The NBA regular season rolls on with another excellent slate this Saturday, with a total of 9 matchups on the docket scheduled for today. So, our staff of basketball betting experts dug into the latest odds and identified all the best value on the board for tonight.
Our betting experts have looked over the odds and made 7 NBA picks for today's matchups. Continue below for our NBA best bets and predictions for Saturday, February 1.
NBA Best Bets, Predictions, Picks, Odds: Saturday, February 1
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Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NBA Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Lakers vs. Knicks
By Joe Dellera
The Knicks host the Lakers on Saturday night, and the player to target in this matchup is Jalen Brunson.
Brunson has been incredible of late and is averaging 29.2 points per game over his last 10. He’s leading the Knicks while Karl-Anthony Towns has seemed to struggle a bit with his shot since that thumb injury.
Here, the Lakers have the 20th ranked Defense, per Dunks and Threes. They will also be without Anthony Davis today, so that will dramatically impact their versatility and ability to defend.
Brunson has torched the Lakers in his last three contests. He’s scored 34, 29, and 37 points in his last three games against them.
The Lakers have also struggled a bit lately against lead guards. Maxey (43), Powell (22), and Herro (34) have all exceeded their points prop against the Lakers recently.
I expect Brunson to join their ranks and exceed 25.5 points tonight.
Pick: Jalen Brunson Over 25.5 Points (-115)
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Magic vs. Jazz
By Alex Hinton
The Orlando Magic rank third in defensive rating, second in scoring defense, and allow the fewest assists per game. Yet, its stingy defense will be put to the test by the consistency of Collin Sexton.
The Jazz guard has scored at 15 points in 20 consecutive games. He has scored 20 points in 13 of those games, including against the Magic on January 5. Sexton has scored 18 points in three of his last four games against Orlando as well.
While I like Sexton's points line (17.5), he has had four assists in nine straight games and in 17 of his last 20 games. His teammate, Lauri Markkanen, is not on the injury report today.
Markkanen will draw attention away from Sexton and provide the best option for him to pick up assists as well.
When you combine these factors, Sexton has recorded 22 points + assists in 19 straight games. Difficult matchup or not, I have to back him today at these favorable odds.
Pick: Collin Sexton Over 21.5 Points + Assists (-104)
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Heat vs. Spurs
The Miami Heat are in disarray, with Jimmy Butler suspended indefinitely following reports that he prematurely left a team shootaround. As a result, the Heat find themselves as high as 2.5-point underdogs when they visit the Spurs on Saturday night.
But perhaps the biggest surprise in this matchup is the slight drop in the total from 224 to 223.5.
This season, when the Spurs are favorites with a total of 223.5 or more points, the over is on an 8-3 run.
Moreover, when Miami plays without Butler, and the total is 223.5 or higher, the over is 5-1.
This is one of those spots where, if you like the Spurs, you have to figure that the pace is more likely to suit the home side.
The current number feels eerily short, and with my model projecting a total closer to 228 points, the over is well worth a look.
Pick: Over 222 (-110)
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Hawks vs. Pacers
By Bill Marzano
The Atlanta Hawks are struggling to say the least, currently riding a seven game skid, their longest losing streak since 2019, and not sure how well they are going to matchup here vs. a hot Pacers squad.
The Pacers have won four of their last five overall, and were 10-2 in the month of January.
The Pacers swept the season series vs. the Hawks last year, and they were explosive offensively scoring 157 points twice, 150 and 126.
The Pacers come into this game off a big win over the Pistons, and are now 13-7 at home and moving up to fifth in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
Lots of basketball to be played, but the Hawks are going to have issues missing Jalen Johnson for the rest of the season, and have a very thin bench.
Both teams are averaging 115 per contest, the Pacers are allowing just under five fewer points per contest than the Hawks.
It's going to be hard for the Hawks to slow down this Pacers squad, and I simply don't think they can keep up offensively either.
This is a ton of points the oddsmakers have hung on Pacers' team total, and think they know same thing I know, the Hawks defense is horrible. The Pacers are going to light them up today.
Pick: Pacers Team Total Over 123.5 (-120)
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Nets vs. Rockets
By Bill Marzano
The Houston Rockets are a really good basketball team, sitting at 32-15 on the season SU and 28-18-1 ATS, as they face a banged up Nets squad tonight that has given them problems in the past.
This is a bad matchup in my opinion for the Nets tonight for several reasons.
First, the Nets are banged up at key positions and have a very thin bench.
Second, the Nets are on the road where they have struggled, and face a Rockets squad coming off a tough one-point loss to Memphis who are now one game behind in the standings.
The Rockets lost the seven of the last 10 meetings in this series, so Rockets won't take this team lightly.
Despite Rockets Aleperen Sengun listed as questionable, this is deep bench that can rebound and should have a good night shooting the three vs. a team that really struggles defending it.
The Nets ended a seven game skid with a win over the Hornets, and have won back to back games just twice this season. I'll take the Rockets in a blowout.
Pick: Rockets -14.5 (-112)
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Lakers vs. Knicks
The Knicks are having a strong season, but they may be favored by too many points.
Madison Square Garden often brings out the best in stars like LeBron James, and the last seven meetings between these teams have all been decided by eight points or less.
While the Knicks are playing well, the Lakers have also won seven of their last nine games.
Even without Anthony Davis, LeBron's leadership and the team's experience should help them keep this game within single-digits.
Pick: Lakers +11 (-110)
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Wizards vs. Timberwolves
By Bill Marzano
The Timberwolves are riding a season high five-game win streak, and should have no problems making it six straight with a win over the hopeless Wizards tonight.
The Wizards are simply a joke of a team, and it's going to take time to turn things around. They have just one road win on the season, they are riding a franchise record 16-game losing streak, with no signs of getting better.
The Wolves aren't going to take this game lightly, so look for them to come out fast and simply beat up this Wizards squad in all phases of the game.
The Wizards have been held under 100 points in four of their last six games and face one of the best NBA scoring defenses today.
The Wizards have lost last seven games all by double-digits, and will be playing their seventh road game with just two home games sandwiched in-between in under two weeks. Expect tired legs and another horrible effort.
I was having a hard time deciding between Wolves team total over and the Wizards team total under 102.5. For the record, I like both.
Pick: Timberwolves Team Total Over 118.5 (-118)
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