NBA picks and parlays for Aug 22: How to handicap losers
The NBA playoffs have started and several teams do not look like they want to be here. The Brooklyn Nets are just outmatched, the Indiana Pacers are powerless to stop the Miami Heat and the Oklahoma City Thunder have yet to show up for a game. In a “normal” NBA playoff season the handicapper can point to home court as a difference-maker, but in the bubble, you have to know how to handicap a loser. That is exactly what we will breakdown today when we make our NBA picks and parlays for Aug 22. If you prefer to focus on other games like the Sixers vs Celtics and the closeout games, we have those too.
The pulse of the public
The public is not giving up. The public is now pounding the Milwaukee Bucks (75%) after a big game two win and of course, they love Houston. After two dominating wins Oklahoma City and Chris Paul, over 79% of the bets are on the Rockets which will make them the most popular bet of the day.
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Daily NBA Picks
Let’s get to our best bets for today in the NBA. All point-spreads are taken from our top sportsbooks.
Thunder (+3) [BET NOW]
At one point, many NBA fans believed that the Thunder could match up against the Rockets. Not anymore. The Rockets have dominated the series and Chris Paul has disappeared. This led Paul to say this
“I gotta do more. Straight up.”
That means something. That means in this game he is going to go all out. He will play better defense and more importantly he will inspire his team. When you bet on sports, you do not get rich betting on quotes and what players say, but there is no doubt in my mind that the Thunder is the play tonight. We have hit this game in parlays, so we know what we are talking about so bet the Thunder now before the point spread moves.
Pacers +5 [BET NOW]
The Pacers are in trouble. They are down 0-2 to the Miami Heat but this is not the type of team that is going to get swept in the playoffs. Not only are they too talented but they are well-coached. Sure we have lost on the Pacers in the past, but not tonight. The Heat are getting public money and the NBA line has moved from (-4.5) to (-5) and if we are lucky we are going to get (+6) by tip-off. The Heat made history in the last outing as Duncan Robinson was a 3-point monster. In Game 2, he nailed 3-all night long finishing with 24 points on 7 of 8 from downtown. That won’t happen again, but it won’t stop him from shooting. The Pacers play better defense and they are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games following a straight-up loss. Take the points.
Daily NBA Parlay
If there is one thing that we are doing well, it is this. We are hitting parlays! We are at it again with another parlay to hit.
Two team parlay:
Magic vs Bucks Over 226
The Bucks won in blowout fashion, but they still did not play well. They had too many turnovers. The Magic were without some of their best scorers and so game two was not even a challenge for Milwaukee. That will change in game 3. The Magic like to run and score and that is why the over is 20-5-1 in the last 26 games overall for the Magic. This is going to be a high scoring game and the over is the only play at this point.
Trail Blazers vs Lakers Over 225
The Lakers finally showed up for game two, but there has not been a game yet where both of these offenses have met the potential that they offer on a nightly basis. The fact that the Blazers only posted 88 points in the last outing changed this betting total and lowered it five points from the last game. That offer opportunity to those who like to bet on NBA totals. Dame will not go 1-7 from 3 point land (even with a bum finger) and Carmelo Anthony will improve after a 4-of-17 performance. More points from the Blazers will give us a closer game and more points. The over is 13-6 in Trail Blazers last 19 games as an underdog and there will be more points tonight.