We cashed just one of our three NBA picks against the spread on Monday, although it could have easily been two-for-three had the Nets not taken their foot off the gas late in their win over the Magic.
Alas, we’ve got a much leaner slate on Tuesday with just three games scheduled, which includes a winnable spot for another New York team against one of the worst teams in the NBA. Can we get back in the winner’s column with a light betting menu?
Here’s a look at the odds for Tuesday’s games at BetMGM and the sides we like:
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NBA Tuesday odds, picks (via BetMGM)
- Knicks -4.5 @ Pistons
- Clippers-Trail Blazers over 211.5
Pistons vs. Knicks prediction and analysis
This is less an endorsement of the Knicks – who have been among the most frustrating teams to bet this year – and more of a dismissal of this dismal Pistons squad, which has looked totally inept without leading scorer Cade Cunningham (lower leg).
Since he suffered that injury on Nov. 9, Detroit posted the NBA’s fourth-worst net rating (-5.7) and lost nine of its 11 games outright. Ironically, that’s just a hair worse than what we’ve seen from the Knicks (-4.6) over the same stretch, although New York won this head-to-head matchup by nine points in the Pistons’ first full game without Cunningham.
I’d expect more of the same here, especially with leading scorer Bojan Bogdanovic (20.6 PPG) nursing a knee injury that could threaten his status for Tuesday night. Neither side has been at its best as of late, but the Knicks profile as the much stronger side here all considered.
Pistons vs. Knicks pick
Knicks -4.5 (BetMGM)
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Trail Blazers vs. Clippers prediction and analysis
When two teams meet without their leading scorers, it’s only natural to expect a low-scoring affair. Yet oddsmakers seem to be taking that too far here with a low total that doesn’t quite match reality.
The Clippers own the NBA’s second-best defensive rating (107.6) throughout the entire season, but much of that credit belongs to two-way star Paul George (hamstring), who has already been ruled out of this one. Without him, Los Angeles has been middle-of-the-road defensively and, perhaps more surprisingly, held its own offensively without its primary shot creator.
The same is true for the Trail Blazers, who are scoring just 3.6 points per 100 possessions less without Damian Lillard and allowing 2.6 more on the other end. This is just the fifth game all year with a total below 212, and the previous four all went over with ease. Expect a similar outcome here.
Trail Blazers vs. Clippers pick
Clippers-Trail Blazers over 211.5 (BetMGM)
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