The opening week of the 2022-23 season will wrap up with a seven-game slate on Sunday, capped by an exciting showdown between the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Clippers. That is a game that could get main TV treatment on a NFL Sunday, as the Sunday Night Football game likely won’t be as intriguing. In this post, we’ll be focusing on three of the NBA best bets for Sunday.
It has been a solid opening week in the Association, so let’s end things on a high note with some winning tickets. For the NBA best bets for Sunday, we’ll be locked in what is happening on the hardwood in Los Angeles.
NBA Best Bets For Sunday
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Portland Trail Blazers O/U 226 points
Starting with the first game of the day, the Lakers will be seeking their first win of the season when they host the Blazers this afternoon. My favorite bet is actually on the total, where I see value on the under.
This line opened at 224 at most places yesterday, and is now as high as 226 as of Sunday morning. I don’t normally like going against the people attacking overnight lines, but my numbers suggest this total is a bit too high.
The Lakers have yet to score more than 109 points in a game during their 0-2 start. The Lakers are 19-for-85 from beyond the arc, and the roster construction doesn’t suggest that will change. If the Lakers are going to win — like the betting odds would indicate — they will have to lean on their defense to do so. Give me the under to come through in back-to-back Lakers’ games.
Lakers-Blazers prediction: Under 226 points (-110) at WynnBET
Golden State Warriors (-10) vs. Sacramento Kings
Betting on the NBA throughout the regular season can be a grind, and there will be plenty of tough days and bad beats along the way. That’s why it is important to have some principles to lean on, and one of mine is betting on the Warriors in the third quarter.
Brandon Anderson of the Action Network has been leading the charge on this trend, but the Warriors have been a juggernaut in the third quarter. They averaged 28.6 points per game during the third quarter last year, as backing them out of the half during the NBA Finals run proved to be a profitable strategy.
Through two games this season, the Warriors are second in the league by scoring an average of 34 points in the third quarter. They outscored the Lakers, 32-19, in the third period of the opener before posting a 36-28 advantage over the Nuggets in Game 2. You can wait until halftime to place this wager or jump on the 2.5-point spread at FanDuel right now.
Warriors-Kings prediction: Warriors 3Q spread -2.5 (-114) at FanDuel
Los Angeles Clippers (-1) vs. Phoenix Suns
It doesn’t feel right to not include the final game of the night. We will all be watching this one, so we might as well have some action on this game. I’m going back to the Clippers for the second-straight day, despite yesterday’s bad beat.
Our Clippers spread tickets (-3) never got to the window, thanks to a late buzzer-beater by the Kings in a 111-109 affair. The Clippers (2-0) were still the right side, and demonstrated their depth in a game without Kawhi Leonard and John Wall. The Clippers are expected to have those two back on the second night of a back-to-back, and this feels like a good chance to make a statement.
The Suns, who are two years removed from winning the Western Conference, are 1-1 to start the season following an overtime loss in Portland. This game should be competitive and there is certainly an argument for either side. But I’m going to back the better team to ultimately prevail in the marquee matchup of the day.
Clippers-Suns prediction: Clippers moneyline (-104) at FanDuel
