Gambling: Considering two games to bet on late in the NBA season – Colorado Springs Gazette

Late-season NBA is in full swing and if you arent familiar with what that entails, it means a lot of late news, 10-day contracts, whacky rotations, and injury reports longer than your 8-year-old childs Christmas list. That also means betting opportunities ripe for the picking.

Below are a pair of bets that I am targeting Tuesday. If odds are available at the time of writing, they are listed. If not, I will note the cut-off of when I would avoid making the bet and what odds to target.

Milwaukee Bucks at Charlotte Hornets

The pick: over 220.5 points (-115, PointsBet)

What do you get when you combine two teams averaging over 100 possessions per game that have combined for an average of 243 points per game in each of their first two games this season? Apparently, an implied total of only 220.5 points. If youre following, thats incredibly low for this matchup. Both games have sailed over so far this season, the latter being without LaMelo Ball and Gordon Hayward for the Hornets, spelling any concern that their absences will have a massive impact.

The Bucks, while one of the best teams in the league, have proven to be beatable this season, as evidenced by their last game when they lost to the Trae Young-less Hawks. While this isnt to say the Hornets will beat them for a third time this season, the chances this game stays competitive are higher than the spread entails, which could lead to a lot more points. It also helps that the Bucks have the second-best record in the NBA in terms of hitting the over (35-24-1). I feel confident in the over here and would bet it as a one-unit play until 224.5.

Oklahoma City Thunder at Boston Celtics

The pick: Celtics -13.5

I typically try my best to avoid spreads of this size, but with the Thunder not even attempting to hide their tank, I have more confidence in the Celtics covering Tuesday. While Luguentz Dort should be active on the second leg of a back-to-back after sitting out Monday, the team will still be without Al Horford and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, with the potential to see more role players sit out. On the flip side, the Celtics welcomed Jaylen Brown back last game after a couple of absences and with it being the front end of a back-to-back for them, were likely to see Kemba Walker active as well.

The Thunder have lost seven of their 14 straight losses by at least 13 points and while the Celtics have not been blowing teams out, the last team that they absolutely steam-rolled was none other than these same Thunder in a 111-94 win March 27.

See the article here:

Gambling: Considering two games to bet on late in the NBA season - Colorado Springs Gazette