Wednesday was a strange night in the NBA. The Knicks blew a 28-point lead ,losing to a Nets team that was without its big three. The Pistons upset the Celtics a night after Boston beat the 76ers by 48 points. The Trail Blazers won straight up against the Grizzlies as 12.5-point underdogs. Thursday is the last slate before the All-Star weekend in Cleveland, with five games on the schedule. The regular season will resume a week from today on Feb. 24th. Let’s dive into the best NBA bets today, picks and NBA betting tips for Thursday, Feb. 17.
Best NBA Bets Today: Game Tips & Betting Predictions
Wizards vs. Nets Best Bet
The Wizards travel to Brooklyn on Thursday for a showdown with the Nets. These two teams are familiar with each other, as this will be their fourth time matching up this season. The Nets won two of the first three matchups and will look to defend their home court in tonight’s game, but they will have to do so without Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving once again. Last night Brooklyn pulled off an improbable 111-106 road victory over the Knicks, completing a 28-point comeback win. The Wizards fell short against the Pacers, losing 113-108 on Wednesday. Both teams will be in the second night of back-to-backs and the final game before taking a weeklong break.
The Nets have won consecutive games without Irving, Durant and Ben Simmons on the floor. They are 31-27 and trail Toronto by a half game for seventh place in the East. Seth Curry has stepped in right away since his trade to help lead the Nets offense in the absence of Irving, Durant and Simmons. Curry scored 20-plus points in both his appearances as part of the Nets. Cam Thomas came up clutch last night for Brooklyn in their comeback win, scoring 16 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter. The backcourt presence of Curry and Patty Mills will play a key role in scoring from the perimeter as well as distributing the ball. The Nets ranks 23rd in offensive rating and average 106.8 points per game over their last five. Brooklyn is one of the toughest teams to read night in and night out given the number of different lineups and rotations they have been forced to play through. With that being said, coach Steve Nash has proven he can continue to adjust the game plan and compete each night, no matter who is in the lineup.
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The Washington Wizards enter Thursday 26-31, sitting 11th in the Eastern Conference and 4 1/2 games back from the No. 8 spot. Washington continues to battle through a myriad of injuries. Bradley Beal (wrist) and Kristaps Porzingis (knee) remain out for Thursday. Rui Hachimura (ankle) and Daniel Gafford (Health Protocols) have a chance to suit up tonight but are game-time decisions. The Wizards are averaging 106.9 points on 46.3% shooting and are allowing 109.9 points to opponents. Kyle Kuzma is averaging 16.3 points and 8.7 rebounds, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is averaging 11.4 points and 1.7 assists. The Wizards rank 22nd in offensive rating and 22nd in defensive rating. Washington was successful in pulling off the win last week over the Nets, even with Irving putting up 31 points. This victory should give the Wizards some confidence heading into tonight’s matchup knowing the Nets will be shorthanded once again.
The total has gone under in eight of Washington’s last 12 games and five straight on the road. The Wizards are struggling to remain consistent on offense with Beal out of the lineup. It is hard to know what Brooklyn will do on offense with three of their top scorers sidelined. Brooklyn is 11-16 over/under at home and is averaging 5 fewer points per game at home since Irving has had to sit out of home games. Even though two of their three matchups this season have exceeded 215 points, all three games included play from a combination of Beal, Irving, Durant and James Harden, and none of them will be a part of tonight’s matchup. The Nets could be in for a letdown spot tonight after expending all of their energy to make the comeback win on Wednesday. Given the number injuries across both teams, it is hard to trust either offense to come out and be explosive. Take the under in tonight’s matchup.
Best Bet for Today’s Game: Total Under 215 Points
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