The NBA season is back, and it’s time for teams to make their push for the playoffs. It has been a rough week with no NBA betting, so I am glad we can resume the action. Here are my ATS picks for Thursday night.
Cleveland -9 vs Detroit
Cleveland will open up against a weak Detroit team to begin their push to the postseason. This spread is realistic, considering the Pistons are that bad at basketball. Detroit shocked the Celtics before the break, but I think they struggle on Thursday.
The Pistons are 1-5 ATS in their past six games. Look for Jarrett Allen to control the paint and give his team a lot of second chance opportunities.
PICK: Cleveland -9
Boston -6.5 vs Brooklyn
The Celtics exploded in the past month, and I am hopeful this continues as a bettor. However, if they play as they did against Detroit, they will lose. Jayson Tatum will be the player you want to watch for Boston coming off his third All-Star Game.
The Celtics are 9-1 SU in their past ten games, and Marcus Smart will likely play coming off his ankle injury. This is a recipe for success.
PICK: Boston -6.5
Atlanta vs Chicago -3.5
The Chicago Bulls came out of nowhere this season, and they have a roster that’s built to last. The Bulls are 6-4 ATS in their past ten games against Atlanta. The Hawks have been hot, going 11-5 in their past 16.
Zach LaVine is probable to return on Thursday, but look for Demar Derozan to come up big for the team. He is fourth in points this season with 28.1 PPG.
PICK: Chicago -3.5
Memphis -3 vs Minnesota
As a bettor, I love seeing the Memphis Grizzlies as a three-point favorite on the road. If this game were in Memphis, the spread would be closer to five. The Grizzlies are ten wins better than the Timberwolves in 2021-22.
Memphis is also 6-1 ATS in their past seven and 8-1 ATS in their past nine games against Minnesota. Ja Morant is a difference-maker, shooting 49.8% from the field. It’s hard to bet against these numbers.
PICK: Memphis -3
Phoenix -10 vs Oklahoma City
The Phoenix Suns are my pick to come out of the Western Conference, but they could have some issues covering the spread. I am hoping for an All-Star break hangover for the Suns against the Thunder.
Oklahoma City may be a bad team, but they cover spreads at an insane rate. The team is 18-40 but 35-19-1 ATS. Additionally, the Suns are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 against the Thunder.
I cannot bet against a team that is 15-9-4 ATS at home!
PICK: Oklahoma City +10
Denver -5 vs Sacramento
The Kings are a bad team, and they also do not perform against the spread. They will face a Denver team that ended the first half of the season in a dominant manner. The team is dealing with some injuries, but I still like them to cover.
The team is 7-1 ATS in their past eight games on the road. This team thrives in difficult situations. This is thanks to Nikola Jokic, who had 33 points and seven assists last time out against Sacramento.
PICK: Denver -5
Golden State -9 vs Portland
Golden State is another team that is in line to win the Western Conference along with Phoenix. The team has performed great SU, but they have struggled covering this season. They also ended the first half of the season playing bad basketball.
The Warriors capped off the final five games before the break with a 1-4 SU record. They also have not covered in their past seven contests. The Trail Blazers are 4-1 SU and 4-1 ATS in their past five games.
If there were one game I would stay away from spread wise, it’s this matchup. However, if you want to bet, I would sprinkle the hot hand.
PICK: Portland +9
