Here are three spread, moneyline, and OVER/UNDER bets to consider for all of the NBA action taking place on Wednesday, January 17, 2024:
Jump To Picks:
Pick No. 1: Miami Heat vs. Toronto Raptors ML
Pick No. 2: Milwaukee Bucks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers ATS
Pick No. 3: Brooklyn Nets vs. Portland Trail Blazers OVER/UNDER
Recent Picks: January 15, 2024 (1-2)
| Game | Bet | Result | W or L | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Los Angeles Lakers | Thunder ATS +1 (-112) | 112-105 Lakers | L | -1 |
| Miami Heat vs. Brooklyn Nets | Nets ML (-130) | 96-95 OT Heat | L | -1 |
| Golden State Warriors vs. Memphis Grizzlies | UNDER 227 Points (-112) | 223 Total Points | W | 0.89 |
| Overall | -1.11 |
Season Pick Results: As Of January 8, 2024
| Market | Record | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Moneyline | 1-2 | -1.02 |
| Spread | 3-2 | 0.69 |
| OVER/UNDER | 2-2 | -0.21 |
| Overall | 6-6 | 0.54 |
Miami Heat vs. Toronto Raptors
| Team | Spread | Money | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miami Heat | -2 (-110) | -130 | O 227.5 (-108) |
| Toronto Raptors | +2 (-110) | +110 | U 227.5 (-112) |
Pick: Miami Heat ML
The Miami Heat were blessed with the return of Jimmy Butler on Monday against the Brooklyn Nets following a seven-game absence due to an injured toe. His presence immediately paid dividends as Butler dropped 31 points to carry Miami to an overtime victory.
The Heat already own a victory at Scotiabank Arena this season and didn't require the services of Bam Adebayo to make it happen. Adebayo will be available on Wednesday and should prove to be a difficult matchup with center Jakob Poeltl still sidelined for the Toronto Raptors.
This marks Toronto's third home game since acquiring RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley from the New York Knicks, having split the first two while losing its most recent on Monday against the visiting Boston Celtics. Miami is tied for the league lead in road wins with 12, and despite not having rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. due to an injured groin, should take advantage of a defensively-challenged Raptors squad making headlines more so for potential trades featuring Pascal Siakam rather than what they're accomplishing on the hardwood.
Milwaukee Bucks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
| Team | Spread | Money | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee Bucks | -4 (-112) | -184 | O 236.5 (-110) |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | +4 (-108) | +154 | U 236.5 (-110) |
Pick: Milwaukee Bucks ATS -4
Sometimes it's necessary to turn away from the numbers and lean on gut instinct, as well as a bit of starpower.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have been spread darlings at 4-1 ATS over their last five games, which just so happens to come during a five-game winning streak SU. The Milwaukee Bucks have been the opposite of that when it comes to the spread at 1-7 ATS across their last eight games, but they're also riding a three-game winning streak SU of their own.
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard combined for 65 points when Milwaukee defeated Cleveland at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse back in December, counteracting the 64 points from Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen. It may not come in the form of a comparable offensive outburst, but expect the Bucks to obtain a similar result on Wednesday.
Brooklyn Nets Vs. Portland Trail Blazers
| Team | Spread | Money | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brooklyn Nets | -6 (-112) | -245 | O 223.5 (-110) |
| Portland Trail Blazers | +6 (-108) | +200 | U 223.5 (-110) |
Pick: UNDER 223.5 Points
It's not a stretch to suggest two of the Association's three most offensively-deficient teams in the month of January will struggle to hit the OVER in this woeful meeting.
The Portland Trail Blazers are the only team failing to score at least 100 points per 100 possessions this month (97.3), but the Brooklyn Nets aren't far off being third from the bottom at 105.3 points per 100 possessions.
The total has gone UNDER in five of Portland's last seven games against Brooklyn, who've also gone UNDER in six of its last eight games.
