Free Picks: NBA Best Bets of the Day and Money Line Picks 1/11/22

The Bucks let me down last night in Charlotte and lost 103-99 to the Hornets dropping us to 5-7 on our Best Bet of the Day. I didn’t like anything on the schedule and I should have passed on a Best Bet and stay disciplined, but I didn’t. Lesson learned to be used down the road. On the bright side, we went 4-3 betting the Money line and improved to 14-7 after three days. There are 6 games on tonight’s schedule and let’s see if we can find something to bet.

Papa Dudes Best Bets for the NBA Today

Denver Nuggets (20-18) (-2.5) at Los Angeles Clippers (20-21): The Clippers and the Nuggets are both battling for playoff spots in the NBA West. LA broke a 3-game losing streak, Sunday, with a good win over Atlanta. They have had injury and COVID problems, but they are gradually getting their players back. The Nuggets are playing well and have won 5 of their last 7, but will be without Will Barton and his 15 points per game because of COVID. This should be a tight game and I’m playing the Nuggets because they have the best player on the floor in Nikola Jokic, who will bring 26 points and 14 rebounds per game, into this one.

PAPA DUDES PICK: Denver -2.5

Oklahoma City Thunder (13-26) at Washington Wizards (20-20) (-9) Both teams come into this game relatively healthy. The Wizards are in the middle of a 3-game stretch in which they have 2 games with the woeful, Magic, wrapped around this game with a young Thunder team. They won at Orlando by two and now need to get this one and take advantage of this soft stretch. The problem is the line; can they cover 9 points? The Thunder are young, but they usually put up a fight. As with most young teams, they are unpredictable. They played Denver close in their last game at OKC, and logic would say that they should struggle on the road tonight against the Wizards.

PAPA DUDES PICK: Washington -9

Money Line and Score Projections for the Rest of the NBA Slate

Phoenix Suns 30-9 (-3.5) at Toronto Raptors 20-17: Wow, this is a hard one. Suns are very good, Raptors are red-hot. – THE PICK: Phoenix 119 Toronto 117

Golden State Warriors 30-9 (-1.5) at Memphis Grizzlies 28-14: Easily the best game of the night. Can the Grizzlies make it 10 in a row? – THE PICK: Memphis 113 Golden State 111

Minnesota Timberwolves 20-20 (-3) at New Orleans Pelicans 14-26: Pelicans are better than their record, but Minnesota is playing well. – THE PICK: Minnesota 112 New Orleans 110

Detroit Pistons 8-30 at Chicago Bulls 26-11 (-14): Bulls should win but the spread is a bit scary. THE PICK: Chicago 121 Detroit 110