NBA Monday betting preview: Fade the Nets on no rest
Nothing cures the Monday blues quite like a seven-game slate on the hardwood to open the week.
Let's jump into all the key betting storylines for Monday and see where the money's at.
Knicks @ Nets (-5, 230)
It's tough to bet against the Nets nowadays. They're the current title favorites and have no shortage of talent on a roster that's been adamant in adding pieces any which way it can.
If there was ever a spot to happily fade Brooklyn, it's Monday against the Knicks. Off a loss to the Bulls on Sunday, the Nets are on a dreadful 5-11 skid against the spread with zero rest. The franchise is also quietly just 1-8 ATS the last nine when laying points and 1-5 ATS the previous six as home chalk.
Meanwhile, New York's been the fourth-most profitable team in basketball, covering 57.1% of its contests so far this season. The value's on the road side.
Wizards @ Raptors (-4.5, 227.5)
The Raptors got on track in a big way with a resounding 130-77 win over the Warriors this past weekend. Expect the offense to stay hot against a Wizards team it's bullied around lately.
The over's hit in seven straight meetings between these two. The Raptors have done most of the leg work, effortlessly cashing all seven team totals.
Raptors' last 7 versus Wizards
| Result | Team Total | Team Total O/U |
|---|---|---|
| W 137-115 | 120.5 | Over |
| W 140-111 | 120.5 | Over |
| W 122-118 | 117.5 | Over |
| W 129-120 | 120.5 | Over |
| W 140-138 | 114.5 | Over |
| W 125-107 | 120.5 | Over |
| W 117-113 | 109.5 | Over |
Pistons @ Thunder (+3, 213)
No team was better at playing spoiler last season than the Thunder, whose 31-14 ATS record as 'dogs and 47% win rate when catching points were both huge wallet-fillers. Now, the franchise can't buy a win in that role: Oklahoma City's covered just one of the last six as a 'dog and overall has been unprofitable in 2020-21, currently owning a 24-24-1 clip ATS.
It's not the most attractive game on the board, but bettors should consider laying the points with the Pistons, who are 14-3 ATS the last 17 following a double-digit loss.
Suns @ Rockets (+14, 222)
Bettors will likely flock to the road team when the Suns travel to take on the Rockets - after all, this tilt features the most-profitable team ATS (Phoenix, 32-16) this season versus the least (Houston, 15-34). Naturally, the trends support the visitors.
The Suns are 8-2 ATS the last 10 as road favorites and have covered 16 of the last 21 games following a double-digit victory. The Rockets, meanwhile, are just 5-17 ATS the previous 22 as 'dogs and a miserable 1-11 the last 12 against teams with winning road records.
Alex Kolodziej is a betting writer for theScore. He can quote every line from "Rounders" and appreciates franchises that regularly wear alternate jerseys. Find him on Twitter @AJKolodziej.