Top 3 NBA Betting Picks for Wednesday, January 19th (2022)
It was a relatively quiet night in the association Tuesday, with just two games going off following a jam-packed MLK Day slate on Monday. But fear not, bettors — Wednesday is back with a staggering 26 teams in action and plenty of value for those digging deep enough.
Let’s dive in.
Get a sign-up bonus up to $1,000 at DraftKings Sportsbook >>
1. Wizards -1.5 | -110 at DraftKings Sportsbook
Weeks ago, I told myself I was done betting this Wizards team for the season, but here we are. Coming into this one after winning four of their past five, the Wizards are at full strength for the first time this season with both Bradley Beal and Rui Hachimura slated to go.
On the other side, the Nets are reeling without Kevin Durant, as the superstar should miss four-to-six weeks with a knee injury. Already depleted before the injury, the Nets will now defer to James Harden as their No. 1 option. Kyrie Irving, who they’ll have for this one, can only help on the road.
I expect the Nets to need a few more games to figure out their rotation without their best scorer and defender, and the Wiz should exploit that tonight at home.
2. Hornets +3.5 | -110 at DraftKings Sportsbook
This one opened at Celtics -4 and was quickly bought up, and I think we’ll continue to see one-sided action as tipoff approaches in Boston. For the Celtics, winning five of their last six has propelled them into the 10th and final seed of the play-in tournament, but this is still a team that lacks the offensive firepower to do much should they hold onto it.
On the other hand, the Hornets remain undervalued and come into tonight averaging 114.5 points per game. That ranks them second in the NBA. The Hornets seem to get production from everywhere depending on the night. For instance, Miles Bridges led all scorers Monday in New York as the Hornets allowed just 87 points to the Knicks in a 10-point win.
Expect more of the same tonight as the Hornets pick up another Eastern Conference win.
3. Cavaliers and Bulls Under 216 | -110 at DraftKings Sportsbook
We’ve seen this one steadily dip since it opened at 218.5. It immediately moved to 217 and had sunk to 216 as of Wednesday morning. For good reason, too.
Allowing just 102.5 points per game, the Cavaliers now visit a Bulls team reeling with injuries that should limit their scoring over the next few weeks. They were already missing Lonzo Ball, and now they’re dealing with the loss of Zach LaVine to a knee injury. He ranks as their second-leading scorer on the year.
I expect a concerted defensive effort from both teams tonight. This one should stay well under the posted total.
Join the BettingPros Discord Chat for Live Betting Advice >>
Whether you’re new to sports betting or a betting pro, our How To Bet and Sports Betting Strategy and Advice pages are for you. You can get started with our Sports Betting 101 Section — including 10 Sports Betting Tips for Beginners — or head to more advanced sports betting strategy — like Key Numbers When Betting Against the Spread — to learn more.
Johnny is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Johnny, check out his archive and follow him @JohnnyCovers