There are currently no shortage of NBA online betting odds for Wednesday night's immaculate slate. More than 20 teams are in action for this mid-week extravaganza, including many squads billed as odds-on NBA Finals betting favorites.
Perhaps the most important among these matchups is the showdown between the Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks, which is set to take place at 7:30 p.m. EST at the Fiserv Forum in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Both championship contenders enter with underwhelming records and face many questions. And our latest NBA picks lead us to the uncomfortable conclusion that the Lakers' present slide will continue versus the Bucks.
Before we begin, let's take a look at all the latest NBA betting odds, courtesy of the folks over at BetOnline:
| Favorite |  | | Underdog |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana Pacers | -255 | +210 | Detroit Pistons |
| Charlotte Hornets | -130 | +110 | Washington Wizards |
| Atlanta Hawks | -180 | +152 | Boston Celtcis |
| Miami Heat | -335 | +270 | New Orleans Pelicans |
| Milwaukee Bucks | -335 | +270 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| Brooklyn Nets | -590 | +440 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| New York Knicks | -750 | +530 | Orlando Magic |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | -164 | +138 | Houston Rockets |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | -126 | +108 | Sacramento Kings |
| Portland Trail Blazers | -116 | -102 | Chicago Bulls |
| Phoenix Suns | -350 | +280 | Dallas Mavericks |
Always make sure to double-check these NBA odds prior to settling on any definitive NBA picks. Betting lines will continue to move right up until opening tip-off. If you're looking for the best places to find basketball betting odds beyond BetOnline, we've got sportsbook reviews for all the top betting sites.
Lakers-Bucks is a Battle of Two Underachieving Contenders
Aside from a look at the Lakers-Bucks matchup, our best NBA bets will include predictions for Charlotte Hornets vs. New Orleans Pelicans, Miami Heat vs. New Orleans Pelicans, New York Knicks vs. Orlando Magic, and Phoenix Suns vs. Dallas Mavericks.
Let's start in Milwaukee.
Bucks will Grind Out Victory Over Slumping Lakers
If you looked only at the records of the Bucks and Lakers, you might be surprised by this line. Dig deeper, though, and you'll find Los Angeles is much worse than their 8-7 record.
That above-.500 mark is inflated by having played one of the league's easiest schedules. The Lakers, in all actuality, have one of the six worst point differentials per 100 possessions in the NBA. Making matters worse, they will still be without LeBron James on Wednesday night, as he continues to work his way back from an abdominal injury.
Granted, the Bucks are banged up themselves. Brook Lopez, Donte DiVincenzo, and Khris Middleton remain on the shelf, and George Hill isn't expected to play. They have struggled with injuries all year.
But the Lakers simply haven't been good enough to take advantage of it. Right now, frankly, the Bucks still have the two best players in this matchup, in Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday. Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook have been that inconsistent this year–particularly without LeBron.
OSB Prediction: Milwaukee Bucks (-335)
Miami Beats Down New Orleans
Congratulations to the Pelicans for getting Brandon Ingram back from his hip injury. They're still kind of screwed.
No one knows when their best player, Zion Williamson, is returning from injury. Without him, they have one of the league's worst offenses, to go along with a bottom-tier defense, and can't figure out how to put reliable pressure on the rim.
Of course, you'll want to be a little careful with your investment here. The Heat could find themselves without both Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. Even if they do, though, we're still picking them. Their defense is that terrifying.
OSB Prediction: Miami Heat (-335)
Washington Completes Upset vs. Charlotte
Under normal circumstances, the Hornets should not be favored over the Wizards, not even when they're playing at home. These aren't normal circumstances.
Bradley Beal, Washington's superstar, missed Monday's game due to personal reasons and it isn't yet known whether he'll play Wednesday. The Wizards' offense will be noticeably worse without him.
However, Washington has taken on one of the league's toughest defensive identities this year. Charlotte, by comparison, cannot defend anyone, either inside or out. We like the Wizards' value here.
OSB Prediction: Washington Wizards (+110)
New York Stops Messing Around Against Orlando
Don't waste time trying to figure out the Knicks. They are a brain-teaser.
Sure, they're over .500, with a truly dangerous offense. But they have a bottom-seven defense one year after finishing inside the top five, and their starting five is presently getting blasted by opponents. They have needed their bench to win them games on most nights.
That's a dangerous dynamic to sustain. Fortunately, the Magic are in the early stages of a rebuild and don't have much NBA-caliber talent beyond their starting five. New York should win rather easily.
OSB Prediction: New York Knicks (-750)
Suns Keep Winning Streak Alive vs. Mavericks
After the less-than-stellar start to the season, the Suns have recaptured the groove that carried them all the way to the 2021 NBA Finals. They have won an NBA-high nine straight games and are now all the way up to fourth in points allowed per possession.
Dallas is a threat to beat just about anyone because of Luka Doncic. It helps that Kristaps Porzingis is playing better, too. But their game-to-game performance has been largely uninspiring under new head coach Jason Kidd.
OSB Prediction: Phoenix Suns (-350)
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