NBA Expert Picks and Best Bets | January 10

It’s a night loaded with NBA action and we’ve got your best picks at Michigan sportsbooks. Michigan basketball fans get their first look at Spurs rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama when he comes to Detroit, and well, someone has to win the game, right? The Heat welcome in the Thunder, while the Clippers host an angry Raptors team who lost a controversial game to the Lakers Tuesday.

Spurs -3.5 (-114) at FanDuel

Way back at the start of the season, this was one of the can’t-miss Pistons home games for the year. Now it’s here and it’s the two teams at the bottom of each conference. The Pistons are 3-34, and oh my goodness, on a five-game losing streak. The Spurs are 5-30, last in the Western Conference.

If not for the Pistons losing streak, more people would be focused on the Spurs ineptitude.

At least things haven’t gotten worse for the Pistons….oh wait, they have. Star guard Cade Cunningham is out for a week with a knee injury. The Pistons defense has disappeared - eight of their last nine games have gone over. Detroit led by 20 Tuesday night against the Kings and somehow lost by 21.

The Spurs are 5-5 against the spread in their last 10, and their last three losses have been by 8, 4, and 2 points. Wembanyama has averaged 24.4 points in his last five games. He’s still a reason to watch and the reason the Spurs will win comfortably.

Thunder -4.5 (-110) at BetMGM

Miami made huge news Tuesday signing beloved coach Eric Spoelstra to an eight-year $120 million contract extension. That’s a huge sign to the players that he’s in charge and there’s stability in the organization.

I waffled on this pick, but hey, why pick the easy ones? The Heat are without Jimmy Butler with a toe injury and Kyle Lowry is doubtful with an illness. I love the Hat at home, and they’ve won six in a row over the Thunder, but I don’t know where they get the offense from tonight.

OKC is coming off a big win over Washington (Washington is bad) and have won six of their last eight. The Thunder lead the NBA in three-point shooting and are second in FG percentage. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has gone over 30 points in nine of his last 10 games.

Clippers -9.5 (-110) at DraftKings

Credit DraftKings for this nugget of information, the Clippers are 10-0 in last 10 games as home favorites and have covered nine of their last 10 games against teams playing back-to-backs.

It is a back-to-back for Toronto, but not really. They didn’t have to travel. It’s their second game in LA after playing the Lakers Tuesday night and losing by a point. After the game, Raps coach Darko Rajakovic went on a tirade complaining about the officials.

Toronto is 19-18 against the spread this year and 4-1 in their last five, but the Clippers have figured it out. Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are getting open looks and the Clips are using big man Ivica Zubac more than ever. If teams try to defend the three-point line against the Clips, Zubac has an open lane to the rim. The Clips have risen to fourth in the Western Conference and are playing great basketball.