The 9 NBA Teams You Should Ride This Season

The NBA season is upon us, and sports bettors are clamoring to get in on the fast-paced thrills the games provide. Many bettors have been focused on the NFL and DFS for months.

Now they are faced with the task of getting up to speed on the landscape of the league. I’m going to provide you a crash course of the nine NBA teams to bet on this season.

1 – Los Angeles Lakers

Fresh off a 2020 NBA Championship, the Lakers are poised to go back to back. They have actually gotten better in the short offseason.


The Lakers have only padded an all-star laden roster by adding the number 1 and 2 sixth man of the year finishers.

Young star Talen Horton-Tucker has been very impressive up and down the court, which only increases the incredible roster depth the Lakers enjoy.

Then, there’s LeBron. I’m not convinced that LeBron James is the GOAT; that honor goes to Jordan. However, I will concede that LeBron is by far the closest I’ve seen since MJ won six with the Bulls.

LeBron clearly knows how to win and has a competitive fire that will translate to wins in games that the Lakers may seem out of.

Watch out for nights when the team’s biggest stars, Lebron and Anthony Davis, are enjoying a night off. The Lakers certainly have the depth to knock off lesser teams still, but you’ll have a much harder time finding value as they are likely to be late scratches.

In fact, you may be able to find a value betting against the Lakers on those nights. When it gets to the playoffs, you’re going to have a difficult time finding a better team than LeBron and his buddies.

2 – Milwaukee Bucks

Giannis Antetokounmpo was just signed to the largest deal in NBA history. The historic move will pay Giannis $256 million over the next six seasons.

The two-time NBA MVP is only 26 years old and just reaching his prime. Jrue Holiday is a welcome addition and should only make the Bucks stronger for this season.

Milwaukee has been a powerhouse in the regular season over the past two seasons, racking up more wins than any other team. That trend is sure to continue for the 2020-2021 season, making the Bucks a great team for real money sports bettors to hop on and take a ride.

Of course, if the 2020 NFL season has taught us anything, it’s that injuries and illness will play a significant factor. If Giannis goes down for any length of time, it will significantly impact the product on the court for Milwaukee.

In the unfortunate event that Giannis sits out for any time, look for value against the Bucks.

3 – Los Angeles Clippers

The Clippers appear to have all the talent needed to be an absolute dynasty. However, they could never get everyone on the same page last season and fell short in the playoffs.

The offseason additions of a new head coach in Tyronn Lue and big man Serge Ibaka look to fix some of those issues for this season.


Kawhi Leonard will only get better in his second season at his new home, and Paul George should come out of the gate firing on all cylinders.

Regardless of the team’s playoff collapse, they remain a perennial favorite. I expect the Clippers to make another push, competing with the Lakers for Western Conference supremacy.

4 – Dallas Mavericks

Don’t sleep on the leading offense in the NBA. Despite the Mavericks missing one half of their dynamic duo in Kristaps Porzingis for the start of the season, MVP favorite Luka Doncic will only get better in his third season.

The time is coming for the Mavericks to get back to the NBA Finals, and Mark Cuban has shown in the past that he’s willing to do whatever it takes to bring a title to Dallas.

The additions of rookie Josh Green and veteran Josh Richardson will bolster the team’s defense in a tremendous way.

With Luka at the helm and an amazing cast being built around him, it’s not a matter of “if” the Mavs take another trip to The Finals, but “when.”

I don’t expect the Mavericks to shock the world by winning a title this season completely. However, they are going to make a playoff run, and you should know that they’ll win games the pundits say they shouldn’t.

As far as value betting, it would help if you looked for the Mavericks as a great choice in games with tight lines.

5 – Brooklyn Nets

Kyrie Irving is back, and NBA fans are excited to see how well he’ll pair with fellow superstar Kevin Durant.

The preseason look the Nets have put on is nothing short of exceptional. If Durant and Irving can stay healthy for most of the season, the Nets will have an excellent shot at reigning supreme in the east.

Even if they fail to post the best record in the conference, the Nets should stroll into the playoffs with no problem whatsoever.

However, if either of the team’s stars is out for health reasons, the lines will undoubtedly drop. Be careful when picking games where Durant or Irving are out. 

There’s still plenty of firepower on the court without one of the 2 future Hall of Famers to keep the team in the game against anybody in the league.

6 – Denver Nuggets

The Denver Nuggets were thrilled last year with their come from behind wins in the playoffs. In fact, Denver was my second favorite team to watch last year.

Their impressive playoff run in which they knocked off the Clippers ended in the Western Conference Finals against the would-be champion Lakers.

They’ve gotten better in the offseason. R.J. Hampton and Gregg Whittington are going to provide an added spark.

Michael Porter Jr. is also going to see an increased role in the Nuggets gameplan. Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray are back and poised to take their team deep into the playoffs for a second time.

It remains to be seen how the hype will translate to the betting lines, but Denver is going to be a tough team to beat with any consistency this season.

7 – Toronto Raptors

The Raptors defied the oddsmakers last season by improving their winning percentage after the loss of superstar Kawhi Leonard.


The Raptors don’t boast a star-laden roster like many of the teams on the list, but they get it done.

The Raptors should continue to make a push in the East. Sports bettors will appreciate the important factor that the Raptors find ways to win close games.

It’s unclear how Serge Ibaka and Marc Gasol’s loss will impact the post-play on both ends of the floor. However, OG Anunoby will continue to improve and should be a deciding factor in tough games.

Keep an eye on OG’s performance against opponents in close games and favor your betting habits along those lines.

8 – Miami Heat

The Eastern Conference simply isn’t as talented as the stacked West right now. That puts the Miami Heat on my list of teams to ride this season.

After jumping up on the Los Angeles Lakers 2-0 in the NBA Finals, the Heat lost four straight against LeBron and company. Still, the powerhouse of the East has brought the whole band back for this season.

Obviously, the Heat are going to be favored in a vast majority of games. So, be careful where you perceive value.

After all, you can’t win them all. Still, I expect the Heat to win a lot of games this year, and they’ll be looking for redemption when the playoffs roll around.

I expect Miami to be a player when the trade deadline comes around. They’ll be looking to make a significant move to improve the team as they head towards another Finals run.

9 – Indiana Pacers

The Pacers are largely thought of as a team that’s falling from the elite in the East. That’s great for sports bettors because they are still among the top talented teams in the conference.

The success or failure of the Pacers this season will all ride on Victor Oladipo. If the Masked Singer contestant can remain healthy for the full season, Indiana should have an easy road to the playoffs.

The value with Indiana lies in match-ups against good teams. If you took the time to immerse yourself in the numbers against these big games, you’ll quickly find areas to make a profit by riding the Pacers.

Conversely, finding the games they’ll likely not cover against younger teams can be of tremendous value.

Again, all of this rides on the health of Victor Oladipo.

Conclusion

Which teams can stay healthy and which succumb to injuries will have a significant impact on the nine NBA teams you should ride this season.

When a superstar player is sidelined due to injury or illness, it has a major role in team performance. NBA teams are built around its big names, and when they go down, it translates to the court 100%. Keep yourself updated on NBA teams so that you can get the biggest value on your bets.