NBA Preview and Best Bets (February 11): Will the Sixers Keep Rolling in Portland?

How much more do the Philadelphia 76ers have to win before NBA betting odds consider them a serious NBA title contender? Their first season with with Doc Rivers at the helm could not be going much better, as the Sixers are 18-7 and atop the Eastern Conference by two games over the Milwaukee Bucks.

Still, NBA futures odds put the Sixers a good distance behind the Bucks and the Brooklyn Nets. It is understandable, given that the Bucks have the two-time reigning MVP and the Nets have a trio of superstars that will be tougher to beat as the season progresses. But the more the Sixers win, the shorter their odds should become.

Tonight, the Sixers visit Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers in the best game of the night. It’s a late one, but it will be worth staying up for. Elsewhere, the Celtics are back home and seeking a vital win against the surging Raptors.

Yesterday’s NBA best bets hit on four of five, so if you backed them, pat yourself on the back for making such good decisions. Scroll down to the end for today’s best bets if you must, but check out the day’s most important trends and tidbits while here too.

All NBA odds are via Fanduel Sportsbook as of Thursday, February 11 at 12:15 pm ET

February 11 NBA Betting Game of the Day

Philadelphia 76ers (18-7, 14-10-1 ATS) vs Portland Trail Blazers (13-10, 11-12-0 ATS)

• Time & TV: TNT, 10:00 pm ET
• Spread: 76ers -5.5 (-110), Trail Blazers +5.5 (-110)
• Total: OVER 229.5 (-110), UNDER 229.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: 76ers -235, Trail Blazers +194

Last Thursday, the Blazers went into Wells Fargo Arena and left with a 121-105 win, thanks to a third quarter in which they outscored the 76ers 40-19. Odds are not in favor of that occurring again tonight. There have not been too many bad quarters recently for the Sixers, who have won 11 of their last 14 games. In their two games since last Thursday, the Sixers beat the Nets by 16 then won at Sacramento, who has been one of the league’s hottest teams as of late.

The Blazers, like many of the NBA’s good but not great teams, have been pretty inconsistent this season. Some nights the offense is clicking on all cylinders, but the defense is not. Sometimes the defense is stepping up, but the offense is struggling. What will be the case tonight? If Lillard hits the 30-point mark, it augurs well for the Blazers’ hopes. Lillard has 12 30+ point performances this season, and the Blazers are 9-3 in those games.

That said, there are a couple of notable stats on the other side. Joel Embiid has played in 20 of the Sixers’ 25 games. They are 17-3 with him in the lineup and 1-4 without him. Embiid has hit the 25-point mark 13 times this season, and the Sixers are 12-1 in those games. The only loss? To tonight’s opposition.

Key NBA Betting Trends: The 76ers are 5-1-1 ATS in their last seven games and 4-2-0 against Western Conference teams. The Blazers are 3-8-0 ATS at home, and they are 5-6-0 ATS against Eastern Conference teams.

February 11 NBA Betting: Best of the Rest

Toronto Raptors (12-13, 11-14-0 ATS) vs Boston Celtics (12-11, 12-11-0 ATS)

• Time & TV: (NA), 7:30 pm ET
• Spread: Raptors +3.5 (-110), Celtics -3.5 (-110)
• Total: OVER 220.5 (-110), UNDER 220.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Raptors +134, Celtics -158

The Raptors’ recent resurgence continued last night with a 137-115 win over the Washington Wizards. Tonight, they go for their sixth win in seven games when they visit the Celtics, who have lost eight of their last 12. Jaylen Brown returned Tuesday night at Utah after missing two games, and he poured in 33 in Boston’s 122-108 loss to the Jazz.

The Celtics will be glad to have five of their next six games at home after being on the road for nine of their last 11 games. In that stretch, they went 4-7, so some home comforts may be just what they need to get back on track.

Key NBA Betting Trends: The Celtics have alternated overs and unders in their home games this season (from earliest to most recent): O-U-O-U-O-U-O-U. Additionally, the OVER has hit in each of the Raptors’ last seven games.

February 11 NBA Betting: Other Games

Miami Heat (10-14, 8-15-1 ATS) vs Houston Rockets (11-13, 10-14-0 ATS)

• Time & TV: TNT, 7:30 pm ET
• Spread: Heat -2 (-114), Rockets +2 (-105)
• Total: OVER 215 (-110), UNDER 215 (-110)
• Moneyline: Heat -130, Rockets +110

The Heat appear to have woken from their slumber, as they have now won three in a row. They go for a fourth against the Rockets, who are trying to avoid a fourth straight loss. The Rockets are not faring well without Christian Wood, losing by 25 to the Hornets on Monday night and by 29 to the Pelicans the following night. It does not figure to get much better against the Heat, who have tightened up on defense recently after early struggles.

Key NBA Betting Trends: The UNDER is 9-5-0 in the Heat’s home games this season. Also, the UNDER is 15-8-1 in Rockets games, including 4-1-0 in the last five.

Indiana Pacers (12-13, 11-14-0 ATS) vs Detroit Pistons (6-18, 13-10-1 ATS)

• Time & TV: (NA), 8:00 pm ET
• Spread: Pacers -2.5 (-114), Pistons +2.5 (-106)
• Total: OVER 215.5 (-110), UNDER 215.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Pacers -146, Pistons +124

The Pistons may not be very good, but they have brought it in the last couple of games. They took the Lakers to double overtime last Saturday, and they comfortably defeated the Kevin Durant-less Nets by 11 on Tuesday. The next challenge for the Pistons is winning consecutive games, which they have not done this season. Tonight represents about as good of a chance as they will have, as the Pacers come having lost four straight and six of seven. Last night, they managed only 30 first-half points against the Nets, who led by 32 at halftime on the way to a 104-94 win.

Key NBA Betting Trends: The Pacers are 3-10-0 ATS in their last 13 games, a stretch that includes a 1-4-0 ATS record on the road. The Pistons, meanwhile, are 8-4-0 ATS at home this season.

Orlando Magic vs Golden State Warriors

• Time & TV: (NA), 10:00 pm ET
• Spread: Magic +8 (-110), Warriors -8 (-110)
• Total: OVER 222.5 (-110), UNDER 222.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Magic +265, Warriors -330

The Magic started 6-2, but they have lost 14 of 17 since and enter tonight’s game with only one win in seven games. The Warriors are up and down and have yet to win more than two games in a row this season. But they are better at home than on the road, and Steph Curry has been pouring in the points. Tuesday’s 32-point effort in a win over the Spurs was his 12th 30+ point performance of the season and his fourth in five February games.

Key NBA Betting Trends: The Magic are 1-7-0 ATS and 2-6 straight up against Western Conference teams this season. The Warriors have won and covered in their last four games as a favorite, and they are 6-3-0 ATS as a favorite this season.

February 11 NBA Betting: Best Bets

• 1. Raptors vs Celtics OVER
• 2. Warriors to cover vs Magic
• 3. Rockets vs Heat UNDER
• 4. Pistons to cover vs Pacers
• 5. 76ers to cover vs Trail Blazers