Our free NBA picks have been going at 60% this week and we are looking to continue on into the weekend. There are eight games tonight meaning we have 24 free picks for you.
There are some very interesting matchups tonight, but the clear best is the head to head battle between Luka Doncic and Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee. The MVP of the last two seasons hosting the current favorite for this season’s award, but we have one team winning and winning quite comfortably.
Find our free NBA picks for all eight games below.
Washington Wizards @ Detroit Pistons – 7PM ET
*This game was postponed due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols, a new date has not been confirmed at this time*
Orlando Magic @ Boston Celtics – 7:30PM ET
A very interesting game as while the Celtics have gone back to training and will have enough to play tonight, there is no certainty surrounding who will actually suit up. Orlando on the other hand has been given a chance to regroup after losing three straight by at least 14 points.
Their most recent loss was 121-99 to the Milwaukee Bucks where they allowed Milwaukee to do as they pleased, with three Bucks’ players scoring at least 20 points. Nikola Vucevic continued his incredible form with 28 points and 13 boards while Aaron Gordon had 21 points and eight assists, but it wasn’t enough for Orlando as the pair had little help.
Eastern Conference Player of the Week ☘👀 pic.twitter.com/Uy9mQbsNgR
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) January 11, 2021
The Celtics will play their first game in a week, after their last game was a 116-107 win over Washington last Friday. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum combined for 59 points and 18 rebounds, but Tatum is definitely missing tonight’s clash while Brown is still listed as questionable.
This is tough as Boston still hasn’t confirmed who will be cleared to play and if Brown misses this as well as Tatum, it is tough to see where Boston’s scoring will come from. Orlando has a real opportunity to capatilise on the Celtics’ misfortune and snap their three game skid.
NBA Pick – Orlando Magic (+122)
NBA Spread – Boston Celtics -2.5 (-114)
Game Totals Pick – Under 213.5 (-105)
New York Knicks @ Cleveland Cavaliers – 7:30PM ET
Two sides who are really struggling for some form at the moment, with the Knicks losers of four straight while the Cavaliers’ losing streak sits at three.
Cleveland has scored over 90 points in just half of their last six games and hasn’t reached 100 points in their last nine. Most recently, they suffered a 117-87 loss to the Jazz on their home court, missing Andre Drummond, along with the regular outs from the last week.
Cleveland was involved in the James Harden trade during the week, sending out a first round pick (from Milwaukee) and multiple players who struggled to crack the rotation, getting their center of the future in Jarrett Allen, along with a very handy 3 & D player in Taurean Prince, however both won’t be able to play in this one.
New York on the other hand were once sitting at 5-3 but their current losing streak has them now at 5-7 and looking extremely average. Their 109-116 loss to the extremely shorthanded Nets was the first time over their losing streak that they managed to score 100. Julius Randle returned to some good form with 30 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two steals while Kevin Knox and Immanuel Quickley combined for 32 points off the bench.
Andre Drummond is probable to return for the clash and in their one previous matchup from earlier in the season, he had 18 points and 17 boards, so he will be handy to have back. However, both Darius Garland and Collin Sextion played and played well in that game and the Cavs still lost by nine, and without them, New York should be winning and winning well.
NBA Pick – New York Knicks (-136)
NBA Spread – New York Knicks -2.5 (-110)
Game Totals Pick – Under 200.5 (-110)
Dallas Mavericks @ Milwaukee Bucks – 7:30PM ET
A very exciting matchup between Luka Doncic’s Dallas Mavericks and Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Milwaukee Bucks.
The Mavs come into this one on the back of a surprising 11 point victory over the Charlotte Hornets. Kristaps Porzingis played for the first time this season, returning with 16 points, four rebounds and two blocks in just 21 minutes of game time, but the Mavericks were missing five of their regular rotation players, and will be without them again for this one.
Doncic was the star of the show with 34 points, 13 rebounds, nine assists, two steals and four blocks, but we are interested to see how he will go against the Milwaukee Bucks, and specifically Jrue Holiday.
Congratulations to NBCA President & Head Coach of the @dallasmavs, Rick Carlisle on 800 Career Wins! pic.twitter.com/n4cpxziPVG
— NBA Coaches Assoc. (@NBA_Coaches) January 14, 2021
Being the biggest move of the offseason, there was pressure on Holiday to perform and he certainly has. Averaging over 15 points and two steals while helping the Bucks to the best offensive rating, sixth best defensive rating and best net rating in the league. Their most recent performance was a nine point victory over the Pistons with Giannis putting up a 22-point triple double while Holiday had 21 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals.
This would be a lot tougher to pick if the Mavericks were at full strength but given they aren’t and the Bucks are, we are expecting Giannis to come in with a point to prove against the current MVP favorite in Doncic, and Milwaukee to come out and win big.
NBA Pick – Milwaukee Bucks (-240)
NBA Spread – Milwaukee Bucks -6 (-110)
Game Totals Pick – Over 227 (-110)
Memphis Grizzlies @ Minnesota Timberwolves – 8PM ET
A rematch of Wednesday’s contest where, despite being down by 10 points heading into the last quarter, Memphis had a 38-17 point last quarter to run over the top of the Wolves to win by 11.
Jonas Valanciunas was an absolute monster in that game with 24 points, 16 boards and two blocks while Grayson Allen had his best game of the season with 20 points and two steals off the bench. Five Grizzlies scored at least 12 points and in the end they had too much firepower down the stretch for Minnesota to keep up.
That is despite Karl-Anthony Towns, D’Angelo Russell and Malik Beasley all playing over 33 minutes and scoring 25 points or more. They simply had no help with the other two starters combining for eight points while the next highest scorer had just nine.
Towns is listed as probably in this one but even if he does play, the Timberwolves are just 3-8 on the season and obviously don’t have the depth to compete seriously.
NBA Pick – Memphis Grizzlies (+110)
NBA Spread – Memphis Grizzlies +2 (-110)
Game Totals Pick – Under 224.5 (-110)
Chicago Bulls @ Oklahoma City Thunder – 8PM ET
Oklahoma City come into this one with one more win than Chicago to sit at 5-6, but weirdly they are 0-5 at home. Meanwhile the Bulls have two more wins on the road and should be getting Lauri Markkanen back from COVID-19 health and safety protocols.
Chicago is now on the fifth game of their west coast road trip, going 1-3 in their first four games. Despite their poor record, their three losses are by a combined nine points, including against both LA teams. Zach LaVine continues to play at an extremely high level, having a handy 45 points, seven boards and seven assists on Sunday against the Clippers. He will love having Markkanen back to provide some scoring help inside and outside.
Make no mistake…
Zach LaVine is playing like an All-Star. pic.twitter.com/m6n1O8R2R8
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) January 14, 2021
The Thunder had won three straight, including against Kevin Durant and the Nets, but suffered two straight losses to the Spurs and the Lakers at home. Their most recent was 128-99 at the hands of Anthony Davis, LeBron James and the Lakers where Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the lead scorer with just 17 points, but he only had two rebounds and just one assist.
This game is a pick ‘em in the odds and since the Thunder are young and inconsistent, highlighted by their 0-5 home record, while Chicago are playing some very competitive basketball against good teams lately, they should find this one much easier and if they play how they have been playing, get the win here.
NBA Pick – Chicago Bulls (-108)
NBA Spread – Chicago Bulls +1 (-114)
Game Totals Pick – Over 221.5 (-110)
Golden State Warriors @ Phoenix Suns – 9PM ET
*This game was postponed due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols, a new date has not been confirmed at this time*
Atlanta Hawks @ Utah Jazz – 9PM ET
Two very well rested teams go head to head here, with Utah’s last game being on Tuesday and Atlanta’s being on Monday.
That game on Monday saw the Hawks play themselves into some form defeating the shorthanded Sixers 112-94. After losing four straight games and Trae Young shooting terribly from the field, the Hawks turned things around offensively with the exciting young guard putting up 26 points and eight assists in less than 26 minutes, but more importantly he didn’t have a turnover. Five other Hawks players scored in double figures, including a double double from Clint Capela, but things are much tougher against a full strength Utah side.
The Jazz won the last three games of their road trip, including beating the Bucks and most recently a 30-point demolition of the Cavs. Donovan Mitchell led the way with 27 points while Jordan Clarkson continued his good form to start the season with 21 points and eight boards off the bench.
The Jazz have only played three of their 11 games at home so far this season, winning just one of them and face an Atlanta side that has a winning record on the road. However, if you take away Monday’s game against Philly’s JV team, the Hawks have been playing ordinary basketball and Utah should win this comfortably.
NBA Pick – Utah Jazz (-245)
NBA Spread – Utah Jazz -6 (-110)
Game Totals Pick – Over 233.5 (-110)
New Orleans Pelicans @ Los Angeles Lakers – 10PM ET
A very fun matchup between LeBron James and Zion Williamson, Anthony Davis and the young former Lakers that were traded for him and two Western Conference Rivals.
LA sits with the best record in the league, sitting at 10-3 and are paced by their two superstars. They did it easily on Wednesday against the Thunder, winning by 29 points and just one player getting over 28 minutes. James had 26 points, six rebounds and seven assists while Montrezl Harrell had 21 and 6 off the bench.
They are a much better and experienced team than the Pelicans, highlighted by their 3-0 record against them last season, but New Orleans have the youth and energy to make this a tough contest. They were missing Lonzo Ball to knee pain and Williamson due to health and safety protocols in their five point competitive loss to the Clippers on Wednesday, but the latter will be back in this one to go up against James in a highlight reel matchup.
The Purple and Gold now lead the NBA in defensive rating 🛡🛡🛡 pic.twitter.com/LoZ9qEnJNv
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) January 14, 2021
Nickeil Alexander-Walker stepped up massively in place of Ball, scoring 37 points on 65% shooting with five threes, but no other starter hit one from deep and they won’t be able to do that against a Lakers side that has the best defensive rating in the league.
It is always an intriguing matchup when players play against the old sides, especially when there was such a dramatic trade, but the Lakers have the wood over the Pelicans and we don’t see that changing tonight.
NBA Pick – Los Angeles Lakers (-370)
NBA Spread – New Orleans Pelicans +8.5 (-110)
Game Totals Pick – Over 218.5 (-110)
Los Angeles Clippers @ Sacramento Kings – 10PM ET
A matchup between two Pacific Division and California rivals, but this one won’t be a good one. The Clippers are the far superior team and should take care of the Kings who have won just two of their last eight games and have given up over 120 points in their last six.
Los Angeles are being paced by their two superstars in Paul George and Kawhi Leonard to sit second in the West with an 8-4 record. Their most recent game saw them win relatively comfortably, but again giving up a big lead in the second half. They won the second quarter by 18 points but lost the second half by 13 and the margin of victory was a bit too close for comfort. Their two stars combined for 55 points and 15 assists and they both should be too much for Sacramento to handle.
The Kings had a lead of their own in their last game, heading into the last quarter up by five against Portland, but they weren’t able to hold on and went down by six. De’Aaron Fox and Buddy Hield combined for 55 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists, but giving up 132 points is not the right way to go about it.
While they have been scoring a bunch of points, Sacramento has been giving up more and it will be a similar story tonight against the Clippers.
NBA Pick – Los Angeles Clippers (-260)
NBA Spread – Los Angeles Clippers -6 (-110)
Game Totals Pick – Over 230.5 (-110)
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*Odds and spreads correct at time of publication, courtesy of FanDuel.
