Atlanta Hawks (+155)
There seems to be quite a bit of value in the lines on these slates, and that’s what we’re going to be taking advantage of tonight. The Atlanta Hawks have struggled quite a bit this season, ranking 22nd in the NBA in net offensive and defensive rating (-5.0), but this is a matchup they can take advantage of. They’ll face off against the Cleveland Cavaliers, who rank last in the league in net off and def rating (-12.6) by a wide margin. Cleveland will also be playing with their best player, Kevin Love, while Atlanta recently saw Dewayne Dedmon return from injury. Atlanta also won their first matchup by a healthy 22 points. Cleveland is dealing with a new head coach, as well, as they recently fired Tyronn Lue, and it could take them a few games to learn a new system.
Bet 2 units on the Atlanta ML to win 3.1 units (+155)
Sacramento Kings (+160)
The Sacramento Kings are a young team that has quietly built a solid resume. Through only seven games, they have recorded quality wins over the Miami Heat, Memphis Grizzlies, and Oklahoma City Thunder, while also taking the Utah Jazz to the limit in their game. They rank 16th in the NBA in net off and def rating (-0.6), and they get a solid matchup against the Orlando Magic tonight. Orlando has a few impressive wins this season, as well, but they rank 28th in the league in net off and def rating (-10.6). They have been blown out quite often, and Sacramento has a few players, specifically Nemanja Bjelica, who have been playing on another level recently. If this game were a pick ‘em, I likely would stay away, but these odds are a far too good to ignore for Sacramento, who should be acclimated to the East Coast after playing in Miami last night.
Bet 2 units on the Sacramento ML to win 3.2 units (+160)
Charlotte Hornets (-180)
I made two riskier bets above, and I wanted to play it safe here. I do have concerns about this line being too wide, but I also lean heavily towards Charlotte in this matchup. They have been blown out only once this season, losing their other three games by a total of five points. They feature a top-10 net off and def rating (5.3), and it will be exciting to see them finally play at home. Through seven games, they have played in Charlotte only twice. In those games, they defeated the Chicago Bulls by 29 points and lost to an undefeated Milwaukee Bucks squad by one point. Their best player, Kemba Walker, is known for being a significantly better player in Charlotte, as virtually every statistical category increases for him when he’s playing at home. The matchup against the Miami is a bit worrisome, but they have only played two games on the road this season, losing to the Orlando Magic and beating a 1-5 Washington Wizards team by one. I expect the home court advantage to play a major role in this game tonight.
Bet 4 units on the Charlotte ML to win 2.2 units (-180)
Parlay Bet
Parlay 2 units on Atlanta +4.5 spread, Miami/Charlotte OVER 222.5, and Sacramento +4.5 spread to win 11.4 units (+567)
