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Best NBA Bets Today
Trail Blazers vs Rockets: Alperen Sengun under 34.5 points, rebounds and assists -110 @ bet365
There's no question the Rockets are massive favorites against the Trail Blazers. Portland is depleted with several key contributors missing, and the loss of Deandre Ayton will make them particularly weakened in the frontcourt since they'll have to rely on Donovan Clingan, a rookie, to slow Alperen Sengun down. The Trail Blazers aren't known for their defense, either, and they'll have to find a way to slow down the duo of Jalen Green and Fred VanVleet.
Sengun, in particular, should have a field day against Clingan and Jerami Grant. However, and while the star big man should find a way to fill the stat sheet, don't expect him to reach the mark of at least 35 points, rebounds and assists. He's going to get his points and will certainly leave his mark as a playmaker, but Clingan is one of the best shot blockers in the league, so the Rockets would be wise to adopt a different approach rather than just feeding Sengun down low. The Turkish big man won't have problems making a big impact, but this 34.5 line is a bit too high. Plus, it's worth noting he was limited to just 14 points in his previous outing vs. Clingan and the Blazers.
Warriors vs. Spurs: Stephen Curry to score over 5.5 points in the first quarter -115 @ bet365
The Warriors have been one of the most surprising teams in the NBA this season, and the strong play of Curry has been one of the main reasons why Golden State sits in the upper part of the Western Conference standings one month into the regular season. Curry is averaging 24.1 points per game since the beginning of November, and the star floor general is doing it at a very efficient rate while shooting 51 percent from the field and 46.3 percent from three-point range. Opposing defenses have had a hard time slowing him down.
There's no question the Warriors are favorites in this matchup against a depleted Spurs team. San Antonio might not have Victor Wembanyama, who's dealing with a knee injury, and they'll probably rely on a rookie (Stephon Castle) and a veteran (Chris Paul) to try to slow Curry down. Considering the Warriors' offense relies heavily on switches and moving screens, it's hard to imagine the Spurs finding a way to limit Curry's impact. Given that Curry has scored at least 23 points in four of his last six games, he is trending in the right direction and should enjoy a strong start to lift Golden State's chance to earn another win here. Expect Curry to score at least six points in the first quarter against a rebuilding Spurs team.
Nuggets vs. Lakers: Lakers to cover -4.5 spread -110 @ bet365
The Nuggets are coming off a thrilling encounter against the Mavericks on Friday, where Denver lost by a 123-120 score, and playing in the second half of a back-to-back on the road against the Lakers won't be easy for them. The Lakers have been one of the most surprising teams in the NBA in the first month of the regular season, and Los Angeles has been particularly good at home, where they've lost just once – and it was a game they should've closed out earlier against the Magic on Thursday, losing on a late three-pointer from Franz Wagner after Anthony Davis missed some key free throws.
Thus, expect the Lakers to cover the spread and secure the victory here. Even though Nikola Jokic is back for Denver, and he posted a triple-double after recording 33 points (13-22 FG, 2-2 3Pt, 5-7 FT), 17 rebounds and 10 assists over 39 minutes during Friday's 123-120 loss to Dallas, he won't be enough to carry Denver to victory. Jamal Murray has been struggling all season long, and the Nuggets don't have the physicality inside to slow Davis down, nor the perimeter defense to contain the shooting of Dalton Knecht and Austin Reaves. As if that isn't enough, the Nuggets need to find a way to contain LeBron James, who has posted four triple-doubles in his last seven appearances. The Lakers should cruise to victory against a rested Denver team, and they shouldn't have problems covering the spread.
