Welcome to the weekend with a slim five-game slate of NBA betting options on Saturday.
Game times stretch from 1 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. ET, which is great if you’ve got socially-distanced plans later in the evening or just want to get to sleep early.
Teams are hitting the home stretch of the seeding schedule, notably the Los Angeles Lakers who play game No. 6 versus the Indiana Pacers. Pay extra-close attention to motivation and playoff positioning if you haven’t been already.
Here are our favorite NBA free picks and predictions for August 8.
NBA Picks for Today
Los Angeles Clippers vs Portland Trail Blazers
NOTE: Clippers F Kawhi Leonard has been ruled out for this game (load management)
A few weeks before the start of the seeding schedule, Clippers guard and defensive specialist Patrick Beverley crowned Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard as the hardest player in the NBA to guard. And it’s going to be even tougher containing Lillard if Beverley is slowed or sidelined with a calf injury.
Lillard is a golden god of buckets right now, coming off a 45-point showing against Houston earlier this week and averaging 31.25 points per game in the bubble. He’s shooting better than 45 percent from the field and has been a monster in second halves, producing 62 percent of those points in the final 24 minutes.
Lillard hasn’t performed at that lofty standard versus the Clippers this season, managing only 22 and 16 points in their previous meetings. However, with Beverley a question mark and L.A. recently allowing 29 points to Luka Doncic and 35 to Devin Booker, it looks like Lillard is in for a big afternoon Saturday.
PREDICTION: Damian Lillard Over 29.5 points (-104)
Phoenix Suns vs Miami Heat
The Heat have rolled out a smaller frontcourt during the seeding schedule, opting for Jae Crowder, Bam Adebayo, and Kelly Olynyk. Miami has yet to play 7-footer Meyers Leonard in the bubble, after he started every game before the COVID-19 shutdown, and you see the Heat playing more and more outside the paint.
In fact, Miami has attempted only 110 total shots inside of 10 feet over its four seeding games heading into the weekend. That’s stretched interior defenders away from the basket and has the Heat getting blocked only three times per game.
Phoenix big man Deandre Ayton is coming off a four-block performance in the Suns’ win over Indiana Thursday and averages 1.7 blocks per game on the year. He’ll get pulled away from the key against the Heat and stay below his block total Saturday.
PREDICTION: Deandre Ayton Under 1.5 blocks (-200)
Los Angeles Lakers vs Indiana Pacers
Who knows what we’re going to get from the Lakers in the remaining seeding games? Los Angeles has already locked up the top spot in the West and is protecting its top talents from any injuries that could spoil its playoff run.
I guess the only consistent from L.A. in the bubble has been its terrible shooting from beyond the arc. The Lakers are a collective 37 for 158 from distance in their last five games – a stomach-churning 23.4 percent clip.
Indiana has been one of the top 3-point defenses in the NBA all season and continues to protect the perimeter during the seeding schedule, holding foes to 33.3 percent shooting and a mere 10.3 makes from downtown per game.
The Pacers checked the Suns to 9-of-34 shooting in Thursday’s loss to Phoenix and that helped Under bettors cash in. They’ve held their past three opponents to an average of 107.7 points and with L.A.’s motivation a mystery, we’re going Under on Saturday.
PREDICTION: Under 217 (-110)
Top NBA consensus for today
Want to know who today's biggest NBA betting and consensus bets are right now? Check out our top NBA consensus picks.
Friday's NBA picks: 3-0
Season NBA picks: 12-12
NBA betting card for August 8
- Damian Lillard Over 29.5 points (-104)
- Deandre Ayton Under 1.5 blocks (-200)
- Lakers-Pacers Under 217 (-110)
NBA Parlays
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Use our NBA parlay calculator to create your own parlays and see their potential payouts.
Where can I bet on the NBA?
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