NBA betting odds are finally back on the board, and Thursday night’s two-game tipoff is seeing early action. The Utah Jazz and New Orleans Pelicans are the appetizer at the NBA Bubble in Orlando, with the Battle of Los Angeles, the Clippers and Lakers as the main course.
Multiple oddsmakers provided insights on NBA opening lines and early line movement, sharp money and public betting for Thursday’s matchups. Covers will update this action report with NBA sharp picks vs. public bets and line movement throughout the week.
NBA line movement
UPDATE 1 P.M. ET THURSDAY: In tonight's 6:30 p.m. ET season reopener, the Pelicans opened +2.5 against the Jazz at FanDuel Sportsbook more than a month ago. However, the line flipped very early and ultimately got as high as New Orleans -3 by this morning, before ticking back to -2. In the 9 p.m. ET nightcap, the Lakers opened +1 to the Clippers on June 26, but the Lake Show has been favored most of the past month. The Lakers peaked today at -4.5.
UPDATE 2:30 P.M. ET WEDNESDAY: CG Technology books in Las Vegas opened the Pelicans -2 against the Jazz and moved to -2.5. The Lakers opened -1.5 against the Clippers, and LeBron James and Co. got bet up to -4.
UPDATE 3 P.M. ET TUESDAY: With concerns about Anthony Davis' eye injury, PointsBet USA took the Clippers-Lakers game off the board for the moment. Reports indicated Davis might sit out the Lakers' Thursday night opener. "We're waiting for clarity," PointsBet USA's Patrick Eichner said.
UPDATE 1:30 P.M. ET TUESDAY: Lakers star Anthony Davis, who got poked in the eye during a Saturday scrimmage, didn't practice Tuesday, and there's a chance he might have to sit out the Thursday night opener against the Clippers. John Murray, executive director of The SuperBook at Westgate, said that information prompted his shop to adjust the line a tick. The Lakers tipped from -4.5 to -4.
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The Jazz opened -2.5 at Caesars for Thursday’s 6:30 p.m. ET matchup. However, the game is currently off the board due to the unknown status of Zion Williamson. The rookie standout had to leave the NBA Bubble for a family medical issue, and he returned Friday night, starting a four-day quarantine period.
In the 9 p.m. ET nightcap, Caesars opened the Clippers-Lakers at pick, but LeBron James and Co. are now up to -4.5.
NBA sharp money
UPDATE 7:30 P.M. ET THURSDAY: The public can always be counted on to back the Lakers. But the pros are on board tonight, too, according to PointsBet USA's Patrick Eichner. "We opened this game at Lakers -1/Clippers +1," Eichner said. "We saw immediate sharp action come in on the Lakers -1 and have seen that sharp action continue as we moved the line from -1 all the way out to -5, where it currently sits. Lakers -3 to -3.5 seemed to be the sweet spot for sharps, as since we moved to -4.5, we noticed sharp action come back for the Clippers. We've opened up some middles for clients who got the number early but, our liability/market consensus is forcing us to keep the number around -5." The number is currently 4.5.
UPDATE 6:10 P.M. ET THURSDAY: Circa Sports operations manager Jeff Benson said the Jazz-Pelicans total moved from 225 this morning up to 228 this afternoon based on some sharp play. The total is now 229.5.
UPDATE 6 P.M. ET THURSDAY: Thirty minutes before the Jazz-Pelicans tipoff, The SuperBook at Westgate has seen sharp action on the Over in both games. SuperBook executive director John Murray said the Jazz-Pelicans game moved from 218.5 to 228.5 over the past few days and is now 229.5. The Clippers-Lakers total went from 215 to 219.5 in just the last 24 hours.
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It wasn’t just the two Thursday contests getting speedy sharp money, but every reopening matchup from Thursday through Saturday. And all in one market, according to Caesars sportsbooks director of trading Jeff Davis.
“Sharp money came in on the Under on every single first game,” Davis said of action on totals at Caesars books.
The Clippers-Lakers total went from 220 to 216.5, and Jazz-Pelicans went from 222.5 to 220.5 before that game came off the board. Davis said sharp money also landed on Lakers +1 earlier this month.
NBA public betting
UPDATE 7:30 P.M. ET THURSDAY: As noted above, there's no shortage of public betting on the Lakers at PointsBet USA. "Everyone loves 'em. It's the LeBron show," Eichner said.
UPDATE 6 P.M. ET THURSDAY: Said The SuperBook's Murray: "The only real decision for now looks like the Clippers. But there's such a long way to go. That could change." The Lakers are up to -5 at The SuperBook.
UPDATE 3:30 P.M. ET THURSDAY Mirroring other books, CG Technology is seeing New Orleans find favor with the public. "The public has been betting Zion and the Pelicans since we put the line up one month ago," risk analyst Dave Sharapan said. "We opened -2, got to -3, went to -2.5 when Zion left the bubble. That is the current line and the bigger decision of the two games for the book."
UPDATE 1 P.M. ET THURSDAY: As multiple sportsbooks have noted, the Pelicans are becoming a public team for this restart. FanDuel acknowledged as much this morning, noting New Orleans is seeing 57 percent of tickets and 69 percent of the money against the Jazz. Ditto for the Lakers in their clash with the Clippers. LeBron James and Co. are drawing 71 percent of tickets and 65 percent of money bet. The public is also on Jazz-Pelicans Over, which has surged to 228.5 today.
UPDATE 2:30 P.M. ET WEDNESDAY: Said CG Tech director of bookmaking operations Tony DiTommaso: "They laid 2 and 2.5 with the Pelicans. We're still at 2.5, but we'll probably go to 3. They're also betting the over." The Jazz-Pelicans total shifted from 221 to 222.5. And in the Clippers-Lakers game, bettors took 1.5 with the Clippers early. "They should've waited," DiTommaso said, noting the public has since bet the Lakers up to -4.
UPDATE 7 P.M. ET TUESDAY: William Hill US currently has Jazz-Pelicans off the board, wanting to make certain of New Orleans rookie Zion Williamson's status. But director of trading Nick Bogdanovich said his shop has a rooting interest. "We're definitely high on the Pelicans. We need the Jazz. The Pelicans are a popular team right now." As for the Clippers-Lakers nightcap, in which LeBron and Co. are laying 4 points, Bogdanovich said straight bets are running even, but the Lakers are drawing more parlay dollars.
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The bulk of line movement in the Clippers-Lakers clash has come in the last five days at Caesars books, and it’s been one-sided as the Lakers moved from -1 Wednesday to -4.5 by Sunday.
“The public is on the Lakers,” Davis said.
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