for the second time in just over a week following an 18-point win in New York. The Cavaliers led by as many as 34 points, so it’s safe to say it was a dominating performance.
The Cavs’ success is driving their lines up, but that isn’t fazing them at all. They have been a double-digit home favorite in four straight games and they have covered all of those games. Two of those covers only came by a bucket, but Cleveland is showing it can win big at home and it will go for a fifth straight double-digit home cover.
NBA Cold Bets This Week
Tuesday – Washington Wizards at New Jersey Nets 7:30 PM ET
For one night, there was a thought that maybe the firing of head coach Eddie Jordan would actually turn the Wizards around. They started the season 1-10 (3-8 ATS) and Jordan was let go following a loss to the Knicks. Ed Tapscott took over as interim coach and Washington put together its best game of the season after it won over the Warriors in a wire-to-wire 24-point blowout.
It didn’t take long to get back to reality with the Wiz have dropping their two games following. They hit the road where they are 0-6 (2-4 ATS) on the season and 1-10 (3-8 ATS) dating back to last season. They’ll on a red-hot Nets team. Picked to finish last in the Eastern Conference by many, New Jersey is 9-7 on the season and has won three straight, five of six and seven of nine (7-2 ATS) after a 2-5 start (3-4 ATS). The most surprising part is that it has won five of its last six on the road.
Thursday – San Antonio Spurs at Denver Nuggets 10:30 PM ET
The Spurs money train had a nice run by covering in seven of eight games following a dismal 1-6 ATS stretch to start the season. The value got onto the Spurs side following that bad start as the public was down on them with the record as well as two starters, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, being out with injuries.
Ginobili made it back and then Parker three games later, but a loss to the Rockets by 19 points stopped the money-cashing run. Now healthy once again, San Antonio is not going to be seeing a lot of value in its numbers and this looks like the time to start fading them.
Denver’s trade with the Pistons has been a huge help for the Nuggets. George Karl’s team is 12-6 on the year (11-6-1 ATS) and sits in the Western Conference’s second slot. The Nuggets have already taken out the Spurs once this season in San Antonio and will look to get it done at home against a full Spurs team this time.