NBA Odds, Picks & Predictions: Wednesday (1/15)
With 11 games on tonight’s slate, there’s plenty of value on the NBA betting board. I picked my favorite two bets for tonight’s NBA slate below.
Let’s have a night.
Get instant alerts when a line reaches your target via the BettingPros App >>
Wednesday’s Best NBA Bets
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Boston Celtics vs. Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are coming off a 104-101 win against the Golden State Warriors. But they’re still 9-31 on the season and could potentially finish with the top pick in this year’s NBA Draft.
The Raptors aren’t good. On defense, Toronto has allowed 118.4 points per 100 possessions and given up a 55.6% effective field goal percentage. The Raptors have also allowed nearly 30% of offensive rebounds and have the worst defensive free-throw rate in the NBA.
The Celtics should feast offensively. Boston ranks No. 3 in the nation in points per 100 possessions and has turned the ball over below 12% of the time. The offense has also shot a 56.3% effective field goal percentage and should get a bunch of quality looks against the Raptors.
On the other hand, the Raptors are good in one area of offense - rebounding. Nonetheless, the Celtics have held opponents to only 26.6% of offensive rebounds. It’s not even likely Toronto will have success on the offensive glass in this game.
Boston has held teams to 111 points per 100 possessions. The Celtics won’t give up nearly as many good looks and will also foul way less.
Let’s back the Celtics at -14.5. It’s a hefty spread, but the Celtics earned a 125-71 win over the Raptors just two weeks ago.
Pick: Celtics -14.5 (-105)
Charlotte Hornets vs. Utah Jazz
The Charlotte Hornets have one of the worst offenses in the NBA and the Utah Jazz have one of the worst defenses.
The Hornets likely have a better chance of taking advantage. Although they won’t get to the foul line at a high rate, they should at least add a bunch of offensive rebounds and second chances. After all, the Hornets have gained 30.7% of offensive rebounds, while the Jazz have allowed 27.7%.
The Jazz have also allowed 117.9 points per 100 possessions due to a lack of turnovers. The Hornets turn the ball over 16.3% of the time, but if Charlotte can keep that number slightly down, they’ll have more opportunities to score from the field.
On the other hand, the Jazz have turned the ball over 18.2% of the time, the highest rate in the NBA. The Hornets are likely to win the turnover battle. The Hornets will also likely limit the Jazz on the offensive glass better than most teams. Utah has earned 31.7% of offensive rebounds, but the Hornets have only given up 27% per game.
The Jazz will consistently get to the foul line, but finding good looks and open shots will be challenging. Let’s go with Hornets -5.5.
Pick: Hornets -5.5 (-110)