We have a six-game NBA slate today, featuring some exciting matchups. Below are our top NBA picks & predictions for Saturday, January 10th.
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Saturday's NBA Best Bets & Picks
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Los Angeles Clippers at Detroit Pistons (-4.5) | O/U 214.5 (-108/-112)
It wasn't too long ago that the Clippers’ season looked bleak, but they have completely turned it around. They started the season 6-21, but they are surging, winning eight of their last 10 games.
The veteran offensive playmakers have been playing up to their abilities. They are second with an offensive rating of 123.7 since December 20th, and Kawhi Leonard leads the league with 33.9 points per game. Their defense has also been spectacular. In this same span, their 106.7 points allowed per game are the fewest in the league, and their 86.6 shots allowed rank fourth.
The Pistons could match that defensive prowess as they are right behind the Clippers in points allowed per game (107.5) and they allow the fewest shots (84.4). They are unfortunately without Jalen Duren in the frontcourt, but the Pistons have won the last three games without him and are +40 in points in the paint over that span.
The Clippers may not be able to take advantage of the Pistons’ lack of size because they're also missing center Bogdan Bogdanovic. Los Angeles is coming in with no rest. This season, they are 2-3 against the spread (ATS) in that situation, while the Pistons are 4-2 ATS with a rest advantage.
Pick: Pistons -4.5 (-102)
San Antonio Spurs (-1.5) at Boston Celtics | O/U 231.5 (-108/-112)
The Celtics are among the league’s top-performing teams and are making their way up the Eastern Conference standings. Since November 16th, the Celtics are second in the league with a 75% win rate (18-6). Their turnaround is mainly due to their offensive style of shooting threes in volume, as they lead the league with 15.9 made threes per game. While clearly Jaylen Brown is the leader with Jayson Tatum sidelined, we're seeing players who had minimal involvement in previous seasons, such as Neemias Queta and Payton Pritchard, play significant roles in the team’s success.
It's been a turbulent season for the Spurs, and we're seeing it impact their record. When they have their full roster, it's hard to argue they’re not one of the top teams; beating the Thunder three times this season proves that.
The problem is that they have not had their full lineup for most of the season. Victor Wembanyama has missed time and is currently on a minutes limit. He has been playing 23.3 minutes per game since his return. They are also missing a key part of the backcourt as Devin Vassell is expected to be out for a significant amount of time. It's been a tough stretch for them recently as they dropped four of their last seven games, including some bad losses to Utah, Portland and Memphis.
Even with the Celtics playing the night before, they should be able to control this game against the Spurs.
Pick: Celtics Moneyline (-102)
