NBA Picks and Predictions for February 13

We’re already over a third of the way into this truly bizarre NBA season, with All-Star ballots and the plausibility of the All-Star Game itself dominating headlines.

The point is arriving where NBA betting trends have a little more teeth, with larger sample sizes after an extremely high-variance first month. Tonight, we’re leaning into a couple of those trends as we dive into our NBA picks and predictions for Saturday, February 13. 

NBA Picks for Today

Houston Rockets vs New York Knicks

This total feels a bit bloated. The Knicks are averaging just 102.83 ppg in six February games, four of which have come against Chicago, Portland and Washington – three of the NBA’s worst defensive teams. 

Houston, meanwhile, has quietly crept up to the NBA’s second-best defensive rating. While the Rockets also play at the NBA’s fourth-fastest pace, the Knicks are easily the NBA’s slowest, both scoring and allowing the fewest points per game in the league. 

Houston’s offense is capable of going off if everything is humming, but Victor Oladipo will be sitting and John Wall is dealing with ankle issues. Too much about this matchup suggests more of a defensive grind. 

PREDICTION: Under 211.5 (-110)

Brooklyn Nets vs Golden State Warriors

Get set for a fun one here, as a former beloved teammate returns to the Bay Area. Kevin Durant is expected to play tonight, giving Brooklyn all three of its superstars and Golden State more reason to dig deep. 

This game has all the makings of a shootout. First off are Brooklyn’s obvious scoring chops and well-chronicled allergies to defense. The Nets are an incredulous 18-3 to the Over in their last 21, and are quickly regressing to the league’s worst team on D.

Conveniently, the Warriors have also been roasting bad defensive teams. GSW went off for 133.5 ppg in recent two-game sets against Dallas and Minnesota, while the offense is humming. Steph Curry’s been doing a very convincing Leon: The Professional impersonation, Kelly Oubre is making everyone forget about his first month, and Draymond Green’s a human pinball machine, flinging the rock to every open man.

This total certainly is tilted accordingly at 242.5, but we have a very hard time seeing this game as anything but a back-and-forth nuclear war.

PREDICTION: Over 242.5 (-110)

Miami Heat vs Utah Jazz

Everyone’s been trumpeting that the Heat are a new team since Jimmy Butler’s return, but I’m not entirely convinced. Yes, Miami is 5-2 SU since Butler’s COVID clearance, but exactly zero of those wins have come against above-.500 squads. Furthermore, Miami is just 3-4 ATS in that same span. 

Tonight, they face the Utah Jazz, which is basically a death sentence right now. Utah is 16-2 ATS in its last 18 games, posting a 13.83 average margin in that stretch. The Jazz are playing far-and-away the best basketball in the NBA right now. 

Utah will likely be without Mike Conley again, but that probably won’t matter, as it smashed the Bucks last night without him (not to mention Goran Dragic might also sit for Miami). And don’t fret about back-to-back fatigue – Utah spent the second half on cruise control against Milwaukee and should be relatively fresh for tonight. 

Any Jazz spread in this realm needs to be hammered.

PREDICTION: Utah -6.0 (-110)

Top NBA Consensus for Today

Want to know who today’s biggest NBA betting and consensus bets are right now? Check out our top NBA consensus picks.

Yesterday’s picks: 1-2 (-1.17 units)
Season record to date: 73-73-1 (-7.05 units)

NBA Betting Card for February 13

• Houston-New York Under Under 211.5 (-110)
• Brooklyn-Golden State Over 242.5 (-110)
• Utah -6.0 (-110)