NBA Playbook: Betting Lines, Odds & Picks For Monday, Nov. 14

NBA Betting Lines, Odds & Picks for Monday

The NBA tips off a new week with a seven-game slate today. Take a look at some previews for two of the best games (from a betting perspective) below. 

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Hornets at Magic Prediction

The Hornets (3-11 SU, 5-9 ATS) have gotten off to a miserable start to the year and are on an eight-game losing streak in which they also have gone 1-7 ATS.

Star point guard LaMelo Ball returned from an injury that sidelined him for the first 13 games of the year on Saturday, but the Heat still beat them down by the score of 132-115. Overall, Charlotte ranks 26th in scoring offense (108.7 points per game) and 26th in field goal percentage (44.6%), including 23rd in three-point shooting percentage (32.9%). The Hornets also rank 21st in scoring defense (114.7) and have allowed their opponents to shoot 46.7% from the floor (17th), including just 33.0% from three-point range (4th). Ball went 6-of-17 shooting for 15 points, six rebounds and six assists over 28 minutes in his season debut against the Heat, but his presence is a major boost for this rebuilding roster.

Terry Rozier (21.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.6 assists over 36.0 minutes) and Kelly Oubre Jr. (18.5 points, 4.8 rebounds over 30.6 minutes) have stepped up in Ball’s absence and this is seemingly a winnable matchup for them to take advantage of. Overall, the Hornets rank 28th in Offensive Rating and 20th in Defensive Rating.

The Magic (4-9 SU, 6-6-1 ATS) are riding a two-game winning streak into this matchup, having beaten the Mavericks by seven on Wednesday and the Suns by 17 on Friday as 8.5 and 7-point underdogs, respectively. Interestingly, both wins came without No. 1 overall pick Paolo Banchero, who is off to an impressive start to his NBA career, averaging 23.5 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists over 34.6 minutes.

On the year, Orlando ranks 22nd in scoring offense (110.4 points per contest) on 48.3% shooting (3rd), including 33.9% from three-point range (21st). Seven different Magic players currently average double figures in the scoring column and this team has a ton of size that makes them difficult to match up against. Orlando has allowed 112.4 points per game (13th) on 45.5% shooting (9th), including 35.6% from three-point range (15th). Overall, the Magic rank 18th in Offensive Rating and 21st in Defensive Rating. 

MY LEAN: Magic ATS. Banchero is a game-time decision which obviously matters a bit, but I love Orlando’s ability to trot out a ridiculously tall lineup with everyone at 6’10 or above. While Ball gets back into playing shape, I’m not going to view this Hornets team at full strength and even when they get there, Charlotte’s roster is among the worst in the entire NBA. We should know more about Banchero’s availability after shootaround, so I’ll probably wait until then before locking anything in. Orlando won the previous matchup between these teams 113-93 back on October 28, but I wouldn’t read too much into that blowout since Ball was out.

Clippers at Rockets Prediction

As one of the preseason favorites to win the NBA championship, the Clippers (7-6 SU, 5-8 ATS, 2-11 O/U) haven’t gotten off to a great start, most notably due to the status of Kawhi Leonard, who has missed 10 consecutive games with a nagging injury/maintenance period. John Wall will also likely rest on one end of back-to-backs all year, so keep that in mind since Los Angeles plays again on Tuesday (against the Mavericks).

This will be the third time these teams have played against each other already and the Clips have been victorious twice and covered once in this matchup. Los Angeles has gone 5-2 SU and 4-3 ATS in their last seven games, but their offense has been atrocious, averaging just 103.9 points per game this year. That’s the worst mark in the entire NBA.

As a whole, they’ve shot 47.1% from the field (14th), but just 33.7% from three (22nd). Defensively, LA has allowed 107.3 points per contest (5th) on 44.9% shooting (4th), including 35.0% from three-point range (12th). As a whole, the Clippers rank 29th (2nd-worst) in the NBA in Offensive Rating and 4th in Defensive Rating, which hammers home the point that they’re an elite defensive team that needs to improve substantially on the offensive end of the floor alongside Paul George (24.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.5 assists in 35.7 minutes per game).

The Rockets (2-11 SU, 4-6-1 ATS, 7-6 O/U) are in the midst of a complete rebuild and have struggled mightily over the last nine games in which they won once outright. Houston ranks 23rd in scoring (109.9 points per game) on just 43.8% shooting (29th), including 35.2% from three (16th) and have allowed 118.4 points per game (27th) on 49.4% shooting (29th), including 36.0% from deep (16th). This is a very young roster and their core that gets playing time is inexperienced with the lone exception of Eric Gordon.

Therefore, as seen in their cumulative stats above, they’re taking low-percentage shots and aren’t defending efficiently. The Rockets rank 26th in Offensive Rating and 29th in Defensive Rating and are clear home underdogs in this matchup. 

MY LEAN: The under. These two teams are very inefficient offensively and this side of the total has been dominant in LA’s games so far.

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