5 Best Bets: January 13th

Bucks (-11) at Pistons

Milwaukee looks to extend their two-game win streak as they take on the Detroit Pistons. In the last 11 games against Detroit, the Bucks have covered the spread ten times. On the other hand, the Pistons are a 1-8 against the spread facing teams in the Central Division. Furthermore, Detroit is the worst shooting team in the NBA at a 41.7% clip, whereas Milwaukee leads the league at 49.4%. Look for Giannis & Co. to cover the spread and take care of business on the road.

Grizzlies at Timberwolves UNDER 222.5 Points 

The Grizzlies and Timberwolves are not very impressive offensively, to say the least. Both are in the bottom five of the league in offensive efficiency, with Memphis at 28th and Minnesota at 26th. Additionally, they are both in the bottom 10 for shooting percentage. Look for the Grizzlies’ fifth-ranked defense to put a halt to Minnesota’s high-scoring affairs as of late. In the last five games Memphis has played in the Target Center, the total has gone under every time. With all that being said, the under looks to be the best bet tonight.

Lakers (-8) at Thunder

The Lakers are looking to extend their three-game win streak against the Thunder. This season, Los Angeles has performed very well on the defensive end. They have the top-ranked defense in the NBA and will be facing the third-worst offense in the Thunder. The Lakers will look to exploit this advantage in the paint as the Thunder’s Al Horford will be out due to rest. In their last five against teams in the Pacific division, the Thunder have covered the spread only once. With Anthony Davis and LeBron both playing sound basketball, the Lakers will control the pace of this game and cover.

Mavericks vs. Hornets UNDER 220.5 Points 

This pick is somewhat of a surprise. Both the Mavericks and Hornets have proven to be decent offensive teams capable of scoring the ball. However, COVID has hit the Mavs hard, ruling out four key role-players, including Dwight Powell, Josh Richardson, Jalen Brunson and Maxi Kleber. While Dallas ranks at number 4 in the league for defensive efficiency, Charlotte is not far behind at 9. In Charlotte’s last six games at home, the total has gone under in each match. Adding to the argument, the total has gone under in 5 of Dallas’s last 7 games. The trends seem to be pointing towards a low-scoring matchup.

Trailblazers (-3.5) at Kings 

The Trailblazers are playing the Kings for the second time in three games. In the last meeting, the Blazers took care of the Kings in resounding fashion by a score of 125-99. While Sacramento is coming off a respectable victory against Indiana, they have not shown much promise this year. Over the last six games prior to the win, the Kings only recorded one victory against the Bulls. They are 1-5 against the spread over their last six games. In contrast, the Blazers have won 4 of their last six games and are 7-3 against the spread facing Sacramento. With Portland being a top 10 team in terms of offense and Sacramento at second-worst in defense, the Blazers should cover with ease.

(Lines via BetMGM)

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