The NBA season is just around the corner and it’s time for some NBA handicapping tips. The regular season will begin on Dec. 22, and each team is scheduled to play 72 games. Even though the 2019-20 season virtually just ended, it’s not too early to prepare for this year.
Here are my biggest tips to handicap the 2020-21 NBA season.
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Account for offseason movement
Free agency signings will begin on Nov 22. Rumors have been circulating since last season on where players will land.
One big-time star can turn a decent team into a Finals contender. You can’t go off last season’s records to be successful.
You need to account for individual players and what they did for their team last season. You can’t forget about records, but this needs to take a backseat to a team’s 2020-21 talent.
The same concept applies to coaches. A coach creates a culture, so if a team has hired a new coach, it could see improvement. This should always be in your head when doing research.
Watch and Study the NBA Draft Results
The NBA Draft was Nov. 18. We have seen rookies make big impacts on teams in the past few years.
You must study players’ college stats and make an educated guess on the role they’ll play professionally. It will help to have pro games as examples down the road, but don’t forget about rookies when handicapping.
Do you know the advantages of live betting?
Follow and Read Articles from Local Beat Writers
There are 30 teams in the NBA. This is a lot of information for even the best handicapper to keep up with on a daily basis. The amount of NBA handicapping tips out there is unfathomable.
You should follow local beat writers from around the country. This will help in the preseason and daily when doing research.
It’s good to consume as much different media as possible to make an informed wager. Beat writers have great knowledge since they only focus on one area of the news.
Don’t Limit Yourself to One Sportsbook
The NBA is very chaotic, and lines are constantly changing. Don’t limit yourself to one sportsbook when betting basketball.
Each sportsbook operates on different lines for games. If you limit yourself, you may be giving up books that give you a better chance to win.
Some books are known for having generous lines, but this always depends on the night. Part of handicapping involves researching sportsbooks, so don’t forget this tip.
Don’t Wait to Lock in Wagers
This is the biggest handicapping tip, in my opinion, for this season. Players don’t play in 72 games straight. It doesn’t happen in today’s NBA.
Combine this with the fact that this year is a much shorter offseason. To make this even more important, COVID-19 will still be an issue when players aren’t in a bubble.
Players are usually ruled out a few hours before opening tip. If you see a soft line early, don’t be afraid to lock in a bet if you’ve done the research.
Those are my best tips for you to successfully handicap the NBA this season. Best of luck!
