NBA Monday January 30th - Best Bets & Betting Odds
All odds provided by Betway.
ATL-CLE Game Total Under 237.5 Points (-110)
The Atlanta Hawks just took a massive blow with the news that exciting youngster Jalen Johnson is going to miss the remainder of the year with a shoulder injury that requires season-ending surgery. Not only does that hurt them in the win-loss column, but on the scoreboard as well.
The Hawks are a middle of the pack team when it comes to scoring, averaging about 115 points per game. However, in 11 games without Johnson this season, they average just 108.9. That lack of scoring thrust has been even more evident during Johnson’s most recent absence for the shoulder issue. Over that three-game span, the Hawks have lost all three and failed to eclipse 100 even once, scoring 94, 92, and 96.
They have been scoring less in general of late, going under the total in seven of their last eight games. The under has also been a near certainty when they are big dogs like they are here (+10.0 on the spread on most sports betting apps), as the under is 9-2 when they are an underdog of 7+ points. That works for the Cavs, who have seen the total go under in 19 of their 27 games as favorites of 7+ points.
Los Angeles Lakers Alternative -5.5 Point Spread (-150) @ WAS
You know how sometimes people joke that the National Champion in the NCAA could beat a really terrible NBA team. Usually it’s a tongue-in-cheek joke, but there is a legitimate case to be made that those dominant UConn teams of the last two years could give this Washington Wizards team a run for their money.
They have won just six games this season, 40 percent fewer than any other team. They are could very well tie the record for futility set by the 2015-2016 76ers, who went 10-72. The Wiz are currently on track for 10.7 wins, so they better be careful. They have lost 15 straight games, and during that streak, they have gone 5-10 ATS.
The Lakers will be without Anthony Davis, but they’ve been alright this season without him, going 2-1. And the Wizards, even on the road, shouldn’t be a problem for a team that’s won six of their last eight. Washington isn’t any better when the NBA betting sites think they’re going to have a good night either: they are just 4-9 ATS in their last 13 games as single-digit underdogs. We’ll buy a couple points here just to be safe, however. The Lakers love to live dangerously.
HOU-MEM Alternative Game Total Over 236.5 (-130)
The Memphis Grizzlies have been having a scoring frenzy of late, putting up 125+ points in six of their last nine outings. The total for seven of their last nine games has also gone over the betting total, four of which were set at 240+.
The Rockets have been on a similar run of high-scoring affairs, having seen their point total go over the total in eight of their last dozen contests. The over is also 6-3 this year when they are road dogs like they are here (+5.0). The over is a pretty darn good bet when they go against other Western Conference foes as well, posting a 17-10-1 record so far.
Ja Morant Over 21.5 Points (-135) vs. HOU
When’s the last time you saw Ja Morant fail to score 20 points in five straight games? The answer is nearly over four years ago, in January 2021. The only other time that has happened in his NBA career was right at the start, in December of 2019 just a few games into his rookie year.
Morant has scored 19, 16, 11, and 10 points in consecutive games. However, he has been averaging about 29 minutes and 12 field goal attempts per game, so there’s definitely enough volume for him to get to this number at 21.5. A couple of weeks ago, Morant put up 29 in a tight loss to this Rockets team, and he put up 27 against them just a few days before that. This is probably the lowest you’ll see Morant’s points prop all season.
