As the NBA season heats up, so do our predictions. And yesterday, we were once again dialed in, going 1-for-2 on the right side of the betting board. First, we were all over the Toronto Raptors +14 against the Golden State Warriors. Despite the heavy spread, the Raptors battled hard and only lost by three points, making that +14 look like easy money. Toronto’s road toughness came through exactly as expected, improving to 11-3 ATS in their last 14 road games.
Our second pick was the Los Angeles Lakers +3.5 against the Milwaukee Bucks. Unfortunately, this one didn’t go our way. At the time we placed the bet, we already knew LeBron James wouldn’t suit up—but we were blindsided by last-minute scratches for Luka Dončić, Rui Hachimura, and Austin Reaves. That kind of unexpected lineup shift is hard to plan for, and without key players, the Lakers just didn’t have enough firepower to hang with Milwaukee. Chalk it up to the nature of betting—sometimes it’s just about timing and information.
But now we turn the page to March 21 with two strong picks featuring surging teams facing struggling opponents.
Orlando Magic -7.5 at Washington Wizards
We’re backing the Orlando Magic as road favorites in Washington. Orlando has dominated this matchup recently, going 8-0 straight up and 7-1 against the spread in their last eight meetings with the Wizards. The Magic boast the second-best defense in the NBA in points allowed and are relentless when it comes to forcing turnovers. On the flip side, Washington has the league’s worst defense, allowing a staggering 122 points per game. This is a perfect storm for the Magic to roll on the road and cover with room to spare.
Houston Rockets -5.5 at Miami Heat
Houston is one of the hottest teams in the league right now, riding an 8-game winning streak. Miami, on the other hand, is trending in the opposite direction, losing nine straight and struggling both on the floor and at the betting window, going 2-9 ATS. The Rockets are healthy, playing confident basketball, and facing a depleted Miami squad that simply can’t keep up. The 5.5-point spread seems modest considering how far apart these teams are in terms of current form. We’re confidently backing Houston to stay hot and grab another road win with a cover.
