NBA Bets for all 30 teams

Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics took a while to get going last season but from January onwards, they were among the best teams in the NBA en route to an Eastern Conference title before falling to the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals. Boston made a couple changes in the offseason, acquiring Malcolm Brogdon in a trade with the Indiana to make an already good backcourt even deeper and stronger - they also signed Danilo Gallinari for some more bench scoring.

The Celtics certainly appear primed to be among the best teams in the NBA once again in 2022-2023, and OnlineBetting.com writer, Mete Aktaş backed them to win the NBA championship in 2023 in his predictions, but their win total is the highest win total of any team set at a very lofty 56.5 wins, so it’s hard to look at anything except Under knowing injuries could possibly occur and this is a team that may pace themselves with the focus being on the playoffs and winning a title.

New York Knicks

The Knicks gave their fans a sign of a pulse two seasons ago making the playoffs but all that good will went right out the window last season in what was another bad season for the team finishing 37-45 and outside the playoffs. New York made a splash in free agency signing Jalen Brunson from the Dallas Mavericks. He will assume the starting point guard spot and help them offensively, which is where this team struggled last season but outside of that, the question marks remain with this roster. The win total seems to be right on point at 39.5 and if you don’t mind laying the price, -195 to miss the playoffs seems like a solid wager.

Philadelphia 76ers

The Philadelphia 76ers will look to get over the hump and break through to the NBA Finals which has escaped their grasp despite being a contender for many years.

Philadelphia will go as far as Joel Embiid takes them. He had a dominant regular season and showed an even greater commitment to being the best player he could be. James Harden had his ups but mostly downs since the 76ers acquired him. The 76ers brought in P.J. Tucker in the offseason from the Miami Heat and he is a good defender, rebounder and a capable 3 point shot maker. He’s also the type of player to really help a team at playoff time. The defense looks to be very good on this team especially after adding Tucker and the offense could be Top 5 caliber especially with Tyrese Maxey really taking his game to another level offensively late in the season.

The 76ers were 51-31 in the 2021-22 regular season. Their win total is 50.5 for the upcoming season - I think the team is better with P.J. Tucker added to the fold so a lean to the Over 50.5 wins for me. The bet I will recommend is Joel Embiid for MVP at . Many will say Embiid got snubbed last season (including Embiid himself) from winning the MVP award but if he can put forth a season as good or better than last season, this could be his time to finally claim that award.

Chicago Bulls

The Chicago Bulls started the season strong and were among the best teams in the Eastern Conference in the standings, but they floundered in the second half of the season falling to 6th in the East. This left them in a difficult first round matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks which they lost in five games.

So which version of Chicago will we see in 2022-2023? The team that started out great in the first couple months, or the one that sputtered down the stretch? Chicago won 46 games last season but their win total is 43.5 for this season. I think it’s a bit low. I don’t love this Bulls team but they should be able to come close to their win total from last season. DeMar DeRozan is still a clutch late game offensive dynamo and Lonzo Ball should be healthy and ready to come back after his knee injury. They improved their bench and frontcourt depth with Andre Drummond in the offseason. Chicago may not move up in the standings a ton with how tough the East is, but I think they can be good enough to go Over 43.5 wins -125 at DraftKings.

Detroit Pistons

The Detroit Pistons rebuilding process will likely continue this season but I do expect them to improve on the 23-win season of a year ago. Detroit drafted Purdue guard Jaden Ivey with the 5th overall pick in the draft and suddenly the Pistons have their backcourt of the future for many years to come with Ivey and last year’s #1 overall pick Cade Cunningham. They should be an excellent duo.

If Marvin Bagley can use the change of scenery from Sacramento to get his game doing, this team could also have some frontcourt improvement with Bagley, Saddiq Bey and Isaiah Stewart. Kemba Walker is now with Detroit as well and while he’s not a great defender, nor has he stayed healthy the last couple seasons but he does add a veteran presence. I think Detroit could be a somewhat improved team and we aren’t asking a lot in terms of their win total. I’ll recommend Over 27.5 wins at -110.

Milwaukee Bucks

Milwaukee was ousted in the second round by the Boston Celtics last season after finishing 3rd in the East in the regular season. The only major addition in the offseason was signing Joe Ingles from Portland, who gives them another perimeter shooting option. The Bucks were a very good offensive team but their defensive efficiency was only 12th in the NBA last season. That needs to improve if they hope to make it back to the NBA Finals.

I expect the Bucks to have their edge back after being dethroned as champions and much more urgency to get back to the promised land in 2022-2023. I would look long and hard at Milwaukee to win the East at +340 and the title at +800.

Atlanta Hawks

The Atlanta Hawks took a step back last season, eventually finishing 9th in the East and needing to win a play-in game before getting bounced in the first round of the playoffs. They upgraded their roster with the trade to acquire Dejounte Murray from the San Antonio Spurs giving them a terrific backcourt with him and point guard Trae Young. They also bring back much of their core from the last couple seasons including De’Andre Hunter, John Collins, Clint Capela and Bogdan Bogdanovic. The defense slipped quite a bit last season but Murray is a great scorer and perimeter defender and should help improve the Hawks leaky defense along with the additions of Justin Holiday and Maurice Harkless. I think Yes to make the playoffs -210 is a safe bet for Atlanta and I would lean Over 45.5 wins.

Miami Heat

Miami finished with the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference at 53-29 in the regular season but couldn’t get past Boston in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Heat have pretty much an identical roster to last year’s squad without any significant additions or subtractions. The Heat win total is sitting at 48.5 to 49.5 depending on which sportsbook you are using. I certainly can agree with the Under sentiment - Kyle Lowry missed time for personal reasons last year, Jimmy Butler was injured at times. Load management is certainly something that could come into play for a veteran squad like Miami and I believe the betting markets sense this. I would lean Under the regular season win total with the Miami Heat. That being said, come playoff time, this team on paper can compete with and beat anyone in the East and I see some value at +750 to win the conference and +2000 to win the title.

Washington Wizards

The biggest offseason business conducted by the Washington Wizards was re-upping Bradley Beal to a new 5 year contract worth $251 million for the second largest contract in NBA history. Beal missed significant time last season due to injury and is now approaching 30 years old so some are questioning the decision to sign him long-term. He is undoubtedly an outstanding scorer though, and the Wizards did address his supporting cast as they brought in Will Barton and Monte Morris via a trade with the Denver Nuggets. Morris will become the new starting point guard and he filed in admirably for an injured Jamal Murray last season in Denver. Barton gives them some much needed defensive presence on this team which was 25th in the league in defensive efficiency last season.

Washington has the potential to be better but it will only happen if they get a full season or close to it out of Beal and the defense steps up. The Wizards win total is 35.5 and I would recommend the over with that, although it is not a strong opinion for me.

Denver Nuggets

The Denver Nuggets finished 6th in the Western Conference with 48 wins last season. The expectation is that Jamal Murray will finally be healthy and ready to return for a full season to reunite the dynamic duo of Murray and two-time MVP Nikola Jokic. The Nuggets did lose a couple key starters in Will Barton and Monte Morris through free agency, although they brought in Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in a trade with the Washington Wizards and he is a good all-round player at both ends of the floor. I think Denver has a higher ceiling this season and thus I’ll recommend Over 49.5 wins at -134 (DraftKings) for the Nuggets.

Portland Trail Blazers

The Portland Trail Blazers will look to regroup after a dismal season last year. Damian Lillard is back and the team added Gary Payton II and Jerami Grant in the offseason, which should be a help to this team at both ends of the court. Portland’s offensive game fell off when Lillard was out last season so it is vital that he stays healthy. Defensive acumen was sorely lacking from last year’s squad but there should be improvement in that area this season. The Blazers will be asking for much greater contributions from Anfernee Simons and Nassir Little who will step into bigger roles for the team but both showed themselves capable of it a year ago. I like this team Over 39.5 wins this season as I believe they bottomed out last season and can only improve.

Golden State Warriors

The defending NBA champions had 53 regular season wins last season. This year their win total is set at 51.5 and my lean is to the Under with the Warriors. Often we see defending champions the next season try to pace themselves and look more toward the playoffs than going pedal to the floor in the regular season and we could see that with the Dubs. The team is pretty much intact for the most part from last year’s championship team but with the Western Conference always being competitive, I think there is a chance that we see Golden State fall below that 51.5 win total in 2022.

Los Angeles Lakers

The LA Lakers will try to rebound from a dismal season finishing out of the playoffs and stealing all the national NBA media headlines as being a massively underachieving squad a season ago. LeBron James was re-signed for the next two years earlier this month and the Lakers will try it again with the core of LBJ, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook intact. They hired Darvin Ham as their new head coach after he spent the last few seasons as an assistant with the Milwaukee Bucks. I’m going to need to see the Lakers play some defense, Anthony Davis needs to step up his game as the second man in a trio of stars, and the team chemistry desperately needs to improve before I’m ready to bet the Lakers Over their win total. I’m leaning Under 45.5 wins with the Lakers.

Sacramento Kings

The Sacramento Kings have failed to make the playoffs in every season since 2006 and will look to change that in 2022. Sacramento has consistently been a horrific defensive team for years and even the other side of the court declined quite a bit as their offensive and shooting numbers were not as good. Luke Walton was fired during the season last year and now it’s Mike Brown, the former Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers head coach and most recently Golden State Warriors assistant coach, taking over in Sactown. They have a great point guard in De’Aaron Fox but needed to increase the talent around him. They drafted Keegan Murray in the first round of the draft. The Kings added Kevin Huerter and Malik Monk in the offseason and the hope for them is a full season of Damontas Sabonis will help a frontcourt lacking quality depth.

Brown is expected to make this team more of a defensive minded one, so I could see there being value to bet under in Sacramento games this season. Sacramento won just 30 games this season but the team on the court was brutal and the situation off the court was tumultuous. Their win total for this season is 33.5 and with this team finally perhaps buying into the concept of defense, I am willing to give a nod to the Kings going Over 33.5 wins this season.

Dallas Mavericks

The Dallas Mavericks were a 52 win team last season and there is no doubt with Luka Doncic at the helm they are still a playoff team. Doncic is that good, but there are some greater concerns entering this season about the supporting cast around Luka. They lost Jalen Brunson, who signed a big money contract with the New York Knicks. Their only offseason piece of business was getting Christian Wood from the Houston Rockets in a trade. I’m not sure this is a better team in 2022 but their win total reflects that as the Mavs are currently lined at 48.5 wins. I’d lean Under but I think it is a fair number.

Memphis Grizzlies

Memphis was 56-26 last season winning their division and finishing 2nd in the West. It won’t be easy to top that, but oddsmakers seem to think the Grizzlies might take a step back this season with their win total sitting at 48.5 right now. Memphis added Danny Green in the offseason for a veteran presence who can play defense and give them another outside shooter. The Grizz took Walker Kessler from Auburn and TyTy Washington from Kentucky in the latter portion of the first round of this year’s draft. The team has a great backcourt with Ja Morant and Desmond Bane, size in the frontcourt and were a top five defensive team and a top 10 offensive team last season. That’s not the profile of a team dropping by 8+ wins from last year to this year. I like Memphis to go Over 48.5 wins.

San Antonio Spurs

The word “rebuild” has not been attached to the San Antonio Spurs for decades during the Gregg Popovich era but it must be now. This is a team that dismantled much of last year’s roster with the trade of Dejounte Murray to Atlanta. They let Lonnie Walker depart in free agency and remember they let Demar Derozan leave a couple seasons ago as well.

Keldon Johnson might be the best player on the team right now and that speaks to how depleted this roster is. The Spurs are going to have a much harder time scoring and their ability to get stops at the defensive end of the court was lacking quite a bit as well. There is no doubt the team is looking toward the future and could wind up being one of the worst teams in the NBA in 2022. The San Antonio win total is 22.5 which is the lowest win total of any team entering the upcoming season but I can only recommend the under here.