NBA Expert Picks and Best Bets | February 6

This is shaping up to be a big week for the NBA, especially with the All-Star Game right around the corner. There are some excellent matchups coming up on Tuesday night. If you’re in need of some basketball betting advice, here are our three favorite picks for Tuesday’s NBA action.

Magic ML | +128 at FanDuel

In a battle of Sunshine State bragging rights, we’re backing the Magic because they have a ton of momentum coming into this game. Orlando is 4-1 straight-up and 5-0 against the spread in the team’s last five games. That stretch has also helped the Magic improve to 13-9 ATS as a road underdog, so with a small spread, a straight-up win is on the table. To be fair, some of Orlando’s recent wins have come against the Spurs and Pistons. But a road win in Minnesota on Friday has us believing the Magic can spring an upset.

Don’t forget the Heat is just 2-8 in its last 10 games with the same ATS record. They’ve also lost three of their last four games as home favorites, which is a concerning trend. Things still aren't clicking for Terry Rozier, who is averaging 21 points on the season but has scored 15 points or less in five of his seven games with the Heat. Given the state of things, it’s hard to get behind Miami in what figures to be a close game.

Timberwolves -5.5 | -105 at BetMGM

The news that Zach LaVine is done for the season isn’t going to help Chicago’s chances in this game. The rest of the roster is a little beat up as well, so don’t expect the Bulls to be at full strength for this game. Even though the Bulls are an impressive 6-3-1 against the spread as home underdogs, this spread is too small for a team that’s battling injuries and lost four of its last six games.

Keep in mind the Bulls are playing a stacked Minnesota team that has one of the best records in the NBA. The T’Wolves have no major injuries to be concerned about and have spent the last week at home, so fatigue for a road game in the Windy City shouldn’t be an issue. In other words, it’s hard to find reasons why the Timberwolves won’t be able to handle their business against the Bulls and dominate a weaker team. Minnesota is 13-4 straight-up as a road favorite this season, and unless this spread gets considerably bigger, the T’Wolves should be able to cover.

Suns -3.5 | -114 at BetRivers

It’s clear that Doc Rivers is still tinkering with this Milwaukee team and hasn’t found the magic formula. Talent-wise, the Bucks can line up favorably against just about any team. Alas, Tuesday’s game is the last of a five-game road trip in which Milwaukee is 1-3. They’ve struggled to beat quality teams and could be hurt with both Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez listed as game-time decisions. More to the point, the Bucks have yet to win a game as an underdog this season, including two losses as an underdog on their current road trip.

Meanwhile, the Suns will be happy to be back from a long road trip. Phoenix has enjoyed being at home, especially lately, going 7-2 in the team’s last nine home games. There’s no reason to doubt that the Suns can continue that home success and cover a small spread against a struggling Milwaukee team. The trio of Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and Bradley Beal are all healthy and starting to play well together, making it easy to back them in a high-level game.