Best NBA Betting Lines January 21: Best Bets for Lakers vs Magic, Raptors vs Wizards, and Blazers vs Celtics

Bettors have a whopping 11 games to choose from on tonight’s NBA schedule. Among them are two possible playoff previews when Chicago visits Milwaukee and the Grizzlies battle the Nuggets. Outside of the obvious seeding implications of these games, they’re also a chance for each teams’ superstar – notably DeMar DeRozan, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Ja Morant, and Nikola Jokic – to assert himself in the wide open MVP race.

In other action, Philly hosts the Clippers, Portland travels to Boston to meet the Celtics, and the struggling Lakers face the league-worst Magic.

But what sides will win you some money on this Friday night? We like these three best:

LA Lakers @ Orlando

The Bet: Lakers -5.5 (-110, Sugar House)

There’s almost no good news coming out of the Lakers locker room over the last week or so. In Wednesday night’s loss to the Pacers at home, Frank Vogel sat Russell Westbrook in crunch time. He took some heat for the decision, but others defended the choice on the basis of Westbrook’s struggles all season long.

This, however, feels like a major overreaction. This is still LeBron James’ team, and if there’s a night for him to assert himself and remind everyone he’s the King, it’s this night. The Magic are the worst team in basketball. They’ve only covered the spread in four of their 18 home games this season. They’ve lost their last three by double digits, and they dropped their other meeting with the Lakers this season by 12.

LA is 4-1 ATS in their last five games as favorites of 5.5 points or more. They know how to get right against bad teams, and that’s what they’ve got on their hands tonight.

Toronto @ Washington

The Bet: Raptors +1.5 (-110, Bet MGM)

The Wizards have been an awful spread team since the start of December. They’ve only covered in seven of their last 23 games, and more recently, they’re on a 1-7 ATS run. Their last five games (four ATS losses) have all been at home, like they will be tonight when Toronto comes to town.

The Raptors are 14-6 ATS since the start of December. Recently, they’re not quite as good (2-4 ATS in their last six), but that just means we get them at a bit of a discount against a subpar opponent. Toronto is 10-8-1 ATS on the road, and they beat Washington by 12 in their last meeting. At a virtual pick ‘em, just take the better team.

Portland @ Boston

The Bet: Blazers +7.5 (-110, Twin Spires)

There are little green shoots starting to pop up that suggest Portland’s nightmare season is turning a corner. They still don’t have Damian Lillard and won’t for a while, but CJ McCollum is back, and Anfernee Simons looks like a star in waiting. They’ve won (and covered) in four of their last six games, including two of their last three on the road.

Boston has a lot of wins on its record of late (6-4 straight up since January started), but they’re only 3-7 ATS over that stretch. They’re also only 8-13 ATS as home favorites this season.

Portland should be able to keep this one close. The Blazers are the play.