NBA Best Bets Today: Expert picks for Thursday, Feb. 1

Lakers vs. Celtics

Thursday, February 1, 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
LeBron James Over 6.5 Rebounds (-140, DraftKings)

By Joe Dellera

The Lakers take on the Celtics today as heavy road underdogs. Los Angeles has struggled to find consistent success while Boston has been dominant on both sides of the ball all season.

However, LeBron James is a player who always gets up for these type of games against top competition on a national stage. He has played well against the Celtics over the last two seasons as he is averaging 30 points, nine rebounds and 8.3 assists. In this matchup, I’ll be targeting his rebounds.

His rebounds line is set at 6.5 (-140 to the over) with 8+ rebounds at plus-money to the over in the market as well.

I like the over because James has recorded nine boards in each of the three games he has played against Boston, and it’s the one area that Boston has not been truly elite at. The Celtics are a poor offensive rebounding team, and LeBron grabs the majority of his boards on that side of the floor.

James has exceeded this line in 57% of games but in 60% of games on the road. In a tough matchup against the Celtics, I expect James to exceed his rebounding total.

Pick: LeBron James Over 6.5 Rebounds (-140)

Lakers vs. Celtics

Thursday, Feb. 1, 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Anthony Davis Over 11.5 Rebounds (-109, Caesars)

By Bryan Fonseca

As mentioned in today's betting guide for Lakers vs. Celtics, Anthony Davis will be well rested after getting Tuesday night off.

He's exceeded this line in seven of his last nine games and faces a Boston team that allows the 11th-most rebounds per 100 possessions at 44.4.

He's also gone over 11.5 boards in each of his last three games against Kristaps Porzingis, who as of this morning was not listed on the injury report. Davis is dealing with an Achilles, but he's been questionable all season and has still played in all but three games and has yet to miss two straight.

Pick: Anthony Davis Over 11.5 Rebounds (-109)

Pacers vs. Knicks

Thursday, February 1, 7:30 p.m. ET (NBA League Pass)
Tyrese Haliburton Under 2.5 Made 3s (-115, FanDuel)

By Michael Arinze

Two contrasting styles clash on Thursday night when the Knicks host the Pacers at Madison Square Garden. Indiana is known for its uptempo style, with point guard Tyrese Haliburton pulling the strings.

Per TeamRankings, the Pacers lead the league with 106.2 possessions per game, while the Knicks rank 28th at 100.2 per contest.

However, Tyrese Haliburton could be on a minutes restriction as he works his way back from a strained hamstring. On Tuesday, Haliburton played just 22 minutes in a 129-124 loss to the Celtics.

While it’s clear the Pacers believe that a little bit of Haliburton is better than not having him at all, they also want to ensure he’s around for the long haul, with Indiana being a dark-horse contender in the Eastern Conference.

Haliburton missed 10 of Indiana’s last 11 contests, and his lack of game time could contribute to some rust as he tries to find his footing. The Pacers’ point guard shot 31.6% from the floor on 5-of-16 shooting against Boston.

Moreover, he’s struggled with his perimeter shooting, as he’s made six 3-pointers in his last 24 attempts (25%). This is a major drop-off from his season average of 39.7% from behind the arc.

The Knicks rank 12th in 3-point defense, allowing opponents 12.6 field goals per game. More importantly, New York ranks seventh in contested 3-pointers (18.1 per game).

Combine Haliburton’s possible minutes restriction and recent long-range struggles with New York’s capable perimeter defense, and there’s some value here with him staying under 2.5 3-point field goals.

Pick: Tyrese Haliburton Under 2.5 Made 3s (-115)

76ers vs. Jazz

Thursday, Feb. 1, 10 p.m. ET (TNT)
Lauri Markkanen Over 8.5 Rebounds (-135 Caesars)

By Joe Dellera

Tonight the Jazz host the Philadelphia 76ers, who are without Joel Embiid (knee). Not only is this a getaway game for the 76ers, but they may be severely undermanned offensively without Embiid and potentially without Tyrese Maxey (ankle).

This is a bad situational spot for the 76ers, who have had a brutal road trip while dropping all four games and seeing the reigning MVP deal with more injuries.

On the other hand, the Jazz return home, and this is an opportunity for Lauri Markkanen to be the best player on the court in a nationally televised game. When Markkanen has played at home, his rebound numbers jump a bit to an 8.9 average while exceeding this 8.5 rebounds line in 11 of 17 games.

Expect the 76ers to struggle on the glass tonight because they secure five fewer rebounds per game without Embiid, and they score 10 fewer points without him as well. There should not only be more opportunities to clean up missed shots but less competition for those rebounds.

I like Markkanen to continue his rebounding success at home and make it six straight home games exceeding 8.5 rebounds.

Pick: Lauri Markkanen Over 8.5 Rebounds (-135)