Our free NBA picks are out for Tuesday, February 1st, 2022! Make sure you check our NBA picks before the action kicks off.
Look below to find our free NBA picks for the best five games on today’s schedule!
Washington Wizards @ Milwaukee Bucks – 7.30pm ET
The Washington Wizards are in the middle of their three game road trip, and on Tuesday night they hit the road and take on the Milwaukee Bucks. The Wizards are currently on a five game losing streak, and this takes their season record to 23-26. The Bucks have won four of their last six, but last time out they did lose, 100-136, to the Nuggets.
Denis Kirilov
The Washington Wizards are in a really bad spot at the moment, since they lost their last 5 games in the NBA. Four of these defeats came at home in Capital One Arena as they proved to be quite inexperienced in the dying moments of the matches. This unstable performance moved them out of the top 10 in the East. The team now sits in 11th place with 23 wins and 26 losses, meaning that they will soon need to make some changes in order to get back on the winning track.
The Milwaukee Bucks, on the other hand, are coming off a 36-point defeat at home against the Denver Nuggets. Nobody from the team was able to help Giannis Antetokounmpo in his attempts to make a difference in the match. In the end, Khris Middleton finished off with just 9 points suggesting that he was a bit out of rhythm throughout the game. The Bucks are currently 5th in the East as they will most likely make the Playoffs, but the team will definitely look to be in the top 4 in order to avoid further issues in the first rounds. That’s why I think they might come on top against the Wizards on Tuesday.
Denis’ NBA Pick: Milwaukee Bucks -11.5 (-110)
Michael Lantz
The Washington Wizards have lost five straight games, sit in 11th in the Eastern Conference, and rumor has it they’re already looking to move on from offseason addition Spencer Dinwiddie. As if those three things weren’t bad enough, the team also learned that they’ll be without leading scorer Bradley Beal for the next couple of games. On Tuesday they’ll face a Milwaukee Bucks team that’s been facing some struggles themselves.
Our top plays from January 😤#DCAboveAll | @Energix_US pic.twitter.com/Yrb96RTegO
— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) February 1, 2022
Milwaukee has dropped two of their last three, with those losses being double-digit defeats to two playoff-caliber teams in the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets game was a 36-point defeat at home, which for the Bucks’ sake, will hopefully serve as a slap in the face. If this team plans to repeat as NBA Champions, they can’t continue to lose games by that much. They’ll have a chance to bounce back against a Washington Wizards team that seems to slowly, but surely, be falling apart. With no Beal involved, the Wizards still have plenty of scoring options and are able to play a little more team-focused basketball, but the Bucks just have a little too much star power for this Wizards team to catch up to. I’ll take the Bucks.
Michael’s NBA Pick: Milwaukee Bucks -11.5 (-110)
Noah Dunlap
This is a game that would’ve been much more intriguing during the first month or so of the season, as the Washington Wizards were the one seed in the East at the time, and the Milwaukee Bucks are still the defending champions. Washington has since gone into absolute freefall, and have currently lost five straight, dropping their record to 23-26. Add in the fact that they’re now without Bradley Beal for an undisclosed amount of time and I’m doubting whether or not they can compete in this one.
Milwaukee comes in not playing great ball, but they’ve certainly been better than what we’re seeing out of the nation’s capital. That being said, they did just lose a 36-point debacle of a game to Denver in their last outing, which while I don’t think this is a sign of things to come, should be a bit of a nervous sign if you’re a Bucks fan. In the end, having a potential MVP candidate can be viewed as a bit of a saving grace, so with the Wizards not having anyone close to the caliber of Giannis, and being without their best player, give me Milwaukee and the spread in this one.
Noah’s NBA Pick: Milwaukee Bucks -11.5 (-110)
Miami Heat @ Toronto Raptors – 7.30pm ET
Both the Miami Heat and the Toronto Raptors are playing on back-to-back nights. The Heat faced off against the Celtics, and lost 92-122, which takes their losing streak to two in a row. The Raptors won against the Hawks, 106-100, and this takes their winning streak to two in a row.
Denis Kirilov
The Miami Heat suffered a tough 30-point loss to the Boston Celtics in their most recent match in the NBA. This was their second straight defeat after losing to the Toronto Raptors after three overtimes on Saturday, 120-124. Jimmy Butler might have played on a top level against the Canadian team after dropping a triple-double, but in the end his sole efforts came up short as there were a total of five Toronto’s players between him and the second person in a Heat jersey on the scoring list. Gary Trent Jr. led the way for the Raptors with 33 points. He dropped 31 points in their last match against the Atlanta Hawks as he slowly, but surely becomes a key figure in his team.
The Raptors are still in the mix in the bottom half of the Playoffs spots and they will be looking to make it into the top 6, although this task seems quite difficult. The 2019 NBA Champions hold a 25-23 record, built mainly by Fred VanVleet and Pascal Siakam. Now, with OG Anunoby, Gary Trent Jr., and the unpredictable Scottie Barnes, the team has a lot of potential. The Heat, on the other hand, will try to minimize the damages until Jimmy Butler and Kyle Lowry make their official return. I think that the Raptors will come on top in this one as they feel like they’re the team that is in better shape currently.
Denis’ NBA Pick: Toronto Raptors (-126)
Michael Lantz
The Toronto Raptors got a huge win last night as they beat the Atlanta Hawks 106-100, after a huge 32-15 run in the third quarter. Now, as this Raptors team continues to stay healthy, and see all-star caliber performances from the likes of Fred VanVleet, Pascal Siakam, and lately Gary Trent Jr., the team from “The North” have their eyes on moving up in the Eastern Conference standings. They’ll look to keep the momentum going on Tuesday as they host the Eastern Conference’s top seed, the Miami Heat.
Miami is hanging onto the top spot in the East—by a thread. They have a 0.5 game lead over the Chicago Bulls but didn’t do themselves any favors last night as they were blown out by the Boston Celtics. It was their second consecutive loss, with the first being none other than the Toronto Raptors. The Heat will hope to end their skid against the same team that started it on Saturday, but it certainly won’t be easy, as they have to play back-to-back games on the road, and in two different countries. It should be noted that Miami was without Jimmy Butler, Kyle Lowry, and PJ Tucker last night. While they haven’t let injuries derail them this season, not having those three is pretty rough. They’ll hopefully have them back tonight against Toronto, but right now it’s not certain. I think the safe bet here is to go with a Raptors team that’s really starting to mesh.
Michael’s NBA Pick: Toronto Raptors (-126)
Noah Dunlap
In a matchup between two teams that both played last night, we get the Miami Heat traveling north of the border to take on the Toronto Raptors for the second time in four nights. The Raptors got the win in that one in triple OT, as a magnificent performance from Jimmy Butler wasn’t enough to get the Heat a win. Miami still comes into this one as the one seed in the East, despite a massive 30-point loss to Boston last night, as well. While it’s easy to assume this means there may be some issues with this Heat team, I think this is just a brief slump that virtually every team goes through throughout the course of the season.
The Toronto Raptors, on the other hand, have had a huge three nights, as they got the win over this same Miami team Saturday night, and then came out last night and ended the Atlanta Hawks seven-game winning streak. When this Raptors team is at full strength they’re one of the best teams in the conference, and now that they have Fred VanVleet and company back healthy again, they’re proving that they’re a team to watch out for. As for this one, I like the Miami Heat to get revenge for Saturday night’s loss, as I have the Heat winning a tight one on the road.
Noah’s NBA Pick: Miami Heat (+108)
Orlando Magic @ Chicago Bulls – 8pm ET
The Orlando Magic kick off a short two game road trip in Chicago on Tuesday night when they face off against the Bulls. The Magic have won three of their last four, including two in a row, with wins over the Bulls, Pistons and Mavericks. The Bulls have also won three of their last four, and this takes their season record to 31-18.
Denis Kirilov
The Orlando Magic have surprisingly managed to win three out of their last four matches in the NBA. They defeated the likes of the Chicago Bulls, the Detroit Pistons, and the Dallas Mavericks which didn’t make much difference in their overall rankings. The Magic continue to be last in the East with 11 wins and 40 losses as they might be the first team who will surely miss the Playoffs this year. However, there is a lot of talent in Orlando with Franz Wagner and Cole Anthony on the roster, but they are missing an experienced leader. The lack of such cost them a lot of games throughout the campaign and they will need to do something about it, if they want to avoid having the same fate next season as well.
The Chicago Bulls are enjoying spectacular performance at the moment as they managed to build a great team around Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan. The team is in the battle for first place in the East as they are just one win away from the Miami Heat who lead the table. The Bulls hold a 31-18 record as most of these defeats came in a tough period when they were without one of their superstars, Zach LaVine, who suffered a knee injury and got sidelined for a couple of matches. In my opinion, the Magic will be a tough contender on Tuesday and I expect to see them put up a good fight that will let them cover their spread for the game.
Denis’ NBA Pick: Orlando Magic +10.5 (-110)
Michael Lantz
Despite how poor the Orlando Magic have played this season, they’ve actually shown a hint of optimism, winning three of their last four including strong victories against the Dallas Mavericks, Detroit Pistons, and Chicago Bulls. On Tuesday they’ll try to upset the Bulls for the second time in just over a week as they head to the United Center to take on a Chicago team that’s second in the Eastern Conference. But, it should be pointed out, that in their last matchup, the Bulls were down bad with injuries; while they still have some key players out, they’ll have back a big one for this matchup as they’ll have Zach LaVine and his 25 points per game.
Coby’s heating up 🔥@Calamos | #BullsNation pic.twitter.com/ictym3fU4Q
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) February 1, 2022
Since LaVine returned from injury the Bulls have gone 3-1; they sit 0.5 games behind Miami for the top seed in the Conference. As the season moves beyond its halfway point, the Bulls realize every game counts. I can’t see them making the same mistake and losing to an inferior Magic team, especially at home. I’ll pick the Bulls to cover in this one.
Michael’s NBA Pick: Chicago Bulls -10.5 (-110)
Noah Dunlap
The Orlando Magic have played better basketball over the past week or so, picking up wins in three of their last four, with a win over this same Chicago team, and a win over Dallas as well. That being said, don’t be confused into thinking they’re a good team by any means, as they’re still one of the worst teams in the league, due to the fact that they just don’t have the talent to compete nightly with the best teams in the NBA.
Now they take on the same Chicago Bulls that they’ve knocked off recently, however, I don’t think we get the same result in this one. The Bulls, after a rough stretch where they were dealing with multiple injuries, have finally gotten Zach LaVine back, which has proven to be a huge thing for this Chicago team. Even with them being without Lonzo Ball for an indefinite amount of time due to surgery, I think Chicago will take care of business in this one at home, getting a bit of revenge for the loss Orlando handed them a few nights ago.
Noah’s NBA Pick: Chicago Bulls -10.5 (-110)
Golden State Warriors @ San Antonio Spurs – 8.30pm ET
The Golden State Warriors wrap up their short two game road trip on Tuesday night with a game against the San Antonio Spurs. The Warriors are playing on back-to-back nights, and last time out they won, 122-108, against the Rockets. The Spurs have not been able to string consecutive wins together since late December, and this results in their current 19-32 record.
Denis Kirilov
The Golden State Warriors took down yet another team in the West in the face of the Houston Rockets, 122-108. The team is now on a 6-game winning streak that began precisely 10 days ago. Throughout this period, Curry, Wiggins, and Thompson defeated the likes of the Brooklyn Nets, the Minnesota Timberwolves, and the Dallas Mavericks. In their last match, Steph Curry made his comeback after finishing off with 40 points and just 1 turnover. He erupted for 21 points in the 4th quarter as he didn’t miss from the court towards the end of the game.
The San Antonio Spurs, on the other hand, have been struggling quite a lot in January. The team won just 4 out of its last 14 matches as most of their wins were not that impressive. The victory over the healthy Chicago Bulls catches the eye of the spectator as this is undoubtedly their biggest achievement for the new year. Despite their losses recently, the Spurs have been playing quite well as they have lost by more than 10 points six matchups ago against the Brooklyn Nets. I think they are capable of producing a high-quality performance on Tuesday against the Warriors as I hope it will be just enough to cover the points spread.
Denis’ NBA Pick: Over 219.5 (-110)
Michael Lantz
The Golden State Warriors barely escaped against a short-handed Brooklyn Nets team on Saturday 110-106, but they took care of the Houston Rockets last night 122-108, giving them their sixth win in a row—all without Draymond Green. Steph Curry dropped 40 points against Houston, and the Dubs are thrilled to have Klay Thompson back who’s provided them with nearly 16 points per game after being away from the game for over two years. He’ll only improve with more play time, and the Warriors should continue to dominate on both sides of the ball as the season continues.
That being said, they’d be unwise to overlook the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs may only be 19-32, but their young core plays with hustle and heart, and seem to be gaining confidence each week. They have a couple all-stars in the making, including Dejounte Murray and Keldon Johnson. The Spurs were without Murray in their matchup against the league’s best team the Phoenix Suns, and still only lost by five. So, imagining Murray is back, they’ll show no fear against a Golden State team that they already beat back in December 112-107. I think this one has a chance to be a lot of fun, but right now, I just think the safest bet is to go with the Warriors. They’re on a hot streak, and even with this being in San Antonio, I think they look to give this young Spurs team a little payback.
Michael’s NBA Pick: Golden State Warriors (-156)
Noah Dunlap
The Golden State Warriors managed to take care of business, though probably not as clean as they would’ve liked, last night against a Houston Rockets team that did hang around for the majority of the contest. The part of the most importance for Golden State is that they finally saw Steph Curry play extremely well, as he went for 40. With him having been in the worst slump of his career, getting him back to the Steph we’re used to seeing, along with Klay Thompson being back in the lineup and slowly playing better, is a welcome sign for Warriors fans, and has them back as one of the best teams in the league, despite a brief stretch where they struggled greatly.
In this one they take on a San Antonio Spurs team that, apart from a three week stretch where they played really good basketball, hasn’t looked good at all this year. They’re dealing with a lack of talent virtually all the way down their roster, which while it may be enough to get them wins over the weaker teams in the league, when they run across elite competition, such as a matchup with Golden State, things don’t seem to go well. I don’t think that trend fails in this one, as I like Steph and company to travel to San Antonio and get a relatively comfortable win.
Noah’s NBA Pick: Golden State Warriors -3.5 (-110)
Brooklyn Nets @ Phoenix Suns – 10pm ET
The final game on Tuesday night’s slate will see the Brooklyn Nets travel to Phoenix and take on the best team in the league, the Suns. The Nets’ slide continues, as they have now dropped four games in a row, this includes losses to the Timberwolves, Lakers, Nuggets and Warriors. The Suns, on the other hand, are currently enjoying a 10 game winning streak, and this takes their season record to 40-9.
Denis Kirilov
The Brooklyn Nets will try to cut off the damages as much as possible in the absence of Kevin Durant. Their superstar struggles with a knee injury that has sidelined him since the game against the New Orleans Pelicans on January 16th. The team hasn’t been able to perform on a high level in their last four matches, losing each one of them. James Harden also took a break for the last two games, while Kyrie Irving was not available against the Lakers and the Nuggets.
On the other hand, the Phoenix Suns have been outstanding this season. The team is once again on a 10-game winning streak after dismantling the opposition in the NBA. Their most recent loss came against the Miami Heat when Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson combined for 60 points to bring the victory to their team. Ever since then, the Suns have been merciless, winning half of their matches by more than a 10-point margin. I would really love to see an intense battle in the Footprint Center on Tuesday, but I don’t see how this will happen, despite Deandre Ayton’s absence. However, I think the upcoming match will be a more physical one with plenty of missed shots, so I will go with the option for “under points”.
Denis’ NBA Pick: Under 230 (-110)
Michael Lantz
The Brooklyn Nets are in a rough patch right now, with Kevin Durant sidelined due to a knee injury. Things didn’t get any better for them over the weekend as James Harden missed their matchup against the Golden State Warriors with a hand injury. The Nets still put up a solid fight, as they lost 106-110 to one of the league’s best teams in Golden State. They’ll hope to have Harden back on Tuesday as they have to follow up that game against Golden State with a matchup against the Phoenix Suns.
Adding another accolade to his Hall of Fame resume!
Congrats @CP3 on being named Western Conference Player of the Week! 👏 pic.twitter.com/A9H1mM2ZOj
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) January 31, 2022
Phoenix continues to show they’re hungry for another shot at the NBA title, after falling just short last season against the Milwaukee Bucks. Phoenix sits atop the Western Conference with a 40-9 record. They’ve won 10 games in a row—the second time they’ve had a double-digit win streak this season. They’ll look to make it 11 against a Nets team that, while a bit debilitated, is still full of scoring talent. Last season the Suns struggled against the Nets—even when Durant and Irving were injured. But this Phoenix team looks like they’re making up for any mistakes they may have made last season. They’ve been dominant on both sides of the ball, and haven’t let injuries get them down. The Nets will have to break their skid soon, but I just don’t see it happening short-handed against the league’s best team. Give me the Suns to cover.
Michael’s NBA Pick: Phoenix Suns Cover -7.5 (-110)
Noah Dunlap
If Brooklyn were fully healthy, this would be an outstanding matchup between two of the league’s best teams. However, with Durant out of the lineup, and with James Harden having missed the past few games as well, along with LaMarcus Aldridge missing time with a minor ankle issue, this Nets team we’re seeing right now is a shell of themselves and with the roster they’ve been throwing out there, they just haven’t been able to get things going, as they’ve dropped four in a row. Things don’t get any easier in this one, as they now travel to Phoenix to take on the best team in the NBA.
Phoenix is on their second long winning streak of the season, as they’ve extended their current streak to 10 games, and I think that streak continues in this one. If Brooklyn were fully healthy, I think the result may be different, but with the Suns throwing out arguably the best trio in the league, with Chris Paul, DeAndre Ayton, and Devin Booker, I think this is the kind of game that, even if they potentially sleepwalk through, they still get the win, and cover the spread along the way.
Noah’s NBA Pick: Phoenix Suns -7.5 (-110)
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*Odds and spreads correct at time of publication, courtesy of FanDuel.
