Thursday is a quiet night in the NBA after some exciting action to start the week. There are two games scheduled on TNT starting with the Lakers – 76ers tipping off at 7:30 PM EST. The night ends with the Timberwolves – Warriors facing off in a Western conference showdown. Let’s dive into the best NBA bets, picks and NBA betting tips for Thursday, Jan. 27.
NBA Best Bets: Game Tips & Expert Betting Predictions
Lakers vs. 76ers Best Bet
The Lakers chug along their East Coast road trip on Thursday to visit Philadelphia where they will take on a 76ers squad that is playing some of their best basketball as of late. The 76ers enter tonight’s matchup with a 28-19 record and winners of the 12 of their last 15 games. Los Angeles was happy to get Anthony Davis back on Tuesday in a 106-96 victory against a shorthanded Nets squad. Tonight will be an exciting matchup between two of the best big men in the league in Joel Embiid and Davis.
Philadelphia is coming off consecutive wins over the Spurs and Pelicans. Embiid has been on an absolute tear, averaging 34.5 points per game on 54.5% shooting from the field in the month of January. Shake Milton (back) and Seth Curry (ankle) remain sidelined for tonight’s matchup. Danny Green is questionable with hip pain that has forced him to miss the last seven games. On the year the 76ers rank 21st in scoring, with 107.7 points per game. The team was happy to get Matisse Thybulle back, even though he was lacking his normal defensive production in his first game back. Expect him to regain his defensive presence and shake some of the rust off over the next few games. The 76ers rank 12th in defensive rating and are holding opponents to 105.7 points per game. Their struggles continue to come on the glass, where they rank last in rebounds per game. This limits their ability for second-chance opportunities, ranking 26th in second-chance points.
The Los Angeles Lakers are 24-24 after their latest win over the Brooklyn Nets. Anthony Davis is currently on the injury report listed as probable coming off his first performance in 17 games. Davis logged 25 minutes scoring 8 points on 3-for-8 shooting from the field. It will take time for him to get back to full form, but his presence on both ends of the floor was greatly missed during his absence. David led the team in blocks and rebounds before going down with an injury. Can he be the guy that cools off Embiid during his impressive run? The Lakers rank 16th in defensive rating on the season and have seen improvement over the last five games. Tonight will be a true test on the road, where they face a 76ers offense that ranks ninth in offensive efficiency on the season.
The pace should slow down for the Lakers with Davis back in the lineup. Philadelphia ranks 27th in pace and will gladly partake in a slower-tempo game, which favors Embiid’s style. Three of their last four matchups have gone under 219 points. Philadelphia has an 8-13 over/under record at home this season. The Lakers are 11-10 over/under on the road this year. Philadelphia and its opponents have only gone over on this game’s total 18 times this season. Given the spread is set at one bucket, expect the Lakers defense to step up with Davis back in the lineup and put up a fight against the 76ers on the road. Take the under with confidence in tonight’s matchup.
Best Bet for Tonight’s Game: Total Under 218 Points
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Timberwolves vs. Warriors Best Bet
Golden State hosts Minnesota on Thursday in the third matchup of the season between these two teams. Minnesota cruised to victory in their most recent outing defeating the Warriors 119-99 on Jan. 16. One key note from this game is that both Stephen Curry and Draymond Green were absent from this game. Curry and the Warriors will look for revenge on Thursday at home as they look to extend their current win streak to four games.
Minnesota’s Patrick Beverley (ankle) and Jaylen Nowell (sacrum) are questionable for Thursday. Coach Chris Finch mentioned that he was hopeful Beverley would be able to play on Thursday, so keep an eye on injury updates throughout the day to monitor his playing status. The Timberwolves offense has been on fire over the last 10 games, ranking second in offensive rating and averaging 120.5 points per game over this span. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards are averaging 46.8 combined points per game this season. Minnesota ranks third in offensive rebounding, with Jarred Vanderbilt making a major impact on the offensive glass. Given Green’s absence tonight, the Warriors will be up for a test trying to limit a Timberwolves squad that ranks third in second-chance scoring.
The Warriors defense continues to dominant opponents ranking first in defensive rating, holding opponents to 101.9 points per game on 42.5% shooting from the field. Since Klay Thompson‘s return, the Warriors are still top of the league in defensive rating despite Green’s injury coinciding with Thompson’s return. The offense has not improved since Thompson’s return to the lineup. He is averaging 14.7 points on 22 minutes per game through his first seven games back. Curry’s struggles from deep continue, as he is only hitting 29.1% in January, well below his career average of 42.8% from 3.
These two teams are going in opposite directions on the offensive end over the last 10 games, with the Warriors ranking 21st and the Timberwolves ranking second in offensive rating over this span. Both these teams can get hot from 3, ranking second and third in 3-pointers made per game, but given the recent shooting slump for the Warriors, take the points with the Timberwolves and expect this game to come down to a one- or two-possession finish.
Best Bet for Tonight’s Game: Minnesota Timberwolves +6.5 points
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