Betting On NBA Preseason Begins: Lakers Favored Over Clippers

• The Atlanta Hawks are favored to beat the Orlando Magic by four points.
• The NBA Preseason Begins December 11 with five preseason games scheduled.
• The Los Angeles Lakers are one-point favorites over the Los Angeles Clippers in their first preseason meeting.

LOS ANGELES — The 2020-2021 NBA regular season is almost here as the league begins the preseason on Friday.

The NBA will usher in the new season with five preseason games giving NBA bettors a glimpse of what is to come before the games matter.

The NBA season will march forward despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic as the league has adopted a fluid schedule to deal with any complications teams may have.

2020-2021 NBA Season Key Dates

Dec. 11-19 Preseason Games
Dec. 22, 2020 - March 4, 2021, First Half of regular season
March 5-10 All-Star Break
March 11 - May 16 Second Half of Regular Season
May 13-15 Class of 2020 Hall of Fame Enshrinement
May 18 - May 21 Play-In Tournament
May 22-July 22 2021 NBA Playoffs

Finding NBA preseason betting odds might be hard to find but hear at online sportsbooks we’ve got you covered.

While the moneyline and total aren't available to be bet on at BetOnline but the spread is. The likely reason why only ATS is available is because NBA teams could rest their best players making it hard to predict the outcome of the games.

Orlando Magic vs. Atlanta Hawks @ 7 p.m. EST

• Spread: Hawks -4

Winner: Hawks (-4). The Atlanta Hawks led by Trae Young will look to take the next step and prove they’re a playoff team as they take on the Orlando Magic. The Hawks are favored to win by four points and they should be chosen to cover tonight. The Hawks have a young team that will need the preseason to build continuity expect some of their starting players to get some extra playing time in this game.

New York Knicks vs. Detroit Pistons @ 7 p.m. EST

• Spread: Pistons -4.5

Winner: New York Knicks (+4.5). The New York Knicks face the Detroit Pistons as both franchises look to snap their playoff droughts this season. This preseason game is a coin toss as the Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau will be making his debut with the team. Take the odds that the Knicks upset the Pistons by leaning on first round draft pick Obi Toppin. This should be a close game and the Knicks should be able to see positive change.

Houston Rockets vs. Chicago Bulls @ 8 p.m. EST

• Spread: Rockets -1

Winner: Rockets (-1). The Houston Rockets will be without James Harden as he has yet to pass the NBA’s Covid-19 protocol. Newly acquired former Kentucky Wildcat teammates John Wall and Demarcus Cousins will be making their debuts with Houston while the Bulls will look to start their preseason off with a win. Both teams feature coaches in their first season with the new teams as Billy Donovan and Paul Silas look to change the culture around their clubs. The Bulls should be able to pull off the upset especially if Zach LaVine can give Chicago an early lead.

Los Angeles Clippers vs. Los Angeles Lakers @ 10 p.m. EST

• Spread: Lakers -1

Winner: Clippers (+1). The Los Angeles Lakers will not be playing LeBron James or Anthony Davis in this game as they rest their superstars up for the regular season. Without James and Davis playing it's surprising to see the Lakers still favored. Take the Clippers to pull off the upset at sportsbooks as the defending champions won’t be a full strength for this game.

Sacramento Kings vs. Portland Trail Blazers @ 10:30 p.m. EST

• Spread: Trail Blazers -5

Winner: Trail Blazers (-5). Portland had an eventful offseason adding Robert Covington and Derrick Jones Jr. in free agency. Those additions and depth at the forward positions will be on display in this game. Basketball bettors shouldn’t hesitate to take Portland ATS here as they’re a team that could run away with this game early.