February 16 NBA Preview and Best Bets: Booker, Suns Look to Keep Shining

Yesterday’s NBA betting slate was all about overs, overs, and more overs. Points were not at a premium last night, as the totals from the seven games were 232, 250, 235, 257, 227, 243, and 261. A team scored 120 points in each game, led by the Brooklyn Nets’ 136 in their 11-point win at Sacramento.

The Nets will be in action again tonight as they visit the Phoenix Suns, who are the hottest team in the NBA not named the Utah Jazz. The Nets dominated the Kings just fine without Kevin Durant, thanks to monster games by James Harden and Kyrie Irving and a team-record 27 threes. Can they keep it up?

📼 ICYMI: Squad made some Nets history late last night, hitting a franchise single-game record 27 threes 📼

Good morning. pic.twitter.com/xCjyAvD3Vx

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) February 16, 2021

Tonight’s NBA schedule was supposed to feature seven games as well. However, the scheduled Spurs-Pistons matchup was postponed due to the Spurs being short of the league-mandated minimum of eight available players.

All NBA betting odds are via BetOnline Sportsbook as of Tuesday, February 16. Click here for updated NBA betting odds.

February 16 NBA Betting Schedule

Denver Nuggets vs Boston Celtics, 7:00 pm ET

New Orleans Pelicans vs Memphis Grizzlies, 8:00 pm ET, TNT

Toronto Raptors vs Milwaukee Bucks, 8:00 pm ET

Los Angeles Lakers vs Minnesota Timberwolves, 8:00 pm ET

Portland Trail Blazers vs Oklahoma City Thunder, 8:00 pm ET

Brooklyn Nets vs Phoenix Suns, 10:30 pm ET, TNT

February 16 NBA Betting Game of the Day

Brooklyn Nets (17-12, 13-16-0 ATS) vs Phoenix Suns (17-9, 17-9-0 ATS)

• Spread: Nets +4.5 (-106), Suns -4.5 (-114)
• Total: OVER 232 (-110), UNDER 232 (-110)
• Moneyline: Nets +176, Suns -210

It is clear what the Nets can be when they are at their best, with and and without KD. They put up 134 against the Warriors on Saturday with Durant in the lineup for 33 minutes, then put away the Kings last night without him.

Beating the Warriors was impressive, and the win over the Kings was as well, but to repeat the feat against the Suns would be even more impressive. The Suns are on a roll entering tonight’s game, with six straight wins and nine wins in their last 10 games.

A big part of their current run is a scoring surge from Devin Booker, who has averaged 32.3 ppg in his last four games and is averaging 27.4 ppg in February. Also, Chris Paul is averaging 19.6 ppg in February, a high for any month thus far this season. The Suns also continue to be one of the league’s top defensive teams, ranking fourth in PPG allowed at 107.2. Notably, they are also fourth in three-point defense, with opponents hitting only 34.7 percent of their threes.

Key Nets vs Suns NBA Betting Trends: Phoenix’s ATS and SU records line up perfectly from top to bottom. When they have covered (11 times as a favorite, six as an underdog), they have won. When they have lost, they have not covered, even as a dog.

February 16 NBA Betting: Best of the Rest

Denver Nuggets (15-11, 12-14-0 ATS) vs Boston Celtics (13-13, 13-13-0 ATS)

• Spread: Nuggets +2 (-108), Celtics -2 (-112)
• Total: OVER 220.5 (-110), UNDER 220.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Nuggets +112, Celtics -132

The Nuggets have steadied the ship after a little wobble, winning three in a row ahead of a three-game road trip that starts tonight. The Celtics, meanwhile, need to do a little ship-steadying now themselves, as they have lost four of five to drop to .500. Sunday, they were horrid in a 104-91 loss to the Washington Wizards, who had given up at least 100 points in each of their first 23 games.

Celtics Scoring Breakdown vs Wizards

Jaylen Brown and Kemba Walker: 50 points, 20 of 39 FG, 6 of 12 3PT

Rest of the team: 41 points, 12 of 51 FG, 3 of 23 3PT

Yikes. Big yikes. The only way is up, right?

Key Nuggets vs Celtics NBA Betting Trends: The Celtics are 7-3-0 ATS at home. The Nuggets are 3-6-0 ATS as an underdog this season.

February 16 NBA Betting Top Trends

New Orleans Pelicans (11-15, 11-15-0 ATS) vs Memphis Grizzlies (11-11, 12-10-0 ATS)

• Spread: Pelicans -0.5 (-110), Grizzlies +0.5 (-110)
• Total: OVER 231.5 (-110), UNDER 231.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Pelicans -108, Grizzlies -108

Key Pelicans vs Grizzlies NBA Betting Trends: The OVER has hit in the Pelicans’ last five games, and it is 18-3-0 in their last 21 games. Also, the OVER is 8-1-0 in the Grizzlies’ last nine games.

Toronto Raptors (12-15, 11-16-0 ATS) vs Milwaukee Bucks (16-11, 13-14-0 ATS)

• Spread: Raptors +6 (-112), Bucks -6 (-108)
• Total: OVER 236 (-110), UNDER 236 (-110)
• Moneyline: Raptors +205, Bucks -245

Key Raptors vs Bucks NBA Betting Trends: The OVER 8-1 in the Raptors’ last nine games, and it is 11-4 in their true road games this season. Also, the OVER is 7-2-1 in the Bucks’ last 10 games, and it is 7-4-0 in their home games this season.

Los Angeles Lakers (21-7, 13-15-0 ATS) vs Minnesota Timberwolves (7-20, 14-12-1 ATS)

• Spread: Lakers -6 (-114), Timberwolves +6 (-106)
• Total: OVER 222.5 (-110), UNDER 222.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Lakers -270, Timberwolves +220

Key Lakers vs Timberwolves NBA Betting Trends: The OVER has hit in the Lakers’ last five games, and it is 4-1-0 in Minnesota’s last five games.

Portland Trail Blazers (16-10, 14-12-0 ATS) vs Oklahoma City Thunder (11-15, 15-10-1 ATS)

• Spread: Trail Blazers -5.5 (-110), Thunder +5.5 (-110)
• Total: OVER 225 (-110), UNDER 225 (-110)
• Moneyline: Trail Blazers -230, Thunder +190

Key Trail Blazers vs Thunder NBA Betting Trends: The Trail Blazers are 8-2 ATS and 7-3 SU in their last 10 games since a 125-122 home loss to the Thunder on January 25. The Thunder, meanwhile, have covered as a heavy dog in their last four games, losing twice in overtime to the Lakers, narrowly losing at Denver, and beating Milwaukee.

February 16 NBA Betting Best Bets

• 1. Pelicans vs Grizzlies OVER (Best Bet): Keep riding this one, folks.
• 2. Raptors vs Bucks OVER: The over just missed in the Raptors’ loss to the Timberwolves on Sunday, snapping an eight-game over streak. However, a new run will start tonight.
• 3. Nets vs Suns OVER: The Suns just won a 125-124 game against the Bucks just last Wednesday. This game will be similar.
• 4. Celtics to win vs Nuggets: The only way is up.
• 5. Lakers vs Timberwolves OVER: Even with Anthony Davis out, this is still a high-percentage play.