Andrew Wilsher
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We’ve got a great Thursday of betting action with the spotlight on the NBA and college basketball, as the NHL enters the all-star break. But having plenty of hardwood games to attack still means we can craft a cross-sport parlay, especially after we cashed yesterday’s parlay at 10/1 odds! I’ve taken two picks each from the NBA and NCAAB, and a winning ticket on those bad boys returns +1301 odds with FanDuel Sportsbook — more than 13/1!
Let’s break down each of these plays.
NBA: Phoenix Suns -4.5 (-110) over Atlanta Hawks, 7:40 pm ET
The Suns are the only team in the NBA this season with multiple streaks of 10+ wins and they are showing no signs of slowing down. They just beat Brooklyn 121-111 at home for their 11th consecutive win. This team has covered in 5 straight games on the road and can make it a super 6 tonight.
Atlanta had a run of 7 straight wins snapped by the Raptors on Monday. Kevin Huerter led the scoring with 26 points, filling in for the absent Trae Young, who couldn’t play because of a shoulder injury. He is expected back tonight, but he won’t be at 100%. The Hawks are a decent 6-1 against the spread in their last 7 home games, but they’ve lost 13 of their last 20 games as underdogs.
During the Suns’ 11-game win streak, they are beating teams by an average of 10.9 points per game. Atlanta has been decent at home lately, but some of that success happened because of a weaker schedule. The Suns have enough to continue their hot streak, so take the road team to kick off this cross-sport parlay.
Be sure to check out our full game preview for Phoenix Suns vs Atlanta Hawks
NBA: Miami Heat -4.5 (-106) over San Antonio Spurs, 8:40 pm ET
The Heat are just 4-5 in their last 9 games and come into tonight’s contest on a 3-game losing streak, but they have a good chance of snapping that against the Spurs. Miami has fared well against the Western Conference this season, going 13-7 against the spread. They are good at bouncing back and 13-6 ATS after a loss. San Antonio has been a bad home team against the number, going just 13-14 ATS at the AT&T Center on the year and 5-10 ATS as a home dog. That’s a bad matchup against the NBA’s 6th-best scoring defense. If Miami is healthy, they should be able to cover.
Be sure to check out our full game preview for Miami Heat vs San Antonio Spurs
College Basketball: Washington State Cougars -3.5 (-106) over Stanford Cardinal, 9:00 pm ET
Washington State is seeking revenge in this matchup against Stanford, but that’s not the only reason to favor the Cougars. The Cougars coughed it up 17 times in 68 possessions in their last game against the Cardinal, when they lost by 5, and that is unlikely to happen again based on the season-long metrics of both teams. Stanford’s defense is not very aggressive in looking for turnovers, as they rank just 268th in defensive turnover rate. Washington State typically takes good care of the ball, ranking 119th in offensive turnover rate. On the flip side, Washington State’s defense forces turnovers at a top-60 rate, while Stanford ranks 347th in offensive turnover rate.
In a game that will likely be lower-scoring, the number of turnovers committed by each team will certainly play a big role in determining the outcome. Look for Washington State to get revenge on the road.
Be sure to check out our full game preview for Washington State Cougars vs Stanford Cardinal
College Basketball: Oregon State Beavers +6.5 (-106) over Utah Utes, 9:00 pm ET
The Utah Utes (8-14) will host the Oregon State Beavers (3-15) following their 77-73 double-overtime road loss to Washington on Saturday. The Utes dropped to 1-11 in the Pac-12 and have lost their last 10 games by an average margin of 10.5 ppg. The Beavers aren’t doing much better, and are 1-7 in the Pac-12 and have lost their last 5 games by an average margin of 12 points.
Tonight’s game will be a clash of struggling teams. The Utes and the Beavers rank 11th and 12th in points allowed in the Pac-12, respectively, and their inability to consistently defend has tormented them. Each team has managed to win only a single game in conference play, but Oregon State’s only win was an 88-76 victory over Utah in Corvalis. Utah has looked like the more polished team, especially in its double-overtime thriller at Washington, but Oregon State has won the last 5 meetings, including 2 of the last 3 games in Salt Lake City. Given how close this game is likely to be, it’s worth taking Oregon State and the points.
Be sure to check out our full game preview for Oregon State Beavers vs Utah Utes
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