Two NBA Favorites to Bet Thursday
There are two favorites on the board tonight in the NBA that provide value to bettors. Here is a breakdown of the pair.
Lakers at Heat, 7:30 p.m. ET
According to oddsmakers from online sportsbook YouWager, the Heat are now 5-point home favorites to beat the Lakers tonight in Miami. Los Angeles has won three straight, seven of its last 10, and has covered the number in eight of its last 10. But the Lakers’ winning streak was built against teams that the bottom of the standings in their respective conferences. They’ll see the level of competition rise tonight in Miami, even though the Heat have dropped seven of their last 10 games overall.
The home team is a perfect 4-0 against the spread in the last four meetings between these two teams while the Lakers have dropped seven of nine against the spread in Miami. Meanwhile, the Heat are 5-0-1 against the number in their last six games overall and are a near-perfect 4-0-1 against the spread in their last five games coming off a win.
NBA Prediction: Miami Heat -5
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Nets at Kings, 10:00 p.m. ET
The other favorite I like is the Nets, who have dropped nine of their last 10 but I’m playing the “due” theory here. Brooklyn is receiving only 53% of the betting tickets at online sportsbooks but the line for this game has gone from Brooklyn -1 to Sacramento +2.5.
The Nets have been a great play in this series, covering in five of their last six games in Sacramento and nine of their last 12 games versus the Kings overall. The road team has also cashed in five of the last six meetings between these two teams while Sacramento has been an awful bet at home, failing to cover in eight of its last 10 games on its home court.
NBA Prediction: Brooklyn Nets -2.5