NBA Expert Picks and Best Bets | January 29

The Super Bowl matchup is set, but the big game is still two weeks away. That means there are plenty of opportunities for basketball betting over the next couple of weeks. It all begins Monday night with a loaded NBA schedule. To help get you started off on the right foot, we have our three favorite NBA picks from Monday's games.

Cavaliers +2 | -108 at FanDuel

The Cavaliers have cranked things up a notch and then some in recent weeks. They’ve won nine of their last 10 games after splitting a pair of games with the Bucks over the weekend. With that kind of hot streak, they are an excellent candidate to take as a home underdog. Even with Darius Garland sidelined, Cleveland has gotten contributions from other sources. With an 8-2 record against the spread in the last 10 games, we’re sold on the Cavaliers.

In fairness, the Clippers are just as hot. They’ve won five in a row and eight of their last nine games following a dominant road win over the Celtics. However, when they've stumbled, it’s been on the road. Also, despite one of the best records against the spread this season, they are just 11-10 ATS on the road. That’s enough for us to lean toward the home team in a game between two of the hottest teams in the NBA.

Thunder -2.5 | -110 at BetMGM

This is another great matchup between two quality teams. Again, we’re going to side with the home team. While Oklahoma City is coming off a shocking loss in Detroit on Sunday night, that loss followed a five-game winning streak. OKC is also 9-3 over the last 12 games. The Thunder should be eager to wipe Sunday’s loss away quickly, so look for them to be motivated when back at home on Monday night. Oklahoma City is also 13-4 against the spread as a home favorite this season, which is another reason to get behind them.

On the other wise, Minnesota’s record is a little misleading based on how the T’Wolves have played lately. Just like OKC, the T’Wolves are coming off a puzzling loss, losing to the Spurs as 10.5-point favorites on Saturday. But that loss isn’t an aberration based on the last couple of weeks. The Timberwolves have lost three of their last five games and are 1-4 against the spread during that stretch. Things have fallen apart for the T’Wolves, who are just 3-5 against the spread as road underdogs this season. Considering all of those factors, we don’t feel comfortable backing Minnesota in a high-level game.

Bucks +4 | -110 at BetRivers

It’s a brave new world for the Bucks now that Doc Rivers is in charge. Milwaukee has been one of the worst teams against the spread up to this point. But that wasn’t the case on Saturday night when they blew out the Pelicans. Obviously, a road game against the Nuggets is a far greater test. However, Milwaukee’s roster is still loaded with talent, and with the Bucks getting a boost from a new coach that players want to impress, it’s worth taking Milwaukee and the points.

Meanwhile, the Nuggets are just 1-5-1 against the spread in their last seven games. They are also an immensely talented team, although they have not been at their best lately. Denver is also a modest 11-10-1 against the spread at home this season, so the Mile High air hasn’t created as much of an advantage as you might think. All things considered, it's tough to believe in the Nuggets right now, which is another reason to back the Bucks in this high-level game.