Bet on NBA – L.A. Clippers, Phoenix and Denver Best Bets

Tough night in the NBA on Thursday as the L.A. Clippers, fresh off of a 2-point loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, travel to Indiana to take on the Pacers as 8 ½ point dogs in the NBA sportsbook, the Suns try to erase the memory of a close to 30-point loss to the Miami Heat in less than 24-hours and the Denver Nuggets…well, just try to resemble the Nugget team from last season.

Wow, that’s a long sentence. Anyhow, what does a good shooter do when he’s in trouble (I lost on the Suns last night!). That’s right! He keeps shooting!

Let’s get to Thursday’s best basketball betting games.

Nov. 18th – NBA Games

L.A. Clippers +8 ½ vs. Indiana Pacers

Where: Conseco Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana
When: 7:00 pm EST

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Analysis: A couple of trends stand out in this one: LAC is 4 and 1 ATS in their last 5 games on the road and 5 and 1 ATS in their last 6 games as the dog. That doesn’t mean they will automatically cover versus Indiana on Thursday night, but it does mean that it’s a must to take the 8 ½ points, right? All 5 starters for the Clippers scored in double-figures versus the T’Wolves on Wednesday. Their young legs can handle the Pacers only a day later. Indiana isn’t a bad team and Danny Granger is terrific, but Blake Griffin, Eric Bledsoe, and Eric Gordon are slowly but surely putting it together. LAC might be able to win this game straight up at huge odds. So, don’t be shy about putting some NBA betting dollars on the moneyline if you agree with me.

Phoenix Suns +9 ½ vs. Orlando Magic

Where: Amway Center, Orlando, Florida
When: 8:00 pm EST

Analysis: That was embarrassing. The Suns were on a roll, winning their last 3 games straight up, but then they ran into Miami who, surprisingly, decided to be aggressive. A 123 to 96 loss isn’t hard for a team like the Suns to get over because there are enough veterans on the team (Steve Nash, Jason Richardson, Grant Hill, etc.) for them to calm the youngsters. The Orlando Magic is a very good team, but Phoenix might actually prefer a slower game then what they saw in Miami and the Magic’s’ last 2 games have gone under. If Orlando wants to run, then Phoenix should be able to run with them. That’s why I can’t bet on the total on this game in the NBA sportsbook. The only thing to do is to hope that Nash and Co. come out swinging on Thursday night and go back to playing team basketball. I’m taking the points.

Denver Nuggets +2 ½ vs. Portland Trailblazers

Where: Rose Garden, Portland Oregon
When: 10:30 pm EST

Analysis: This is a tough one to call. Carmelo Anthony has to be in the MVP discussion at this point in the season because he’s dominating from his position, but the Nuggets really need Chris Andersen or Kenyon Martin to return. I didn’t think they would, but missing both guys has proved very detrimental to them winning. Still, I can’t take the chance on Portland’s Brandon Roy not playing tonight. The superstar guard is listed as “questionable” on the injury report. If Roy shows up, then it’s your call at that point, my friends, but if he doesn’t, then that’s more pressure on Wesley Matthews. The guy can step up, he had 30 points in Portland’s last, but I just can’t take the chance that he’ll do it two games in a row.

Let’s make some basketball betting profits on Thursday night!

Bet on NBA Thursday games in the sportsbook!

Sources: espn.com, covers.com