NBA Predictions and Best Bets – February 15, 2021

The NBA keeps it going on Monday, with a nice seven-game betting slate. Kevin Durant will miss the next two games and Paul George remains sidelined, but this is otherwise a star-studded schedule.

See just how enticing it is for bettors with a quick look at everyone who is facing off on Monday, February 15th, 2021.

It’s a strong schedule from top to bottom, as most of these teams are pretty evenly matched.

The battle in Utah between the 76ers and Jazz gives fans a showdown between the top two records in the NBA. I’m pretty sure I can stop right there.

But hey, this slate has James Harden, Kawhi Leonard, and Stephen Curry, so you know there’s plenty of intrigue elsewhere.

For advice on how to bet on it, read on for Monday’s NBA predictions and top betting picks.

Indiana travels to the United Center to battle the Bulls, who are just 4-9 at home. Chicago has one of the best isolation scorers in the league in Zach LaVine, but little else to get excited about.

The Pacers, meanwhile, are trending back in the right direction with two straight wins. Domantas Sabonis and Malcolm Brogdon offer a nice inside/outside game that Chicago probably won’t be able to stop.

Houston was looking like a potential playoff team a little over a week ago, but they have unraveled across five straight losses.

The team has dealt with injuries, with Christian Wood sidelined, and Victor Oladipo and John Wall both missing some time.

Houston is obviously tough to trust right now, but this date with an atrocious Wizards defense (29th in the league) is sublime.

Washington weirdly beat the Celtics on Sunday, which probably means they won’t be winning again anytime soon. This is also a pretty logical spot for the Wiz to rest one of their superstars, so the Rockets stand out as a nice play.

There’s also the John Wall revenge narrative to consider, as he wasn’t too shy about getting his old team back earlier this year.

Trae Young is dealing as a playmaker these days. His offense comes and goes, but he’s lived up to his end of the bargain with 13+ dimes in five of his last eight contests.

That run included a sick 16-dime effort against the Lake Show.

Despite Young’s ability and willingness to find his teammates, it hasn’t translated into wins. The Hawks have lost three in a row, and are just 3-7 over their last 10 games.

Normally that’d be cause to bet against them, but they fortunately get a pretty pedestrian Knicks team.

Clint Capela should hold the edge down low in this one, while the Knicks don’t have anyone to slow Young down. Atlanta isn’t 100%, but I love them here.

Easily the top game of the day, this one has the 18-9 Sixers on the road against the 22-5 Jazz.

Utah is riding a seven-game winning streak, and they’re making everyone forget that point guard Mike Conley is on the shelf.

Philly is fully capable of dominating in this spot, but the 76ers have dropped two in a row. They also are just 7-7 on the road this year. They could be an appealing ATS bet, but it’s hard to go against a red hot Utah squad these days.

Cleveland could show up to the Warriors’ house at less than 100%, as star big man Andre Drummond was held out of Cleveland’s game last night.

If he doesn’t return, Jarrett Allen could be in for a big game against a Warriors team that is remarkably thin inside the paint.

While problematic for some, going small and running is kind of Golden State’s thing. They enter Monday with the second fastest offense in the league, and they’re also converting the 7th most threes on the year.

The Dubs are the vastly superior offensive team. I think Cleveland benefits from the matchup and gets bettors to the Over, but Golden State should win at home.

This is an interesting one to track, seeing as PG-13 is out still and Kawhi Leonard did sit last night. He should be back in action, and that’s the main reason I like the Clippers here.

L.A. has otherwise been pretty sharp lately, and resting their star ahead of a tense road game is probably pretty smart.

To be fair, Miami is trending upward after a slow start. However, they’ve been inconsistent, and a rested Leonard is likely bad news for the Heat.

This could challenge for the game of the night, strictly from a scoring perspective. Neither of these teams plays a lick of defense, and both offenses can get hot.

Brooklyn sports the third most efficient offense in the NBA, but they will be without star forward Kevin Durant.

Kevin Durant will miss at least the next two games with a left hamstring strain, the Nets say.

— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) February 15, 2021

That’s a big deal, to be sure, but the Nets do still have Kyrie Irving and James Harden to go to war with. Assuming one of them doesn’t rest, the Nets look like the play here.

It’s worth noting that the Kings have been good (7-3 over their last 10), but this matchup is a wash when you look at the defenses. Brooklyn has the edge offensively, as well as more star power.

The full odds for Monday aren’t out yet, but I can work with what the top NBA betting sites are offering. Beyond that, just reference my NBA predictions above for any other bets you want to target.

For now, I love the Pacers to keep it going and get another win. The spread is dicey, though, so I don’t mind eating a little money and taking them at -220.

Atlanta also looks to be the aggressor against New York, who can be a mess offensively. Clint Capela should be able to limit what the Knicks can do inside, which means if they’re outside shots don’t fall, they’ll be in serious trouble.

Lastly, the Dubs are often part of explosive games. They just push the pace and let it fly, while they don’t play much defense. This should be a good spot for a normally weak Cavs offense to spread their wings and fly a bit.

I like the Dubs to win, but the Over on a fairly palatable game total is also very appealing.

Hopefully these NBA picks serve you well. Good luck, and happy betting!