Against The Spread: Toronto Raptors at Philadelphia 76ers
Here are the current basketball betting odds, per online bookies:
| Team |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Toronto Raptors | +112 | +112 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | -132 | -132 |
We have a feeling things are about to get messy for the Raptors. The night before facing the Sixers, they were blown out on the road at Boston 104-88. The game marked the first of eight away games in their next nine — talk about pure punishment from the NBA scheduling gods! But hey, that just means a great against-the-spread betting opportunity for you in the Toronto-Philadelphia matchup.
Helping matters for the Sixers is the possible return of Tobias Harris in the lineup. He's missed six games due to COVID but has been upgraded to questionable for Thursday's tilt. Philly has dropped two in a row, but getting back Harris' production level — 19.8 points (on 54.3 percent shooting), 9.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists — is a game-changer if it indeed happens.
Since we're on the topic of who's playing and who's not, the Raptors' Pascal Siakam is not expected to be in the lineup versus the 76ers. His minutes are being limited as he works back from shoulder surgery during the offseason. That severely thins an already-thin Toronto roster.
You can guess what direction we're going here and that's betting on Philly to cover the spread. Hammer it home, folks!
Over/Under 210.5 Points: Indiana Pacers at Utah Jazz
| Outcome | | |
|---|---|---|
| Over 210.5 Points | -110 | -110 |
| Under 210.5 Points | -110 | -110 |
Let's go ahead and say it: we believe the Jazz will absolutely blow the doors open versus the Pacers. Typically, that means the over/under points will skew high — so long as Indiana doesn't have a stinker of a game on offense.
So far, the Pacers have been proficient scorers. Despite being in the middle of a franchise rebuild, Indiana has shown depth most teams of that caliber don't. We mean, the team has seven different players averaging at least nine points per game including Malcolm Brogdon (22.3 average), Domantas Sabonis (19.3), among others.
Unfortunately for Indiana, the cause of its 4-8 record has been shoddy defense. Its team defensive rating is sixth-worst in the NBA and when they face Utah, it'll be its second game in as many days (they lost 101-98 to Denver the night before). You'd have to imagine their tired bodies will be more susceptible on the defensive end.
Plus, Utah is an upper-echelon team that can exploit those vulnerabilities. The Jazz currently have the second-best record in the NBA and look like legit title contenders. Certainly, the sportsbooks carrying NBA Finals' odds have jumped their title chances since the beginning of the season. We believe Utah will blow them out, but put up a flurry of points in the process to hit the betting over.
Against The Spread: Miami Heat at Los Angeles Clippers
| Team | | |
|---|---|---|
| Miami Heat | +120 | +120 |
| Los Angeles Clippers | -139 | -139 |
We've spent a lot of time during this article talking about back-to-back games, but if there's one team in the NBA best equipped to endure them, then it's the Heat. With Pat Riley at the helm of the organization, Miami has earned the reputation for being the best conditioned to handle the slog of an NBA game and season (and cover tough against-the-spread lines in the process).
While the Heat played the night before, it was at least in the same area — therefore, no overnight travel is necessary. Miami lost in overtime to the Lakers at Staples Center on Wednesday. It's a minor trip-up for a team that's now 7-4 on the year.
On the other side, it's also coming together for the Clippers. After a messy 1-4 start, LA has rallied off five straight victories on the back of Paul George. With Kawhi Leonard unlikely to play this year, George is averaging 26.7 points and 8.3 rebounds a game — all while defending the opponent's best player nightly. In this clash, George will likely draw a juicy matchup versus Jimmy Butler (who might be playing on a bum ankle).
We think this one goes down to the wire, but in the end, the Heat's superior talent level prevails. Though, pay attention to Butler's status. He hurt his ankle the night before and if he's a no-go on Thursday, the betting line could change drastically.
How To Bet The NBA Online?
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