NBA picks and parlays for Aug 20: Bucks bounce back?
The NBA playoffs are getting very interesting. On day 1 the favorites dominated and it looked like it was going to be a boring first round. That changed quickly when underdogs started pulling off upsets. The attention is focused on the Blazers for upsetting LeBron and the Lakers, but the Magic deserve credit for crushing the top-seeded Bucks in the opener. The NBA picks and parlays for Aug 20 begin with looking at how the public is reacting to the upsets in the betting market.
The pulse of the public
All of the favorites are getting the attention of the public, but the upsets have scared some bettors. In the game one meeting the Bucks was garnishing over 70% of the action as big favorites against the Magic. After the Magic dominated in game one, that number has dropped and just 55% of the bets are on the Bucks in game two.
Daily NBA Picks
Let’s get to our best bets for today in the NBA. All point-spreads are taken from our top sportsbooks.
Pacers (+5.5) [BET NOW]
The Pacers kept game one against the Heat close but faded away late. The Pacers could have folded in the first game as they encountered plenty of problems. They lost Victor Oladipo to an eye injury in the first quarter and Aaron Holiday only played 16 minutes with foul trouble. This is a must-win for Indiana considering that the Pacers are 0-12 in NBA franchise history in playoff series where they drop the first two games. The Heat had just one turnover in the second half, which is something that they will not be able to continue to do. The Heat are 3-13 ATS in their last 16 games following a straight-up win of more than 10 points and they lose game two.
Bucks (-12.5) [BET NOW]
It’s not often that we suggest dropping double-digits in any game, especially a playoff game. Game one was an ugly wake up call for the Milwaukee Bucks and they will be focused for game two. Betting on basketball is not easy and hitting parlays can be extremely difficult. So far we have had some success and we have another small parlay for day 3. The Magic deserve credit and they have protected the rim all year-long ranking third in the NBA by only allowing 32 percent of their opponent’s shots to come within four feet of the basket. Brewhoop notes that Bucks issues with the “Build a Wall defense”.
This is concerning, but the Magic just don’t have the talent to keep up with Milwaukee in this series. This is a statement game for the Bucks who have to win and they have to win big to show that they are still considered contenders to win it all. The Bucks are 11-3 ATS in their last 14 games following a straight-up loss of more than 10 points. They get the win and the cover, bet the Bucks in game two.
Daily NBA Parlay
The best part about betting parlays is that you only have to hit a few to make some money. Losing is never acceptable, but if you win a parlay it helps.
Two team parlay:
Thunder / Rockets under 227
The Rockets dominated game one and it is incredibly hard to back an ‘under’ play on a game with James Harden and the small-ball, 3-point shooting Rockets. Harden had 37 points and 11 rebounds on 12-of-22 shooting, including 6-of-13 from beyond the arc, and the Rockets had five players score in double figures. That is something that will not continue. The Thunder did not move well on defense and the film will show OKC that the focus of game 2 will be on defense. The under is 45-19-1 in Thunder last 65 games as an underdog and this under bet will cash.
Trail Blazers / Lakers Under 229
This series will be about defense. The Lakers lost game one and LeBron James admits that this team has to play better defense. Rajon Rondo is still day-to-day recovering from an injury, but after losing game one, the Lakers will expedite his return. The Lakers had big issues from the free-throw line and the 3-point arc, making the under the only play to make.