The NBA resumes the regular season on Thursday with seven games scheduled across the league. Teams will need to buckle down with only 20 or so games left to fight for a playoff spot. Tonight two games will be in the spotlight on TNT, with the Celtics taking on the Nets in Brooklyn followed up by Warriors – Trail Blazers to finish out the night. Let’s dive into the best NBA bets today, picks and NBA betting tips for Thursday, Feb. 24.
Best NBA Bets Today: Game Tips & Betting Predictions
Cavaliers vs. Pistons Best Bet
The Cleveland Cavaliers will travel to Detroit on Thursday to take on the Pistons. The Cavaliers stayed busy hosting the All-Star game this weekend, with Jarrett Allen and Darius Garland both participating in the big game. Garland is ruled out for tonight’s matchup, which seems to be precautionary after seeing him participate in the All-Star game this past weekend. These two teams have met twice this year, with both teams coming out victorious on their home court. The Cavaliers will look to continue their momentum, as they had won eight of their past 12 games going into the All-Star break. Detroit will look to string together back-to-back wins for the first time since Jan. 10.
Cleveland enters Thursday shorthanded in the backcourt with Garland (back) and Caris LeVert (foot) listed out. Collin Sexton remains out indefinitely with a knee injury. Rajon Rondo and Brandon Goodwin should expect an increase in minutes against the Pistons. Lauri Markkanen is listed as probable and intends to suit up for the first time since January. Expect Markkanen to be on a minutes limit, as Cleveland will ease him back into the rotation. The Cavaliers are averaging 106.7 points on 46.6% shooting and allowing 102.5 points on 44.2% shooting. Cleveland is one of the top defensive teams this season, ranking fourth in defense efficiency. Their size is unmatched across the league and has proven to be a disruptor on the defensive end of the floor on a nightly basis. The Pistons will have a tough test tonight, as their offense ranks 29th in the league.
The Pistons have lost 12 of their past 14 games, but they ended an eight-game slide prior to the break with a 112-111 road win over the Celtics. With their playoff chances out the window, the Pistons can either ramp up their tanking efforts in the back half of the season or try to build some momentum for their youngsters to use for next season. Frank Jackson (back) is probable ahead of tonight’s matchup. He missed each of the final two games prior to All-Star break but seems likely to be available against the Cavaliers. The Pistons are averaging 102.6 points on 42.1% shooting and allowing 112.6 points on 47.6% shooting. Jerami Grant is averaging 19 points and 4.3 rebounds, while Saddiq Bey is averaging 15.9 points and 2.8 assists. Cunningham continues to show out during his rookie campaign, averaging 15.7 points per game this year.
The game totals ended at 220 and 176 points in their matchups this season. Cleveland will be without their two top offensive options. Neither team is a threat from the 3-point or free-throw line. Cleveland is cashing the under in 61.3% of their games this season. The Cavaliers have gone under in eight of their last 12 games, and the Pistons have one of the worst offenses in the league going up against a top-five defense. This game has all the pieces in place to be a low-scoring affair. It would not be shocking to see the Pistons held to under 100 points. Roll with the under in tonight’s showdown in the Motor City.
Best Bet for Today’s Game: Total Under 208.5 Points
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Warriors vs. Trail Blazers Best Bet
The Golden State Warriors needed a break following a poor finish prior to All-Star weekend, losing four of their final five games. The Portland Trail Blazers entered the break going the opposite direction ripping off four straight wins, which is their best run this season. The Warriors have gotten the best of the Trail Blazers in their first two matchups, winning by double digits in both outings. Tonight the Warriors have a good chance of securing their third straight win against a banged-up Portland squad.
The Warriors enter Thursday with a 42-17 record, good for second in the Western Conference. Stephen Curry was the highlight of the All-Star Weekend, taking home the All-Star Game MVP behind a 50-point performance in a win for Team LeBron. Curry will look to continue his dominance from beyond the arc against a Trail Blazers squad that is allowing the third-most 3-pointers made this season. Klay Thompson continues to work back to 100% game form coming off an Achilles injury. Expect Thompson’s minutes to remain around 30 minutes per game. Andre Iguodala (back) and Draymond Green (back) are out of the lineup on Thursday. The Warriors have the 11th-ranked offense in the NBA scoring 110.6 points per game, while their defense ranks first in the league, allowing 103.7 points to opponents. Their defense has been lacking as of late, allowing teams to score 115.6 points per game over their last five.
Just when everyone thought the Trail Blazers were throwing in the towel after trading C.J. McCollum, the team came out and won four straight games before taking a pause for the All-Star break. Anfernee Simons stepped up in a major way establishing himself as a replacement for the team’s offense, scoring 30-plus points in three straight. He has some work to do on the defensive end of the floor, but for now he has proven he can lead the team through his scoring and passing. Portland has a lot of injury-related troubles. Nassir Little (shoulder) and Joe Ingles (knee) are out for the season. Damian Lillard (abdominal) and Jusuf Nurkic (foot) are out indefinitely, while Eric Bledsoe (Achilles) is ruled out for Thursday. The frontcourt is extremely thin forcing the Trail Blazers to sign Trendon Watford and Drew Eubanks, who will be expected to cover Nurkic’s minutes. Portland is scoring 108.2 points per game, while their defense ranks 28th in the league, allowing score 112 points per game.
Given the Trail Blazers’ struggles to defend the perimeter, expect the Warriors to let it rain for beyond the arc. Portland begins the stretch without another core starter in the lineup for at least the next month. Even though the Trail Blazers were able to build a small run prior to the break, Simons will need to play out of his mind to keep this team competitive. Expect the Warriors to come out all business in the final stretch of the year in an effort to secure the top spot in the West. Look for Golden State to get back to their winning ways and defeat the Trailer Blazers by double digits for a third time this season. Lay the points with the Warriors on Thursday.
Best Bet for Today’s Game: Golden State Warriors -9.5
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