NBA Monday betting picks, value plays & top odds – 7/3/2022

It was a crazy weekend of basketball, headlined by LeBron James and Jayson Tatum both having 50-point outings. There were some great games where the true talent of the NBA was showcased. Monday features some big games between playoff contenders and should further display the quality on hand in the league.

Chicago Bulls at Philadelphia 76ers

Both of these teams are right in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race and they nearly have identical records. It is likely that this is a playoff preview, and while Philly is the better team, the Bulls have outperformed expectations all year. The issue with Chicago, however, is their health. They are without two defensive guards and may be without their best big man tonight. In order to slow down Joel Embiid and James Harden, Chicago could use all the help they can get and without their full roster, it makes Philly very tempting tonight.

The 76ers have changed the narrative around their team with the Harden trade. No one was really considering them as a legitimate title threat until they did that trade and now they have the whole league on notice. Embiid, an MVP frontrunner, in tandem with Harden makes them one of the scariest teams in the league. Also, Chicago has struggled against the elite teams of basketball this year and will enter this game on a four-game losing streak. The 76ers have enough firepower to get past a depleted Bulls team and easily cover the spread.

Utah Jazz at Dallas Mavericks

Here we have another game that can be considered as a playoff preview. As things stand, these two teams would play each other in the first round and it is difficult to find any differentiation. They play clashing styles of basketball but match up against each other well. The main difference is Luka Doncic, who is quietly playing at an MVP level. For some reason, Luka has not received the hype that other stars have, but that hasn’t swayed him at all. He is carrying the Mavs and has them playing great basketball.

The Mavs come into this game 6-1 against the spread in their last seven and the Jazz are 1-5 ATS in their last six. Ultimately, it will be very difficult for Utah to come to Dallas’ homecourt and flip their momentum. In a battle between two evenly matched teams, the Mavs have been playing better and have the best player on the court. Sometimes, it’s as simple as that. The Mavs should tough out a big win against one of their rivals.

Los Angeles Lakers at San Antonio Spurs

The Spurs are potentially the most boring team in the league but still bring it every night. Their coach, Gregg Popovich, is a legend of the game and always prepares his team for victory, no matter the talent on his roster. This will be a tough test but one that they need to win. As things stand, the Spurs are three games out of the playoffs and need to pick up their play. They are on a bit of a skid, only winning one of their last five games but fortunately for them, the Lakers have been worse.

LeBron James single handedly won the Lakers their last game and it appears he will have to do that every game if they want a chance of winning. LA has had a mess of a season and has legitimate concerns of missing the playoffs. While they won their last game, they are on a 3-7 skid and have lost their last seven away games. Coming off a big win and playing away against a scrappy team is a recipe for disaster for the Lakers. While they are better than the Spurs, LA have just been awful and can’t be backed right now.