NBA Daily Line for Wednesday’s Top Picks in the Week 20

2024 NBA Top Midweek Betting Games for January 24, Week 14

Officiating in the NBA earned another headline on Tuesday night in the Portland Trail Blazers; 111-109 loss to Oklahoma City. Portland coach Chauncey Billups was asking for a timeout, while his team was leading, 109-108, but the referee did not honor his request but instead called a double-dribble on guard Malcolm Brogdon with 15.1 seconds left in regulation. Billups reacted angrily and was quickly dealt a pair of technical fouls and ejected. The ensuing free throws gave Oklahoma City the win, and now Portland is filing a protest with the league to challenge the game outcome. In the postgame pool report interview, referee crew chief Bill Kennedy said that the referee in question did not hear or see Billups. No protest has been upheld by the NBA since 2007, but we will see what happens. Heading into Top Midweek Betting Games, take a look at our NBA betting picks from the world of pro hoops.

Cleveland Cavaliers at Milwaukee Bucks

NBA Odds: Cavaliers (+6.5) at Bucks (O/U 236.5)
Hour/TV: 8:10 pm ET

Milwaukee (30-13) and Cleveland (26-15) are the top two teams in the Central Division, and the Cavaliers not only have two games in hand but are also the league’s hottest team right now, riding an eight-game winning streak. During this stretch they have put up 121 points per game, bringing their season average up to 114, good for 21st in the league. In their last game, they beat Orlando on the road, 126-99, easily covering as 2 ½-point road favorites. Donovan Mitchell went 9 of 19 from the floor, posting 25 points and 13 assists. The Cavs’ defense is the second-best in the NBA, permitting only 109.7 points per game. Their rebounding (45.1 per game) ranks seventh. The team will be without Tristan Thompson, who started a 25-game suspension on Tuesday for running afoul of the anti-drug program, and Caris LeVert (wrist) is questionable. The team could definitely use his 16 points per game, which ranks third on the team.

The Bucks made the unusual move of firing head coach Adrian Griffin on Tuesday despite leading their division. The offense ranks second in the league (124.6 points per game), and their assist-to-turnover ratio (2.07) is ninth. Giannis Antetokounmpo had his second triple-double in the last three contests in the team’s 122-113 win over Detroit on Monday, posting 31 points, 17 boards, and 11 assists. The Bucks’ defense ranks just 25th, permitting 120.5 points per game. Their rebounding (44.4) is currently ninth, but Brook Lopez ranks second in the league in blocks (2.9 per game). The two teams have split their two meetings so far, but the Cavs beat the Bucks by 40 at home just last week. Cavaliers to cover.

Phoenix Suns at Dallas Mavericks

NBA Odds: Suns (-2.5) at Dallas (O/U 240.5)
Hour/TV: 8:30 pm ET, ABC

The entertaining rivalry between Mavericks star Luka Doncic and Suns star Devin Booker gets renewed on Wednesday night. Dallas (24-19) is eighth in the West, just one game behind the Suns (25-18) who are fifth. This is the teams’ second meeting of the season; the Mavericks won the first encounter, 128-114. Phoenix has six wins in a row right now, including a 115-113 win over Chicago on Monday. The Suns put up 116.1 points per game, good for 13th in the league. Their defense permits 114.2 points per game and leads the league in defensive rebounding.

The Mavericks lost to Boston at home, 119-110, and their defense has been the culprit since an early hot start. They permit 117.4 points per game, which ranks 20th, which undoes a lot of good that their eighth-ranked offense does, scoring 118.3 points per contest. Luka Doncic (back) and Kyrie Irving (thumb) are both questionable, so you’ll want to check your injury report closer to game time before locking in your wagers. Doncic leads the team with 33.6 points per game, and Irving has had big numbers this season as well, but with both of them out, it will be hard for the bench to replace all of that scoring. Suns to win and cover.

2024 NBA Top Midweek Betting Games for January 17, Week 13

Tuesday night offered a potential NBA Finals preview as the defending champion Denver Nuggets took on the 76ers in Philadelphia, a matchup that pitted the top two finishes in the last three MVP voting: Denver center Nikola Jokic and his counterpart in Philadelphia, Joel Embiid. Embiid dominated the game, with 41 points, 10 assists and 7 boards, including a stretch in the fourth quarter when he put up 10 points in a row to lead to a 126-121 win. Jokic had 24 points, 19 boards (including 11 on the offensive end) and 3 assists. That gave Embiid 41 points in two straight games after his 41-10 night against Houston on Monday. Moving to Wednesday’s action, let’s look at some promising Top Midweek Betting Games to consider in your NBA picks plans.

Milwaukee Bucks at Cleveland Cavaliers

NBA Odds: Bucks (-3.5) at Cavaliers (O/U 236.5)
Hour/TV: 7:30 pm ET, ESPN

The Bucks (28-12) currently sit in second place in the East, four games ahead of fourth-place Cleveland (23-15). The Bucks last played the Sacramento Kings, getting the 143-142 win in overtime (but failing to cover as four-point favorites). The Bucks kept up their trend of putting up points in bunches as they are second in scoring (125.0 points per game). Their shooting is their strength as they have a 50.2% overall field goal percentage. On defense, they rank just 24th, allowing 119.9 points per game, but they keep teams to just a 34.0% shooting percentage from behind the arc. They also average 44.4 boards per game, which minimizes second-chance points for the opposition.

The Cavaliers also come in on the momentum of a win as they throttled the Chicago Bulls at home, 109-91, covering as 4 ½-point favorites. Their offense only ranks 21st in the league (113.1 points per game), but their defense ranks third, permitting just 110.7 points per night. They limit opponents to 35.6% three-point shooting, and their rebounding is also strong, picking up 44.9 boards per night. But can they put clamps on the Bucks’ scoring? Giannis Antetokounmpo leads the team with 31.2 points and 11.4 rebounds per game. Bucks to win and cover.

Dallas Mavericks at L.A. Lakers

NBA Odds: Mavericks (+3.5) at Lakers (O/U 243.5)
Hour/TV: 8:30 pm ET, ABC

Dallas (24-17) currently holds fifth place in the West, four games ahead of the Lakers (20-21), who sit in tenth place. The Mavericks have a 2-0 record against the Lakers so far this season, and they head west after beating the New Orleans Pelicans, 125-120, on Monday. The Mavericks’ offense has been solid this year as they rank seventh (118.7 points per game), with a lot of their volume coming from downtown as they rank second in both three-point attempts and makes. The defense could use some improvement as they allow 117.1 points per contest, and they rank 23rd in field goal attempts permitted and 20th in three-point field goal makes permitted. They also rank just 26th in defensive rebounding. Luka Doncic (ankle) is questionable, but Kyrie Irving, Josh Green and Tim Hardaway Jr have picked up the scoring slack in other games that Doncic has had to miss.

The Lakers picked up an impressive win on Monday, stopping the Oklahoma City Thunder, 112-105. If they could improve their three-point shooting, they might climb the standings as they rank just 20th in three-point percentage and are dead last in three-point shots attempted per game. They rank seventh in field goal percentage but just 27th in the number of field goal attempts they’ve tried. They are last in the NBA in offensive rebounding, so they’re not helping themselves out with second chances. Their defensive rebounding isn’t much better as they rank 21st, and they are last in three-point field goals permitted (14.4 per game). Mavericks to cover.

2023 NBA Top Midweek Betting Games for December 27, Week 10

The Dallas Mavericks could actually be pretty good when Kyrie Irving finally returns from that right heel contusion that has had him on the shelf since December 8. The Mavericks are 18-12 after a Christmas night win in Phoenix that saw Luka Doncic drop 50 on the Suns and break the 10,000-point barrier. It looks like coach Jason Kidd will keep Dante Exum in the starting lineup, as the group of Doncic, Irving, Exum, Dereck Lively II and Derrick Jones Jr is +35 in the 22 minutes they’ve been on the court together. If you take Irving out of that group, the four players are +76 in 71 minutes. Doncic, Lively, and Exum are +86 in 180 minutes, and Lively had a big 20-10 night in that same win over Phoenix. When he plays, the Mavericks are 17-7; when he doesn’t, they are just 1-5. Not bad for a rookie! Let’s look at your Top Midweek Betting Games and some NBA betting picks for Wednesday night’s action in the Association.

Philadelphia 76ers at Orlando Magic

NBA Odds: Magic (+0.5) at 76ers (O/U 58.5)
Hour: 7:00 pm ET

Philadelphia lost to the Miami Heat on Christmas Day, although they did not have defending MVP Joel Embiid (ankle sprain). Tobias Harris led the 76ers with 27 points, and Kelly Oubre Jr added 25. Mo Bamba got the start in place of Embiid and ended up with 18. Tyrese Maxey went just 4 of 20 for Philadelphia and ended up with a dozen points. At one point, the 76ers clanked 14 shots in a row during a 21-1 Miami run. Embiid did not travel to Florida for the Christmas game and is doubtful for Wednesday’s game.

Orlando has two wins in a row after beating the Washington Wizards, 126-119, on Tuesday, which means they face the 76ers on the second night of a back-to-back. They started their winning streak with a 117-110 win over the Indiana Pacers, getting 34 from Paolo Banchero and 24 from Franz Wagner. They won the battle of the boards, 39-33. A chance to play the 76ers without Embiid in the lineup is always an opportunity, so the Magic hope to take advantage. Banchero has 30+ points four different times this season, and the 76ers may have to patrol the paint with Oubre, Robert Covington and Paul Reed. Magic to win.

Phoenix Suns at Houston Rockets

NBA Odds: Rockets (+0.5) at Suns (O/U 57)
Hour: 8:00 pm ET

The Suns are in an unusual position as they are looking up at the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference standings. Sitting at 14-15, they are 11th in the West, 1 ½ games back of the 15-13 Rockets, who are sitting in eighth. Last year, the Rockets went 2-1 against the Suns, who are struggling on offense this year. The Suns have a two-game losing streak after that 128-114 setback against Dallas on Christmas night; over their last three games, they have only scored 107.7 points per game. On defense, they have permitted 119 points per game over that same stretch.

Houston lost to Indiana, 123-117, in their last game, but their defense has ranked second this season, permitting just 108.3 points per contest. They lead the league in field goal shooting percentage permitted (44.3%) and in three-point shooting percentage permitted (32.1%). The offense has had a hard time getting on track at times, scoring just 111.8 points per night (24th). They are only shooting 46.2% overall and 35.8% from downtown. That offense needs to improve for the defense to pay off. Rockets to win.

New York Knicks at Oklahoma City Thunder

NBA Odds: Knicks (+1) at Thunder (O/U 61)
Hour: 8:00 pm ET

The Knicks are in sixth in the East with a 17-12 record, while the Thunder are 19-9, good for third in the West. The Knicks got a big home win on Christmas, knocking off the Bucks, 129-122. Their defense is tenth in the league, permitting 112.4 points per game, thanks in large part to rebounding; their performance on the defensive glass ranks third. They are shooting 37.6% from behind the arc, and they rank fourth in offensive boards, so this is a team that is hard to beat on both ends of the floor right now.

Oklahoma City comes in off a big win over Minnesota on Tuesday, as they rolled, 129-106 and are looking for their fourth win in their last five games. The Thunder have a nice 49.5% field goal percentage so far this season and score 121 points per game. On defense, they are allowing the second-most three-point attempts per game and are giving up 113.4 points per game. Over their last three games, the Thunder are scoring 127.7 points per game, and they should be able to run past the Knicks here. Thunder to win.

2023 NBA Top Midweek Betting Games for December 20

Damian Lillard passed an important milestone on Tuesday night, dropping 40 points, a season high, on the San Antonio Spurs in a 132-119 win – and passing the 20,000-point mark for his career. He becomes the 51st player ever to hit that plateau in NBA history, joining just seven other active players. He hit the mark in his 794th career contest and is now the 17th-fastest player to get to 20K. The other active players are Chris Paul, DeMar DeRozan, Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Kevin Durant, and LeBron James. Lillard also joins James, Harden and Curry as the only NBA players ever to reach 20,000 points, 5,000 assists, and 2,000 three-pointers. Let’s check out Top Midweek Betting Games and some promising NBA betting picks from the Association as the calendar turns to Wednesday.

Minnesota Timberwolves at Philadelphia 76ers

NBA Odds: Timberwolves (+3.5) at 76ers (O/U 225.5)
Hour: 7:00 pm ET
Streaming:NBA TV

Minnesota (20-5) leads the Oklahoma City Thunder in the West by three games, and their defensive rating (107.1) and scoring defense (105.9 points permitted per game) both rank first in the league. Their offense puts up 113.5 points per game, which ranks 18th. They came back from a 66-54 deficit in Miami on Monday, but they came back to get that key road win, 112-108. Anthony Edwards led the way with 32 points, and Karl-Anthony Towns added 18. Naz Reid came off the bench to score 13, and Jaden McDaniels scored 10. The Timberwolves won’t have Jaylen Clark on Wednesday.

The 76ers (18-8) are in third place in the East and second place in the Atlantic Division. Their last game was a disappointing 108-104 home loss to Chicago, a game in which the Sixers were 10 ½-point favorites. Philly did mount a furious comeback in the fourth quarter, but it was not enough as the team wasted a 40-14 night from Joel Embiid and 29 points from Tyrese Maxey. Their offense is fourth in the league, scoring 122.2 points per night, and their defense allows 110.9 points per game, good for seventh. Nicolas Batum will miss the game, and Marcus Morris Sr and Robert Covington are listed as questionable. 76ers to win and cover.

Denver Nuggets at Toronto Raptors

NBA Odds: Nuggets (-4.5) at Raptors (O/U 228.5)
Hour: 7:30 pm ET

The Nuggets (18-10) crushed the Dallas Mavericks in a 130-104 home victory in their last game, behind 22 points from Jamal Murray and 21 from Aaron Gordon. Nikola Jokic had an eight-point, nine-board, seven-assist night but got to sit on the bench for the fourth quarter with the rest of the Denver starters. Four different bench players had double figures for the Nuggets, who had a 32-11 edge in fast-break points.

The Raptors (11-15) took down Charlotte at home, 114-99, in their last game, turning a two-point deficit at the end of three quarters into a runaway. Pascal Siakam had eight of his 27 points in the fourth, and Gary Trent Jr put up 22 points and 10 boards to get the first double-double of his career. The Hornets didn’t have Miles Bridges, LaMelo Ball, Gordon Hayward, or Mark Williams. The Raptors turned the ball over seven times in the first quarter – a quarter in which they only made seven baskets. They will need a better start against the Nuggets. Nuggets to win and cover.

L.A. Clippers at Dallas Mavericks

NBA Odds: Clippers (-3.5) at Mavericks (O/U 236.5)
Hour: 8:30 pm ET

Both of these teams come in with 16-10 records; however, the Clippers have won eight in a row and 13 of 16, while the Mavericks have cooled off significantly since a hot start to the season. The Clippers routed Indiana, 151-127, on Monday, shooting 57.1% overall from the floor and 50% from downtown. They also had 60 points in the lane and 14 offensive boards. James Harden went 12 of 16 to lead the Clippers with 35 points, and Ivica Zubac pulled down 16 rebounds. Kawhi Leonard (24.2 points per game) leads the team in scoring on the season, and the team’s offense ranks ninth (117 ppg) and sixth in shooting (48.4%). Their three-point shooting (38.3%) ranks third.

Dallas only has a 7-5 straight up record at home this season, despite terrific output from Luka Doncic. He went 13 of 24 for 38 points and also had 11 boards and eight assists in the loss. Doncic leads the Mavericks in points (32.9), rebounds (8.4), and assists (9.1). Kyrie Irving, who took a max deal to come back and join Doncic, remains on the shelf with an extended injury, along with Maxi Kleber, Josh Green, and Dereck Lively II. Clippers to win and cover.

2023 NBA Top Midweek Betting Games for December 13 – Week 8

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green continues to cause chaos for the team, receiving his third ejection for the season in a 119-116 loss in Phoenix on Tuesday. This time, Green took a flagrant 2 after windmilling and hitting Suns center Jusuf Nurkic in the head. He already served a five-game suspension after putting Rudy Gobert in a headlock on November 14, so now the discipline could be even more significant. Video of the incident shows Green swinging his arms before turning to hit Nurkic, but Green continues to deny that he had any intent to contact Nurkic. Nurkic responded in a press conference that Green needs to “get help,” so stay tuned. Nonsense like this, along with subpar play from Andrew Wiggins and Klay Thompson, have contributed to the team’s 10-13 start. Looking ahead to Top Midweek Betting Games, check out our NFL online picks.

Indiana Pacers at Milwaukee Bucks

NBA Odds: Pacers (+6.5) | Bucks (O/U 258.5)
Hour: 8:00 pm ET

The Pacers (13-8) are fifth in the East right now but hope to get a bump out of their run to the finals of the in-season tournament. They followed that up with a win over Detroit on Monday, giving them four straight victories. Their offense leads the NBA with 127.6 points per game – despite the fact that they are sixth-worst on the offensive glass. They are ninth in three-point shooting at 37.6%. They lead the league in field goal attempts, field goals made, and overall shooting percentage. Their defense is generous, though, as they give up 124.7 points per game, second most in the NBA.

The Milwaukee Bucks (16-7) have the second-best offense in the NBA, scoring 122.6 points per game, and their production comes from outside as they rank fourth in three-point percentage and second in overall shooting percentage. Their defense is also a bit porous, allowing 119.2 points per game. The Pacers are benefiting from hot play from Tyrese Haliburton right now, and it will be interesting to see how hard he can push the Bucks. Pacers to cover.

Brooklyn Nets at Phoenix Suns

NBA Odds: Nets (+2.5) | Suns (O/U 227.5)
Hour: 9:00 pm ET

The Nets (12-10) struggle with perimeter defense, as we saw when they lost in Sacramento, 131-118, watching the Kings set a franchise mark for made three pointers in a game. The Nets shot 47.7% including 48.3% from behind the arc, but they allowed the Kings to shoot 51.5% overall and 55.6% from downtown. Mikal Bridges led the Nets with 22 points, and Cam thomas added 20. They are eighth in scoring and 19th in points permitted.

Phoenix (13-10) won their last game, 119-116, over the Golden State Warriors despite playing without Kevin Durant. Jusuf Nurkic bounced back from that incident with Draymond Green to post 17 points and 13 rebounds, and Bradley Beal played for the first time in a month and chipped in 16. The Suns are 12th in scoring and 13th in points permitted per game. It will be interesting to see how much Beal contributes now; he has only appeared in four games so far, averaging 17.3 points per contest. The Suns are just 6-6 at home, a disappointing number for a contender. Suns to win and cover.

New York Knicks at Utah Jazz

NBA Odds: Knicks (-6.5) | Jazz (O/U 227.5)
Hour: 9:00 pm ET

The Knicks (13-9) beat Toronto on Monday, 136-130, and open up a Western swing in Utah on Wednesday. The Knicks’ defense has only permitted 109.7 points per game so far this season, thanks in large part to their defensive rebounding, which ranks second in the league. On offense, they tend to struggle a bit, averaging just 113.1 points per game, but their three-point shooting is strong as they make 38.4% of their shots from downtown, which ranks fifth.

Utah (7-16) lost on Monday to Oklahoma City, 134-120. They rank just 25th in the NBA on defense, allowing 120.3 points per game, and they permit opponents to shoot 48.9% overall and 37.7% from behind the arc. On offense, they’re only putting up 111.3 points per game. Their offensive rebounding, ironically, leads the league, but this could be a result of their poor shootin percentage. The Jazz won’t have Jordan Clarkson back until late December, and Lauri Markkanne (hamstring) will be a game-time decision. Going to Utah is tough because of the altitude, but the Jazz are only 6-5 at home this season. Knicks to win and cover.