January 13, 2021 | Posted in: Publishing
Published for a friend
Seven games scheduled
Three games canceled due to COVID protocols.
Milwaukee @ Detroit (+11)
Dallas @ Charlotte (+4)
Brooklyn @ New York (+6)
Los Angeles Lakers @ Oklahoma City (+8)
Memphis @ Minnesota (-2.5)
Portland @ Sacramento (+3.5)
New Orleans @ Los Angeles Clippers (-7)
Truths to be self evident
Last night, the Miami Heat continued to show there is no such thing as easy money in Vegas nearly winning outright with the league minimum eight players dressed.
Milwaukee plays in Detroit as double digit favorites and the spread continuing to grow. The Dallas Mavericks face the Charlotte Hornets who’ve won four straight and the Mavericks returning Kristaps Porzingis.
Brooklyn, on a back to back after winning outright against Denver last night, face the Knicks in a classic sell low buy high spot for the Knicks. Kevin Durant is not listed on the injury report but there is still no Kyrie Irving and this team misses Spencer Dinwiddie.
The Lakers are on a back to back in Oklahoma City with Anthony Davis questionable and Al Horford sitting as the Thunder are also on a back to back. Two of the worst teams in the NBA face off in Minnesota as Memphis eagerly awaits the return of Ja Morant with Karl Anthony-Townes questionable.
Portland travels to Sacramento in a game with high scoring expectations. Finally, the New Orleans Pelicans are in Los Angeles to face the Clippers in a game seeing Ivica Zubac and Eric Bledsoe questionable.
The computer
Last night, the computer went a paltry 1-5 against the spread and a meager 3-3 on over/unders. Tonight, the computer likes underdogs Charlotte, Memphis, New Orleans, and Sacramento to cover with Charlotte and Memphis winning outright.
The easiest money of the night appears to be Brooklyn -6 against the hapless Knicks mired in a scoring funk and the Lakers -8, even without Anthony Davis, against Oklahoma City without Al Horford. Oklahoma City is too dependent on Lu Dort scoring and LeBron James seems to will his team to victory night in and night out.
Tonight’s predictions
Charlotte +4
New York Knicks +6
Oklahoma City +8
There is too much excitement around Porzingis returning and he will most likely be limited in his minutes. Dallas is also missing some key players like Maxi Kleber, Jalen Brunson, Josh Richardson, and Dwight Powell.
The Knicks are in a buy low spot as we contend spreads are a popularity contest and Oklahoma City’s spread could grow depending on the status of Anthony Davis.