NBA weekly betting preview: Don't trust 76ers vs. good teams
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We're back to highlight the top betting angles and plays on the schedule. Here are some tips heading into this week's slate.
Note: Lines for Tuesday and beyond are released later in the week.
Monday
Minnesota Timberwolves at Toronto Raptors (-9.5, 230)
The Timberwolves snapped their 13-game losing streak with Saturday's stunning win over the Los Angeles Clippers, but can they snap Toronto's franchise-record 14-game winning streak, too? The Raptors have gone 9-5 against the spread during that run and are 15-9 ATS at home this season.
Toronto has also gone 11-3 to the over during its streak, and its defense faces a unique challenge with a Minnesota team that just dropped 142 points without D'Angelo Russell. Expect an entertaining Raptors win with a score in the 230s.
Utah Jazz (-1, 219) at Dallas Mavericks
Let's face it: the Jazz are basically unplayable against the number. They've dropped six of their last seven games ATS and would have lost all seven outright if not for a controversial call in one and wild buzzer-beater in the other. Their defense is still a major problem, ranking 26th in points per 100 possessions (116.1) during the seven-game stretch.
Mavericks star Luka Doncic won't play Monday, which makes Dallas a risky play ATS, but there's value on the over. The Jazz have gone over in seven straight as road chalk and will put up points against a relatively average Mavericks defense while being equally leaky on the other end.
Tuesday
Los Angeles Clippers at Philadelphia 76ers
If you haven't already, come take a seat on the "Fade Philly" bandwagon. The 76ers are 1-6 ATS in their last seven games and 3-9 ATS in the last 12 against teams with winning records. The Clippers are 7-3 ATS on the road when both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George play, and this one should follow the trend.
Wednesday
Atlanta Hawks at Cleveland Cavaliers
The Hawks have put together a bit of a run as they fight through injuries and makeshift rotations, but the young team seems inspired to carry momentum into next year. The Cavaliers, not so much, as their 2-10 ATS record in the last 12 home games attests. Cleveland's "all-bigs" lineup should struggle against the perimeter-oriented Hawks.
Los Angeles Lakers at Denver Nuggets
Despite significant injury woes, the Nuggets are the Western Conference's No. 2 seed thanks to seven wins in their last nine games (7-2 ATS) with the sixth-highest net rating (plus-6.7) during that stretch. They've also won five of their last six at home. The top-seeded Lakers are still too inconsistent for bettors to trust in this road spot unless Denver is giving more than a couple of points.
Thursday
Oklahoma City Thunder at New Orleans Pelicans
This is one of two games being played the day before the All-Star break, and while a matchup between the Clippers and Boston Celtics will draw the casual viewer, this one should intrigue bettors. The Thunder haven't covered in three games but are still an NBA-best 33-18-2 ATS with a phenomenal 19-5-1 ATS road record. The Pelicans are more fun with Zion Williamson, but their net rating since his first start (3.9) is still nearly half of the Thunder's (7.7) over the same stretch.
C Jackson Cowart is a betting writer for theScore. He's an award-winning journalist with stops at The Charlotte Observer, The San Diego Union-Tribune, The Times Herald-Record, and BetChicago. He's also a proud graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, and his love of sweet tea is rivaled only by that of a juicy prop bet. Find him on Twitter @CJacksonCowart.