Announcement

**Udog** · 08-01-2020, 08:56 AM

Armadillo: Saturday's six-pack

According to Forbes magazine, the six most valuable NFL franchises:
$5.5B— Dallas Cowboys
$4.1B— New England Patriots
$3.9B— New Jersey Giants
$3.8B— Los Angeles Rams
$3.5B— San Francisco 49ers
$3.45B— Chicago Bears

Americans who have died from COVID-19: 152,940
Please wear a mask when you go out.

**********

Armadillo: Saturday's Den: Wrapping up the last day of July…….

13) Coming into Friday’s games, the batting average of major league teams was only .230, with four teams hitting under .200. No bueno.

30-man rosters may be playing into this; with so many more pitchers available, hitters aren’t facing the same pitchers very often, which makes hitting more difficult.

12) Friday’s St Louis-Milwaukee game was postponed; they’re hoping to play a twinbill on Sunday, which would be MLB’s first doubleheader with 7-inning games.

11) Someone posted on Twitter Friday that the Phillies aren’t going to Miami next week; they’re going to play two 2-game series with Bronx instead. That hasn’t been announced officially, but the person seemed pretty sure it was going to happen.

10) Braves 11, Mets 10— New York led 8-2 in 5th inning, but their bullpen gave up seven runs in four innings. Ex-Met Travis d’Arnaud had three hits, knocked in five runs and stole his first base since 2014. His bases-loaded double in the 8th inning was the game-winning hit.

9) Same umpiring crew has worked every Astro game this season, which is strange.

8) San Francisco Giants are platooning at six of nine positions; they’re probably the team that gets helped the most if the 30-man rosters stick around.

7) Detroit 7, Cincinnati 2— Most of the pundits on MLB Network touted Cincinnati as a playoff team, but they’re off to a 2-5 start, despite starting out against the Tigers/Royals.

6) White Sox 3, Royals 2- Kansas City started rookie Zach Bubic, who never pitched above A ball, though he did pitch in college at Stanford, which is good baseball. Young Mr Bubic allowed four baserunners, two earned runs in four IP, not a bad debut.

5) Aging Detroit star Miguel Cabrera is 4-30 starting off this season; three of the four hits were home runs.

4) Padres 8, Rockies 7- Fernando Tatis hit a dramatic 2-out, game-tying homer in the 9th inning, then Tommy Pham hit a 3-run tater a few minutes later to pull out an unlikely win in Denver.

3) NFL handed Antonio Brown an 8-game suspension for his antics, so even if someone signs him, he’ll have to hang around for half a season before he starts getting paid.

2) Rockets 153, Mavericks 149 OT— Game was 42-all after the first quarter, the first NBA game since November 6, 1990 (Houston-Denver) where both teams scored 40+ points in the first quarter.

Houston was 33-53 inside the arc, 19-48 outside the arc. Dallas made 21-50 on the arc, 8-10 by Trey Burke off the bench.

Down two with 0:03.7 left, Rockets’ James Harden missed a foul shot, but Houston’s Robert Covington tipped rebound in to tie the game. Friday night was loaded with lot of quality entertainment. Harden scored 49 points for the winners.

1) Mavericks have players from seven different countries on their roster.

**Udog** · 08-01-2020, 08:58 AM

NBA public betting, line movement, sharp money for August 1
Patrick Everson

Anthony Davis and the Lakers beat the Clippers on opening night in the NBA Bubble. The Lakers opened as 3.5-point favorites against the Raptors and moved to -4 for a Saturday night game.

NBA betting odds are on the board for Day 3 inside the NBA Bubble, with five games on the Saturday slate in Orlando. Among the highlights is the defending NBA champion Raptors squaring off against the Lakers.

CG Technology sportsbooks risk analyst Dave Sharapan provided insights on NBA opening lines and early line movement, sharp money and public betting for Saturday’s matchups. Covers will update this action report with NBA sharp picks vs. public bets and line movement throughout the day.

NBA line movement

The Lakers are coming off a 103-101 win over the Clippers on Thursday’s opening night in the NBA Bubble. CG Tech books opened the Lakers -3.5 and moved to -4 Friday for Saturday’s 8:30 p.m. ET nightcap.

The Clippers and Pelicans also return for their second game of the restart, a 6 p.m. ET matchup. Los Angeles is holding steady as a 5.5-point favorite at CG Tech. The 76ers-Pacers 7 p.m. ET tilt opened Philadelphia -4, moved to -5, back to -4, then back to -5 Friday.

Also, generally speaking, bettors are firing like mad on Overs since the NBA restart began.

“The story of NBA Bubble betting so far is the totals being bet one way – Over, and then Over, and then Over again,” Sharapan said. “Totals are moving 5 to 8 points, like it’s the Showtime Era again.”

NBA sharp money

“Sharp play took Pacers +5, so we went back to -4,” Sharapan said of the back-and-forth movement on the Sixers-Pacers line.

NBA public betting

No surprise that public betting is on the Lakers so far.

“No significant wagers, just a steady flow of Laker money,” Sharapan said, before pointing to yet another total on the move. “The total was 213.5, we took a limit play from a stranger on the Over, and it’s now 215.”

Pelicans-Clippers has minimal action, but Sharapan said there are far more parlays on the Clippers than the Pelicans. He also expects to see some New Orleans money Saturday and perhaps a line drop.

Sixers-Pacers is Pros vs. Joes, with the public playing the Sixers -4. Public bettors are also on the Over, with the total opening at 211 and rising to 216. Sharapan said the Heat-Nuggets total went from 210 to 212.5 in the day’s first game, a 1 p.m. ET tipoff.

**Udog** · 08-01-2020, 09:03 AM

717MIAMI -718 DENVER
DENVER is 19-7 ATS (11.3 Units) after failing to cover 4 of their last 5 against the spread in the last 3 seasons.

719UTAH -720 OKLAHOMA CITY
OKLAHOMA CITY is 12-3 ATS (8.7 Units) in road games versus explosive offensive teams - scoring 110+ points/game in the current season.

721NEW ORLEANS -722 LA CLIPPERS
NEW ORLEANS are 13-2 ATS (10.8 Units) in road games versus poor pressure defensive teams - forcing <=14 turnovers/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

723PHILADELPHIA -724 INDIANA
PHILADELPHIA is 8-22 ATS (-16.2 Units) in road games revenging a road loss vs opponent in the last 3 seasons.

725LA LAKERS -726 TORONTO
LA LAKERS are 10-1 ATS (8.9 Units) revenging a home loss vs opponent in the current season.

NBA
Long Sheet

Saturday, August 1

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MIAMI (41 - 24) vs. DENVER (43 - 22) - 8/1/2020, 1:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
DENVER is 3-2 against the spread versus MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
DENVER is 4-1 straight up against MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
4 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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UTAH (42 - 23) vs. OKLAHOMA CITY (40 - 24) - 8/1/2020, 3:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 39-24 ATS (+12.6 Units) in all games this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 29-18 ATS (+9.2 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game this season.
UTAH is 93-71 ATS (+14.9 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.
UTAH is 43-25 ATS (+15.5 Units) in road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
OKLAHOMA CITY is 10-6 against the spread versus UTAH over the last 3 seasons
OKLAHOMA CITY is 10-6 straight up against UTAH over the last 3 seasons
11 of 16 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NEW ORLEANS (28 - 37) vs. LA CLIPPERS (44 - 21) - 8/1/2020, 6:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA CLIPPERS are 83-68 ATS (+8.2 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
LA CLIPPERS are 58-37 ATS (+17.3 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
LA CLIPPERS are 31-17 ATS (+12.3 Units) after a division game over the last 3 seasons.
LA CLIPPERS are 40-27 ATS (+10.3 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
LA CLIPPERS are 49-29 ATS (+17.1 Units) in road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.
LA CLIPPERS are 27-13 ATS (+12.7 Units) in road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
LA CLIPPERS are 46-30 ATS (+13.0 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.
NEW ORLEANS is 19-7 ATS (+11.3 Units) in road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
NEW ORLEANS is 17-7 ATS (+9.3 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
NEW ORLEANS is 7-3 against the spread versus LA CLIPPERS over the last 3 seasons
NEW ORLEANS is 6-4 straight up against LA CLIPPERS over the last 3 seasons
5 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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PHILADELPHIA (39 - 26) vs. INDIANA (39 - 26) - 8/1/2020, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHILADELPHIA is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) in road games revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 16-28 ATS (-14.8 Units) after a win by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 29-42 ATS (-17.2 Units) after scoring 115 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 6-14 ATS (-9.4 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 7-17 ATS (-11.7 Units) in road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 7-17 ATS (-11.7 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game this season.
INDIANA is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) on Saturday games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
INDIANA is 6-4 against the spread versus PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
INDIANA is 5-5 straight up against PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
8 of 10 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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LA LAKERS (50 - 14) vs. TORONTO (46 - 18) - 8/1/2020, 8:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA LAKERS are 4-15 ATS (-12.5 Units) against Atlantic division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 18-34 ATS (-19.4 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 10-1 ATS (+8.9 Units) revenging a home loss vs opponent this season.
LA LAKERS are 30-21 ATS (+6.9 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game this season.
TORONTO is 223-274 ATS (-78.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 5-0 against the spread versus LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 5-0 straight up against LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NBA

Saturday, August 1

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Trend Report
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Miami @ Denver
Miami
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Miami's last 8 games when playing on the road against Denver
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Miami's last 5 games when playing Denver
Denver
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Denver's last 8 games when playing at home against Miami
Denver is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Miami

Utah @ Oklahoma City
Utah
Utah is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Utah is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City is 18-1 SU in its last 19 games when playing at home against Utah
Oklahoma City is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games when playing Utah

New Orleans @ LA Clippers
New Orleans
New Orleans is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of New Orleans's last 5 games when playing LA Clippers
LA Clippers
The total has gone OVER in 4 of LA Clippers's last 5 games when playing New Orleans
LA Clippers is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games

Philadelphia @ Indiana
Philadelphia
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Philadelphia's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Philadelphia's last 5 games when playing on the road against Indiana
Indiana
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Indiana's last 5 games when playing at home against Philadelphia
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Indiana's last 9 games when playing Philadelphia

LA Lakers @ Toronto
LA Lakers
LA Lakers is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games on the road
LA Lakers is 12-2 SU in its last 14 games
Toronto
Toronto is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing LA Lakers
Toronto is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing LA Lakers

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**Udog** · 08-01-2020, 09:55 AM

NBA
Dunkel

Saturday, August 1

Miami @ Denver

Game 717-718
August 1, 2020 @ 1:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Miami
117.405
Denver
115.592
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Miami
by 2
218
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Denver
by 1 1/2
211
Dunkel Pick:
Miami
(+1 1/2); Over

Utah @ Oklahoma City

Game 719-720
August 1, 2020 @ 3:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Utah
119.168
Oklahoma City
119.318
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Utah
Even
210
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Oklahoma City
by 2
216 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Utah
(+2); Under

New Orleans @ LA Clippers

Game 721-722
August 1, 2020 @ 6:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
New Orleans
118.217
LA Clippers
127.603
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
LA Clippers
by 9 1/2
224
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
LA Clippers
by 5
229
Dunkel Pick:
LA Clippers
(-5); Under

Philadelphia @ Indiana

Game 723-724
August 1, 2020 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Philadelphia
124.177
Indiana
113.670
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Philadelphia
by 10 1/2
230
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Philadelphia
by 5 1/2
216
Dunkel Pick:
Philadelphia
(-5 1/2); Over

LA Lakers @ Toronto

Game 725-726
August 1, 2020 @ 8:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
LA Lakers
120.918
Toronto
126.071
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Toronto
by 5
215
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
LA Lakers
by 4
217
Dunkel Pick:
Toronto
(+4); Under

**Udog** · 08-01-2020, 11:23 AM

NBA Bubble Bets - Saturday
Tony Mejia

Miami Heat vs. Denver Nuggets

Time/Venue: 1 p.m, HP Field House
Records/Bubble Records (SU/ATS): Heat 41-24/0-0 (33-30-2, 0-0); Nuggets 43-22/0-0 (29-32-4, 0-0)
Line: DEN -1.5/211, DEN -120, MIA +100

Line Analysis: The Nuggets opened as a one-point underdog when lines were initially released but they were quickly bet up to a two-point favorite. Nikola Jokic’s bout with COVID-19 may have affected that number, but Miami’s Bam Adebayo and Kendrick Nunn were also stricken and reported to the bubble late. With both cleared to play, Miami has moved to just a 1.5-point underdog. The Heat was a five-point ‘dog in Denver back on Nov. 5 and suffered a 109-89 loss. The total for that matchup closed at 211.5.

Injuries/Rotational Adjustments to Watch: The Heat have all 17 players they brought to Orlando ready to play entering their first seeding game, so Erik Spoelstra will select the 13 he expects will be the most useful and will likely find a way to play most. Michael Malone doesn’t have the same luxury, having already ruled out starting wings Will Barton (knee soreness) and Gary Harris (hip strain). Point guard Jamal Murray (hamstring) is questionable and there’s really no reason to force anything. We could see Jokic and Paul Millsap surrounded by teammates like Monte Morris and Torrey Craig in the starting five.

Handicapping Notes: Miami lost to the Nuggets by 20 in opening their first West coast road trip of the season. Barton and Murray were catalysts, combining for 36 points and eight assists. Jokic was held to 4-for-12 shooting and just five boards. The Heat shot 36 percent as Jimmy Butler, Adebayo and Nunn combined to shoot 9-for-35.

Nothin’ But Bet: Butler will likely fixate on defending and getting teammates involved in lieu of scoring for most of this one, so expect the Heat’s leader to surpass the 12.5 rebounds + assists prop available at FanDuel (+104).

Utah Jazz vs. Oklahoma City Thunder

Time/Venue: 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN Wide World of Sports Arena
Records/Bubble Records (SU/ATS): Jazz 42-23/1-0 (31-32-2, 1-0); Thunder 40-24/0-0 (40-24, 0-0)
Line: OKC -1.5/217.5, OKC -116 ML, UTA +110

Line Analysis: Utah was a 1-point favorite when this line was set to open July, but the number flipped to the Thunder being favored the single digit. The total has been steadily bet up to where it currently resides after being available as low as 210.5 at one point. CG Technology had it at 211.5 on Friday morning but has similarly adjusted its numbers.
The Thunder were a 9-point underdog when they fell 100-95 in Utah on Opening night (Oct. 23) and won outright (104-90 as an 8.5-point ‘dog on Dec. 9. There was a huge disparity between the totals as the books put a number of 221.5 on the first one and just 206.5 in the December meeting. Both went under.

Injuries/Rotational Adjustments to Watch: Andre Roberson is back for Oklahoma City after over two years battling back from a serious knee injury. He’s a difference-maker guarding wings, adding to the arsenal of athletic perimeter defenders Sam Presti has assembled. The Jazz come off a huge comeback win over New Orleans in which Jordan Clarkson played a huge role as the primary catalyst off the bench.

Handicapping Notes: Paul hasn’t shot the ball well in scrimmages but focused on getting teammates involved and has deferred to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Dennis Schroder. The Thunder trio matches up against Donovan Mitchell, Mike Conley and Clarkson, who weren’t together for the first few matchups.

Outside of Clarkson, no Utah reserve played even 15 minutes. Forward Georges Niang, guard Emmanuel Mudiay and center Tony Bradley combined to shoot 2-for-10, which won’t cut it since Clarkson can’t be tasked with the heavy lifting off the bench every time out. Adams shot 1-for-8 against Rudy Gobert’s defense in the opener and played better in the second matchup but still gave up 19 points and 17 boards on 9-for-10 shooting. Adams has looked great in the bubble thus far, so if he can be better against Gobert, the Thunder could close the 1.5=game gap between them and Utah.

Nothin’ But Bet: FanDuel has a player performance double prop that pays out +530 if Adams grabs 12 boards and the Thunder wins. That sounds like a winner to me.

New Orleans Pelicans vs. Los Angeles Clippers

Time/Venue: 6:00 p.m. ET, HP Field House
Records/Bubble Records (SU/ATS): Pelicans 28-37/0-1 (33-30-2, 0-1); Clippers 44-21/0-1 (35-30, 1-0)
Line: LAC -5/226, LAC -175 ML, NOP +180

Line Analysis: These numbers were hung well before the first game these teams played on Thursday night and weren’t altered much. The scoring flurries that Friday produced have led to bets on the ‘over’ that are pushing this total up some. These teams have met three times already this season and the total has hovered around 233 on each occasion, with the ‘over’ prevailing every time. The teams have combined for 259 or more twice. L.A. has won two of the matchups but only covered when it was favored by 13 at home (134-109, Nov. 24).

Injuries/Rotational Adjustments to Watch: Patrick Beverley played despite not practicing, coming off the bench. Ivica Zubac and Landry Shamet also participated, so Doc Rivers is going to let his team play itself into shape during these seeding games. Without key reserves Lou Williams (quarantine) and Montrezl Harrell (family issue) available, there are plenty of shots and touches to go around. The Pelicans are taking it easy with Zion Williamson, who they don’t feel is ready for the grind since he had to leave the bubble to tend to a family matter. Don’t expect him to play more than 20 minutes or so.

Handicapping Notes: Kawhi Leonard and Paul George combined for 58 points per game against the Pelicans this season. Brandon Ingram only played in two games and shot 40 percent, averaging 22.5 points per game, a figure below his season average. Holiday has dominated, shooting 63.6 percent from 3-point range while averaging 27 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.5 assists. After losing to Utah, this is a must-win for a Pelicans squad that has fallen behind Portland in the race to finish ninth in the Western Conference. The Clippers, undoubtedly set to finish second or third, aren’t playing with the same sense of urgency.

Nothin’ But Bet: Look for Leonard to finish as the high scorer in this contest, which pays +105 at FanDuel.

Philadelphia 76ers vs. Indiana Pacers

Time/Venue: 7 p.m. ET, Visa Athletic Center
Records/Bubble Records (SU/ATS): 76ers 39-26/0-0 (28-33-4, 0-0); Pacers 39-26/0-0 (34-28-3, 0-0)
Line: PHI -5.5/216.5, PHI ML -225, IND +200

Line Analysis: The Sixers were just a four-point favorite until earlier this week, when Indiana’s Domantas Sabonis was ruled out due to plantar fasciitis that forced him to leave the bubble. The total has been bet up from 210 to 216.5, which is higher than the previous three totals in their matchups that range from 207.5-215. The ‘under’ is 2-1. Indiana has covered all three meetings, winning outright twice.

Injuries/Rotational Adjustments to Watch: It’s no secret that the Sixers have a different look with Ben Simmons now at power forward and another scorer/creator in the backcourt mix in Shake Milton. Al Horford started to look comfortable as the anchor to that second unit in scrimmages, so Philly has the edge in quality depth given that the Pacers are suiting up without their leading scorer. Victor Oladipo is expected to play but hasn’t committed to doing so for the duration of these seeding games. Myles Turner will be counted on to be more assertive offensively with Sabonis out.

Handicapping Notes: The Pacers won the last two contests between these teams but Joel Embiid didn’t play either time. He scored 32 points and got to the line for 15 attempts in the 119-116 win on Nov. 30. Turner finished 1-for-8 from the field and picked up five fouls in that game, so he’ll have to be much more effective here for Indiana to have a shot. Oladipo hasn’t played in any of the games so far. The ‘over’ has prevailed in six straight games involving Philadelphia.

Nothin’ But Bet: Embiid netting a double-double in a 76ers win will actually get you +104 at FanDuel and is one of my favorite wagers for Saturday.

Los Angeles Lakers vs. Toronto Raptors

Time/Venue: 8:30 p.m. ET ESPN Wide World of Sports Arena
Records/Bubble Records (SU/ATS): Lakers 50-14/1-0 (35-28-1, 0-1); Raptors 46-18/0-0 (35-28-1, 0-0)
Line: LAL -4/216, LAL ML -158, TOR +150

Line Analysis: Like most totals, this figure has been bet up over the past 72 hours, climbing from 213.5. The Raptors will be the last team to debut in Orlando, which is ironic since they’ve been working out longest since they were forced to vacate Canada. Toronto is a four-point underdog, which means the defending champs have come up in the eyes of oddsmakers considering it was a 10.5-point underdog at Staples the only time these teams met (Nov. 10). The Raps won outright 113-104, handing the Lakers their second loss of the season.

Injuries/Rotational Adjustments to Watch: It will be interesting to see whether either James or Davis dials back the intensity after that clash with the Clippers packed a playoff atmosphere into a bubble setting. Kyle Kuzma and Dion Waiters could more time with the West’s top seed essentially wrapped up. The Raptors are healthy and set to deploy the Eastern Conference’s deepest roster, which has been fortified by a slimmed-down Marc Gasol.

Handicapping Notes: The Lakers have lost 10 straight games to Toronto, so that alone is incentive if James wants another challenge this early in the bubble. He went just 5-for-15 in that 113-104 loss on Nov. 10 and Pascal Siakam ended up a plus-15 to produce an upset without Ibaka or Kyle Lowry available. That Gasol/Ibaka combination is going to be a handful for everyone if they can stay healthy, so Davis may get a tougher test than he did against the Clippers. We’ll know pretty quickly if L.A. will respect this as a Finals preview to send a message to the defending champs or whether it opts to punt, having already posted the more important win this week.

Nothin’ But Bet: I expect the Raptors to be ready to play and think it might take the Lakers a few possessions to get fully engaged and decide whether they’re up for testing themselves for another intense 48 minutes this early in the process of resuming play. Ride Toronto to be first to 15 points at FanDuel (+100).

NBA Daily
Free Pick
I like the Thunder to post a victory over Utah in a game with major seeding implications out West. Ride the money line (+120) rather than laying the 1.5 points considering it will probably be a tight one.

**Udog** · 08-01-2020, 11:48 AM

NBA picks and predictions for August 1
Covers Staff

We get our first weekend of NBA betting inside the bubble with a solid slate of games on Saturday.

There are five matchups on the NBA odds board, tipping off at 1 p.m. ET and wrapping up with an 8:30 p.m. ET start between the Lakers and the Raptors.

If you love your free picks, we have plenty of those. Here are our favorite NBA picks and predictions for Saturday, August 1.

New Orleans Pelicans vs Los Angeles Clippers

The Clippers looked a little rusty in their opening 12 minutes of basketball inside the bubble.

They managed just 22 points on 7-for-18 shooting in the first quarter of Thursday’s loss to the Lakers, but it didn’t take long for the Clippers stars to find their form. Kawhi Leonard and Paul George heated up in the second quarter and combined for 58 points on the night.

The Pelicans put together a solid opening frame versus the Utah Jazz and finished with 60 points in the first half. New Orleans’ frenetic pace was a touch slower than its season average, which was to be expected, but this is still an offense that looks to push the tempo.

The Clippers and Pelicans rank fifth (59) and seventh (58.8) in first-half points per game on the year and with the rust and jitters of the restart behind them, we like an exciting opening 24 minutes of action Saturday.

PREDICTION: First-half Over 116.5 (-110)

Utah Jazz vs Oklahoma City Thunder

There were some things that worked and others that didn’t for the Jazz in their restart-opening win over New Orleans. Utah struggled mightily from outside – finishing 8 for 34 from 3-point range – but it did find success with its pick-and-roll attack.

The Jazz are one of the better pick-and-roll teams in the NBA and showed it vs. the Pelicans, with some terrific finishes from Rudy Gobert. On the season, Utah averages 32.1 points per game off pick-and-roll situations.

Oklahoma City has trouble defending the pick-and-roll, opting to play a much tighter pressure defense rather than give a cushion on the ball handler. The Thunder have watched ball handlers connect at a 43-percent clip in pick-and-roll situations and now match up with Donovan Mitchell and Gobert – one of the better pick-and-roll combos in the league – who got to work the rust off on Thursday.

PREDICTION: Utah +1

Los Angeles Lakers vs Toronto Raptors

Serge Ibaka came to play at Disney World. The Raptors’ versatile 7-footer was outstanding during Toronto’s scrimmages, scoring 18 points and 19 points in the first two exhibition games before scoring eight points along with nine rebounds in 20 minutes in the final tune-up tilt.

Ibaka has a daunting task against the Lakers Saturday, sharing defensive duties on Anthony Davis and LeBron James. He missed the earlier meeting with Los Angeles back in November, as well as a March 2019 showdown, but scored 34 points and pulled in 10 boards in his most recent game against L.A. back in November 2018.

We like his intensity against a Lakers' frontcourt feeling a little sore after playing Thursday night.

PREDICTION: Serge Ibaka Over 15.5 points (-117)

Friday's NBA picks: 2-1
Season NBA picks: 5-1

NBA betting card for August 1

Pelicans-Clippers first half Over 116.5 (-110)
Utah +1 (-110)
Serge Ibaka Over 15.5 points (-117)

Announcement

Saturday's NBA Trends and Indexes - 8/1

Saturday's NBA Trends and Indexes - 8/1

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