NBA Wednesday best bets: Lakers bounce back after historic loss
Tuesday was an entertaining night of In-Season Tournament action with quarterfinal spots on the line, but it wasn't a great night for our best bets. Let's get back on track with a crowded Wednesday slate.
Lakers @ Pistons (+7, O/U 229)
The Lakers are coming off a 44-point loss to the Sixers in what was the worst defeat of LeBron James' career. It was an atrocious, lackluster performance from the opening tip until the final buzzer.
James and Anthony Davis' body language exhibited frustration with the lack of production and frequent mistakes by their mediocre teammates.
But the Lakers have the perfect bounce-back opportunity against the NBA's worst team.
The Pistons have lost 14 straight games, and the Lakers are desperate for a dominant performance after Monday night's rough outing.
Pick: Lakers -7
Suns @ Raptors (+3, O/U 226.5)
The Suns have won seven straight games and, more importantly, Kevin Durant and Devin Booker have been mainstays in the lineup during that stretch. Bradley Beal is still out with a lingering back injury, but this Suns group is starting to click after a rocky start to the season.
Booker has embraced - and thrived - in his role as the primary ball handler, elevating his playmaking responsibilities in the process. Phoenix has a top-five offensive rating as a result.
The Raptors, meanwhile, are an average team and are on the second leg of a back-to-back after losing to the Nets in Brooklyn on Tuesday night. They traveled to Toronto following the game.
The Suns will keep their winning streak alive against a tired Raptors squad.
Pick: Suns -3
Jalen Duren: Over 10.5 rebounds
As previously noted, the Pistons are a dumpster fire. Their young pieces are struggling and coach Monty Williams' inconsistent and questionable rotations aren't helping.
One of the lone bright spots has been Jalen Duren's development. He's been a monster on the glass when he's on the floor, averaging 11.2 rebounds per game.
Duren's only played in 10 games this season due to an injury that forced him to miss around two weeks. However, he's grabbed at least 11 rebounds in seven of those games and four of his last five.
In the three games he failed to grab at least 11 rebounds, he played 25 minutes or less, which is unusual as he averages over 30 minutes per game. In his two games since returning from injury, he collected 14 and 13 boards.
Duren is aggressive on the offensive glass, and the Lakers rank in the bottom half of the league in opponent's offensive rebounding percentage.
Odds: -130 (playable to -150)
Sam Oshtry is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @soshtry for more betting coverage.