What Saturday’s NBA slate lacks in quantity, it makes up for in quality.
Despite just a modest six-game board, our PRO Projections still found playable betting edges in half – and this includes the nightcap between the Lakers and Warriors.
After crunching the data, here’s which spreads our numbers disagree with most.
NBA Picks & Predictions for Saturday
*Odds and betting data as of Saturday evening
Trail Blazers vs. Timberwolves (-13.5, 235.5)
8 p.m. ET
Naturally, the biggest edge of the evening is on a matchup nobody’s really talking about.
Although Portland has been virtually unwatchable lately — it has lost three straight games by at least 30 points — we make the Blazers just +9.3 on the betting line.
That’s well off the consensus market number of +13.5, and good for an 8.2% edge and A- grade.
PRO Pick: Trail Blazers +13.5
_PromoID=[10030]
Magic vs. Grizzlies (-16, 229.5)
8 p.m. ET
The Grizzlies own the top cover rate in basketball, entering the weekend 44-22 against the spread (65.6%).
However, we might be at the point where Memphis is getting a little too much support.
Our PRO Projections suggest taking the Magic, especially if you can find a +16 (it’s available at most shops at the time of writing).
After all, we make the line just Orlando +11.2, producing a 5.6% betting edge and Grade B designation.
_PromoID=[72]
Warriors vs. Lakers (+5.5, 228.5)
8:30 p.m. ET
It was only a few weeks ago our numbers recommended L.A. +6 against Golden State, only for the Lakers to nearly come away with an outright win in the two-point loss.
We think the Lakers, despite the lumps taken, are being overlooked here. We tab them +3.8 for Saturday’s headliner, which is good for a B- grade.
PRO Pick: Lakers +5.5
_PromoID=[14729, 14555, 14652, 12921]