NBA Odds, Picks & Predictions: Thursday (1/8)
Thursday provides a small but exciting slate of NBA action. There are four games on the schedule, but it features some of the NBA's hottest teams squaring off. Let's take a look at two of the matchups for our top NBA picks & predictions.
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Thursday’s Best NBA Picks & Predictions
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Indiana Pacers at Charlotte Hornets
By no means is this one of the most important matchups of the day. Indiana appears to have their eyes fixated on the draft lottery as we head into the second half of the season. Charlotte, on the other hand, has rattled off six wins in their last 12 games and gone 10-2 against the spread (ATS) in that time.
The Hornets are finally starting to get healthy, and it's shown. They've scored 117.3 points per game (PPG) over this stretch, which has included wins over Cleveland, Orlando and Oklahoma City. Their offense continues to improve, led by a fantastic three-point rate hovering around 37.1%. The improved shooting is a big reason why they no longer rank at the bottom of the league in offensive rating like they did the last few seasons.
Indiana, meanwhile, has done very little on the defensive end. They foul at an extremely high rate and are tied with the Detroit Pistons for the most free-throw attempts allowed at 28.6 per game. They also give up a league-high 36 defensive rebounds per game. It's no surprise they're in the midst of a 13-game losing streak, which has seen them go 4-6-1 ATS.
Indiana's defense likely has few answers for the Hornets’ offense. Charlotte is the better team. On the second night of a back-to-back, we should be getting some value on the line. I'll take the Hornets to continue their hot stretch and add another loss to the Pacers' misery on Thursday night.
Pick: Hornets -3.5 (-112)
Dallas Mavericks at Utah Jazz
After four straight games on the road, the Utah Jazz will return home to take on the Dallas Mavericks in Salt Lake City. The Jazz have really had some Jekyll and Hyde home and away splits this season. At home, they score 15 more points per game, have an effective field goal rate (eFG%) that is 3% better and produce over 3.5 more assists per game. With those numbers, it's no surprise they're 15-4 to the over at home on the season, while being just 8-9 to the over on the road.
On Thursday, they'll welcome the Mavericks. This is an interesting matchup because we'll see two of the fastest-paced teams in the league. Utah ranks fourth in possessions per 48 minutes, while Dallas comes up just behind in fifth.
The Mavericks really haven't been a strong offensive team this season, but against this porous Utah defense, it likely won't matter. Utah is giving up the highest eFG% to opponents in the NBA and is in the bottom third of the league in creating turnovers. This will give the Mavericks plenty of opportunities to score in what should be a game with plenty of possessions. I'll be backing the over to hit again in Utah on Thursday night.
Pick: Over 237.5 Points (-108)