NBA Handicapping: How to Use NBA Injury Report to Pick More Winners

Team	Player	POS	Status	Date Reported	Notes
Atlanta Hawks	Bogdan Bogdanovic	SG	Out Indefinitely – Knee	Sun, Jan 23	Bogdanovic is sidelined with a right knee soreness, and it is undecided when he will return.
Brooklyn Nets	Nic Claxton	PF	Ques Tues – Hamstring	Mon, Jan 24	Claxton is out of commission with left hamstring tightness, and it has yet to be decided if he will return on Tuesday versus the Lakers.
Brooklyn Nets	Kyrie Irving	PG	Ques Tues – Personal	Sun, Jan 23	Irving has made a personal choice to refuse the COVID-19 vaccination, restricting his ability to only play in select road games. It is unclear if he will be active for Tuesday’s contest versus the Lakers.
Brooklyn Nets	Kevin Durant	SF	Late Feb – Knee	Sun, Jan 16	Durant is sidelined with a sprained left MCL, and it is projected that he will be idle until the later part of February.
Brooklyn Nets	Paul Millsap	PF	Out Indefinitely – Personal	Thu, Jan 20	Millsap is unhappy with his current role on the team and is actively seeking a trade.
Brooklyn Nets	Joe Harris	SG	Early Feb – Ankle	Fri, Jan 21	Harris is idle after having arthroscopic surgery on his left ankle, and he is projected to miss four to eight weeks.
Charlotte Hornets	Jalen Mcdaniels	PF	Out Indefinitely – Ankle	Sat, Jan 22	McDaniels is out of commission with a left ankle sprain, and it is unclear how long he will be debilitated.
Charlotte Hornets	Gordon Hayward	SF	Ques Tues – Foot	Sun, Jan 23	Hayward sat out the previous contest with right foot discomfort, and it is unclear if he will face the Raptors on Tuesday.
Chicago Bulls	Patrick Williams	SF	Late April – Wrist	Fri, Oct 29	Williams is sidelined while have surgery to repair a perilunate dislocated left wrist, and it is projected that he will miss the remainder of the regular season.
Chicago Bulls	Derrick Jones Jr.	SF	Mid Feb – Knee	Thu, Jan 13	Jones Jr. is out of commission due to a bone bruise in his right knee, and he is expected to miss two to four weeks.
Chicago Bulls	Lonzo Ball	PG	Mid March – Knee	Thu, Jan 20	Ball is out of the lineup after undergoing surgery to repair a small meniscus tear in his left knee, and he is expected to miss six to eight weeks.
Chicago Bulls	Alex Caruso	SG	Late March – Wrist	Sat, Jan 22	Caruso is expected to miss six to eight weeks due to a fractured right wrist.
Chicago Bulls	Tyler Cook	SF	Ques Wed – Eye	Tue, Jan 25	Cook exited the previous game with a left eye injury, and it is undecided if he will be in Wednesday’s lineup versus the Raptors.
Cleveland Cavaliers	Jarrett Allen	C	Ques Wed – Illness	Mon, Jan 24	Allen sat out the last contest due to an illness, and it is undecided if he will face the Bucks on Wednesday.
Cleveland Cavaliers	Lauri Markkanen	PF	Mid Feb – Ankle	Tue, Jan 25	Markkanen is sidelined with a high right ankle sprain, and it is anticipated that he will be idle until the middle of February.
Cleveland Cavaliers	Collin Sexton	PG	Out For Season – Knee	Fri, Nov 19	Sexton will miss the remainder of the 2021-22 season after undergoing surgery to repair a left knee meniscus tear.
Cleveland Cavaliers	Ricky Rubio	PG	Out For Season – Knee	Wed, Dec 29	Rubio suffered an ACL tear in his left knee and will miss the rest of the 2021-22 season.
Dallas Mavericks	Sterling Brown	SG	Out Tues – Foot	Mon, Jan 24	Brown has been held out of the last three contests with left foot soreness, and he will not line up for Tuesday’s tilt with the Warriors.
Dallas Mavericks	Frank Ntilikina	PG	Prob Tues – Illness	Mon, Jan 24	Ntilikina sat out the last contest due to a non-COVID-19 illness, but it is projected that he will be in Tuesday’s lineup versus the Warriors.
Denver Nuggets	Michael Porter Jr.	PF	Out Indefinitely – Back	Wed, Dec 1	Porter Jr. is out of commission after having lumbar spine surgery, and he is without a definitive timetable for recovery.
Denver Nuggets	Vlatko Cancar	SF	Late March – Foot	Fri, Jan 7	Cancar had surgery to repair a right metatarsal foot fracture, and he will be sidelined until the later part of March.
Denver Nuggets	Jamal Murray	SG	Out Indefinitely – Knee	Fri, Jan 21	Murray is recovering from surgery to repair a left torn ACL and is going through the league’s health and safety protocol. It is unclear how long he will be debilitated.
Denver Nuggets	Markus Howard	PG	Ques Tues – Illness	Sun, Jan 23	Howard missed the last contest due to a non-COVID-19 illness, and it is undecided if he will take the court on Tuesday versus the Pistons.
Denver Nuggets	Nah Shon Hyland	PG	Ques Tues – Illness	Sun, Jan 23	Hyland missed the last game due to a non-COVID-19 illness, and it is unknown if he will take the court on Tuesday versus the Pistons.
Denver Nuggets	Jeff Green	SF	Ques Tues – Quadricep	Sun, Jan 23	Green sat out the last game tending to a left quad issue, leaving his status against the Pistons on Tuesday clouded.
Denver Nuggets	Will Barton	SG	Prob Tues – Hamstring	Mon, Jan 24	Barton is tending to right hamstring soreness, but it is projected that he will face the Pistons on Tuesday.
Detroit Pistons	Kelly Olynyk	PF	Out Indefinitely – Illness	Sat, Jan 22	Olynyk has been assigned to the league’s health and safety protocol, and a date for return has yet to be determined.
Detroit Pistons	Frank Jackson	PG	Ques Tues – Conditioning	Sun, Jan 23	Jackson has cleared the NBA’s health and safety protocol, and it is unclear if he will be active for Tuesday’s showdown versus the Nuggets.
Detroit Pistons	Isaiah Livers	PF	Out Indefinitely – Foot	Fri, Jan 14	Livers is idle due to soreness in his right foot, and he will miss an undetermined length of time.
Detroit Pistons	Jerami Grant	SF	Early Feb – Thumb	Fri, Jan 21	Grant is out of commission with a UCL sprain in his right thumb and is going through the league’s health and safety protocol. He is expected to miss at least six weeks.
Golden State Warriors	Draymond Green	PF	Mid Feb – Calf	Mon, Jan 17	Green is sidelined with left calf tightness, and it is anticipated that he will be sidelined for two weeks.
Golden State Warriors	James Wiseman	C	Out Indefinitely – Knee	Mon, Jan 3	Wiseman had right knee surgery, and there is no timetable for recovery.
Golden State Warriors	Klay Thompson	SG	Ques Tues – Knee	Sun, Jan 23	Thompson missed the previous matchup due to being bothered by left knee soreness, and it is unclear if he will hit the court Tuesday against the Mavericks.
Golden State Warriors	Andre Iguodala	SG	Out Tues – Hip	Mon, Jan 24	Iguodala is tending to a left hip injury, and he will not take the court on Tuesday versus the Mavericks.
Houston Rockets	John Wall	PG	Out Indefinitely – Holdout	Thu, Sep 23	Wall is unhappy with his situation with the team, and it is uncertain how long it will take the organization to find a new team to acquire him.
Indiana Pacers	Myles Turner	C	Mid Feb – Foot	Tue, Jan 18	Turner is sidelined with a left foot stress reaction, and it is anticipated that he will be idle until the middle of February.
Indiana Pacers	T.J. Mcconnell	PG	Out Indefinitely – Wrist	Thu, Jan 20	McConnell is idle after having surgery to repair a right hand torn ligament and is going through the league’s health and safety protocols. He will miss an extended period.
Indiana Pacers	Domantas Sabonis	PF	Early Feb – Ankle	Fri, Jan 21	Sabonis is idle due to a left ankle sprain, and he is not expected to be available until the early part of February.
Indiana Pacers	T.J. Warren	SF	Early Feb – Foot	Fri, Jan 21	Warren is out of the lineup recuperating from a stress fracture in his left foot, and it is projected that he will not return until the beginning of February.
Indiana Pacers	Malcolm Brogdon	SG	Early Feb – Achilles	Sat, Jan 22	Brogdon is out of commission with right Achilles soreness, and he is expected to remain sidelined until the beginning of February.
Los Angeles Clippers	Kawhi Leonard	SF	Out For Season – Knee	Fri, Sep 24	Leonard is recovering from surgery to repair a partially torn ACL in his right knee, and he is danger if missing the entire regular season.
Los Angeles Clippers	Jason Preston	PG	Out Indefinitely – Foot	Sat, Jan 8	Preston is out of the lineup after undergoing surgery to repair a right foot injury, and he will miss an undetermined length of time.
Los Angeles Clippers	Paul George	SF	Out Indefinitely – Elbow	Wed, Jan 19	George is sidelined with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, and there is no timetable for return.
Los Angeles Lakers	Anthony Davis	PF	Prob Tues – Knee	Mon, Jan 24	Davis sat out the previous contest due to a sprained MCL in his left knee, but it is projected that he will make his return against the Nets on Tuesday.
Los Angeles Lakers	Kendrick Nunn	PG	Out Indefinitely – Ankle	Wed, Jan 19	Nunn has a right ankle sprain and a right knee bone contusion, and has been added to the league’s health and safety protocol.
Los Angeles Lakers	Sekou Doumbouya	SF	Out Indefinitely – Illness	Fri, Jan 21	Doumbouya has been added to the league’s health and safety protocols, and it is unclear when he will return.
Memphis Grizzlies	Dillon Brooks	SG	Late Feb – Ankle	Sun, Jan 9	Brooks is sidelined with a left ankle sprain, and he is expected to be idle until the later part of February.
Memphis Grizzlies	Tyus Jones	PG	Out Indefinitely – Illness	Wed, Jan 19	Jones has entered the league’s health and safety protocol, and it is unknown how long he will be debilitated.
Memphis Grizzlies	Brandon Clarke	PF	Ques Wed – Back	Sun, Jan 23	Clarke sat out the last contest due to a sore back, and it has yet to be determined if he will take on the Spurs on Wednesday.
Miami Heat	Victor Oladipo	SG	Early Feb – Knee	Fri, Jan 21	Oladipo is sidelined with a right knee injury, and he not expected to make his season debut until the beginning of February.
Miami Heat	Markieff Morris	PF	Out Indefinitely – Neck	Sat, Jan 22	Morris is out of commission with whiplash, and team officials have yet to provide an exact return date.
Miami Heat	Kz Okpala	SF	Out Indefinitely – Wrist	Sat, Jan 22	Okpala is hindered by a right wrist sprain, and a timetable for return has yet to be established.
Miami Heat	P.J. Tucker	SF	Ques Wed – Calf	Sun, Jan 23	Tucker was absent from the previous contest with a left calf issue, and it is unknown if he will suit up for Wednesday’s matchup with the Knicks.
Miami Heat	Kyle Lowry	PG	Ques Wed – Personal	Sun, Jan 23	Lowry has missed the last three games due to a personal issue, and it has yet to be established if he will be in the lineup for Wednesday’s tilt versus the Knicks.
Miami Heat	Tyler Herro	SG	Ques Wed – Illness	Tue, Jan 25	Herro has exited the league’s health and safety protocol, and it is unknown if he will return versus the Knicks on Wednesday.
Milwaukee Bucks	Brook Lopez	C	Out Indefinitely – Back	Thu, Dec 2	Lopez is out of the lineup after undergoing back surgery, and team officials have yet to provide an exact return date.
Milwaukee Bucks	Lindell Wigginton	PG	Out Indefinitely – Illness	Sat, Jan 22	Wigginton has been assigned to the league’s health and safety protocol, and a date for return has yet to be determined.
Milwaukee Bucks	Giannis Antetokounmpo	SF	Ques Wed – Knee	Sat, Jan 22	Antetokounmpo sat out the last game with right knee soreness, and it is unknown if he will line up for Wednesday’s clash with the Cavaliers.
Milwaukee Bucks	Wesley Matthews	SG	Out Wed – Knee	Mon, Jan 24	Matthews was forced from the previous game with a left knee contusion, leaving him unavailable for Wednesday’s showdown with the Cavaliers.
Milwaukee Bucks	Grayson Allen	SG	Elig Fri – Hip	Sun, Jan 23	Allen has been handed a one-game suspension for his flagrant two, and he is eligible to return on Friday versus the Knicks.
Minnesota Timberwolves	Patrick Beverley	PG	Ques Tues – Ankle	Sun, Jan 23	Beverley missed the last game with a right ankle sprain, and it has yet to be announced if he will take on the Trail Blazers on Tuesday.
Minnesota Timberwolves	Anthony Edwards	SG	Ques Tues – Leg	Mon, Jan 24	Edwards is managing a leg injury, and it is unknown if he will battle the Trail Blazers on Tuesday.
New Orleans Pelicans	Kira Lewis Jr.	PG	Out For Season – Knee	Fri, Dec 10	Lewis Jr. is sidelined for the remainder of the season due to a torn ACL and a Grade 2 MCL sprain in his right knee.
New Orleans Pelicans	Zion Williamson	PF	Out Indefinitely – Foot	Mon, Dec 13	Williamson is recovering from surgery to repair a right foot fracture and has suffered a setback in his recovery. A timetable for return has yet to be established.
New Orleans Pelicans	Didi Louzada	PG	Out Indefinitely – Knee	Sun, Jan 23	Louzada is sidelined with a left knee torn medical meniscus, and it is unknown how long he will be idle.
New Orleans Pelicans	Devonte Graham	PG	Out Tues – Ankle	Tue, Jan 25	Graham, is dealing with a sore left ankle, and he will not be in Tuesday’s lineup versus the 76ers.
New Orleans Pelicans	Josh Hart	SG	Out Tues – Ankle	Tue, Jan 25	Hart exited the previous game with a sprained left ankle, and he will not face the 76ers on Tuesday.
New Orleans Pelicans	Brandon Ingram	SF	Out Tues – Ankle	Tue, Jan 25	Ingram missed the last game due to a right ankle sprain, and he will not hit the floor Tuesday against the 76ers.
New Orleans Pelicans	Jonas Valanciunas	C	Out Tues – Rest	Tue, Jan 25	Valanciunas will not be in Tuesday’s lineup against the 76ers, as he will be given a day of rest.
New Orleans Pelicans	Trey Murphy III	SF	Out Indefinitely – Illness	Tue, Jan 25	Murphy III has wound up in the league’s health and safety protocols, and it is unclear when he will return to the court.
New York Knicks	Ryan Arcidiacono	PG	Ques Wed – Ankle	Mon, Jan 24	Arcidiacono has been held out of the previous three games due to a left ankle sprain, and it is uncertain if he will partake in Wednesday’s battle with the Heat.
New York Knicks	Mitchell Robinson	C	Ques Wed – Lower Body	Mon, Jan 24	Robinson missed the previous tilt due to a left ankle sprain, and it is undecided if he will partake in Wednesday’s game versus the Heat.
New York Knicks	Derrick Rose	PG	Late Feb – Ankle	Thu, Dec 23	Rose is sidelined after having surgery to repair a right ankle injury, and it is projected that he will be unavailable until late February.
Oklahoma City Thunder	Vit Krejci	PG	Late Feb – Ankle	Mon, Jan 24	Krejci is idle due to a severe right ankle sprain, and he is not expected to until the end of February.
Oklahoma City Thunder	Derrick Favors	PF	Ques Fri – Back	Mon, Jan 24	Favors sat out the last game managing lower-back soreness, and it is unknown if he will face the Pacers on Friday.
Orlando Magic	Michael Carter Williams	PG	Out Indefinitely – Ankle	Thu, Sep 23	Carter-Williams had surgery to remove a bone fragment and to repair a ligament in his left ankle. There is no timetable for recovery.
Orlando Magic	Jonathan Isaac	PF	Out Indefinitely – Knee	Fri, Sep 24	Isaac is recovering from a torn ACL in his left knee, and it is unknown how long he will be debilitated.
Orlando Magic	E Twaun Moore	SG	Out Indefinitely – Knee	Wed, Oct 27	Moore is sidelined with a left knee sprain, and a date for return has yet to be established.
Orlando Magic	Markelle Fultz	PG	Out Indefinitely – Knee	Sat, Jan 1	Fultz is out of commission with a left knee injury and is going through the league’s health and safety protocol. Team officials have yet to provide an exact return date.
Orlando Magic	R.J. Hampton	PG	Mid Feb – Knee	Thu, Jan 20	Hampton is out of commission with a sprained MCL and bone bruise in his left knee, and he is expected to miss two to four weeks.
Orlando Magic	Gary Harris	SG	Ques Wed – Back	Sun, Jan 23	Harris sat out the last contest due to a back spasms, and it has yet to be established if he will face the Clippers on Wednesday.
Orlando Magic	Terrence Ross	SG	Ques Wed – Knee	Sun, Jan 23	Ross sat out the last game with right knee soreness, and it is uncertain if he will participate in Wednesday’s clash versus the Clippers.
Philadelphia 76ers	Danny Green	SG	Out Indefinitely – Hip	Mon, Jan 24	Green is out of the lineup due to right hip soreness, and it is undecided when he will return to the lineup.
Philadelphia 76ers	Seth Curry	SG	Out Tues – Ankle	Mon, Jan 24	Curry has been held out of the last two games with left ankle soreness, and he will not be active against the Pelicans on Tuesday.
Philadelphia 76ers	Shake Milton	PG	Out Indefinitely – Back	Fri, Jan 14	Milton is idle with a back contusion, and team officials have yet to provide an exact return date.
Philadelphia 76ers	Ben Simmons	SG	Out Indefinitely – Holdout	Thu, Oct 21	Simmons is holding out as he is unsatisfied with his current situation with the team, and it is unknown if he will return to action.
Philadelphia 76ers	Matisse Thybulle	SG	Out Indefinitely – Shoulder	Sun, Jan 23	Thybulle is sidelined with right shoulder sprain, and a date for return has yet to be established.
Phoenix Suns	Dario Saric	SF	Out Indefinitely – Knee	Sun, Oct 31	Saric is sidelined due to a right ACL tear, and there is no timetable for return.
Phoenix Suns	Frank Kaminsky	PF	Late March – Knee	Fri, Jan 21	Kaminsky is sidelined after undergoing a procedure to repair a right knee stress reaction, and he is not expected to return until at least the end of March.
Phoenix Suns	Jae Crowder	SF	Ques Wed – Wrist	Mon, Jan 24	Crowder missed the last contest due to a left wrist contusion, and it is unclear if he will face the Suns on Wednesday.
Phoenix Suns	Cameron Payne	PG	Ques Wed – Wrist	Mon, Jan 24	Payne was absent from the previous game with a right wrist injury, and it has yet to be determined if he will suit up Wednesday against the Suns.
Phoenix Suns	Deandre Ayton	C	Ques Wed – Ankle	Mon, Jan 24	Ayton has missed the last four contests with a right ankle sprain, and it is uncertain if he will hit the court Wednesday against the Suns.
Phoenix Suns	Abdel Nader	SF	Out Indefinitely – Conditioning	Mon, Jan 24	Nader is hindered by right knee soreness, and a timetable for return has yet to be established.
Portland Trail Blazers	Dennis Smith Jr.	PG	Prob Tues – Ankle	Mon, Jan 24	Smith Jr. is hampered by an ankle injury, but it is likely that he will take the court on Tuesday versus the Timberwolves.
Portland Trail Blazers	Robert Covington	SF	Prob Tues – Finger	Mon, Jan 24	Covington is dealing with a left finger injury, but it is anticipated that he will face the Timberwolves on Tuesday.
Portland Trail Blazers	Nassir Little	SF	Prob Tues – Knee	Mon, Jan 24	Little is managing a knee injury, but it is projected that he will be active on Tuesday versus the Timberwolves.
Portland Trail Blazers	Cody Zeller	PF	Out Indefinitely – Knee	Sun, Jan 23	Zeller is sidelined due to right patellar soreness, and it is unclear when he will return.
Portland Trail Blazers	Larry Nance Jr.	SF	Early Feb – Knee	Sun, Jan 23	Nance Jr. is sidelined with a right knee inflammation, and it is projected that he will be idle until the early part of February.
Portland Trail Blazers	Damian Lillard	PG	Mid March – Abdominal	Wed, Jan 12	Lillard is expected to miss six to eight weeks after undergoing surgery for an abdominal tendinopathy.
Portland Trail Blazers	Norman Powell	SG	Ques Tues – Personal	Sun, Jan 23	Powell was absent from the last two contests due to a personal matter, and it has yet to be determined if he will take the court Tuesday versus the Timberwolves.
Sacramento Kings	De Aaron Fox	PG	Ques Tues – Ankle	Sat, Jan 22	Fox sat out the last game with left ankle soreness, and it is undetermined if he will line up for Tuesday’s contest against the Celtics.
Sacramento Kings	Damian Jones	C	Ques Tues – Ankle	Mon, Jan 24	Jones is bothered by left ankle soreness, and it is unknown if he will battle the Celtics on Tuesday.
Sacramento Kings	Chimezie Metu	PF	Doub Tues – Knee	Tue, Jan 25	Metu is tending to left knee soreness, and it is unlikely that he will be active on Tuesday versus the Celtics.
Toronto Raptors	Fred Vanvleet	PG	Ques Tues – Knee	Tue, Jan 25	VanVleet is bothered by a sore right knee, and it is unclear if he will be in Tuesday’s lineup versus the Hornets.
Toronto Raptors	David Johnson	SG	Out Indefinitely – Illness	Fri, Jan 21	Johnson has been assigned to the league’s health and safety protocol, and a date for return has yet to be determined.
Toronto Raptors	Goran Dragic	PG	Out Indefinitely – Personal	Sun, Nov 28	Dragic is tending to a personal issue, and it is unknown when he will return to action.
Toronto Raptors	Khem Birch	C	Early Feb – Nose	Tue, Jan 18	Birch is out of commission after undergoing surgery to repair a fractured nose, and he is expected to miss 10-14 days.
Utah Jazz	Hassan Whiteside	C	Prob Sun – Conditioning	Mon, Jan 24	Whiteside has cleared the league’s health and safety protocol, and it is projected that he will return to action on Monday versus the Suns.
Utah Jazz	Rudy Gobert	C	Ques Wed – Calf	Mon, Jan 24	Gobert missed the previous outing due to a left calf strain, and it is unclear if he will face the Suns on Wednesday.
Utah Jazz	Bojan Bogdanovic	SF	Ques Wed – Knee	Mon, Jan 24	Bogdanovic missed the previous game with a right knee contusion, and it is up in the air if he will face the Suns on Wednesday.
Utah Jazz	Royce O Neale	SF	Ques Wed – Knee	Mon, Jan 24	O’Neale missed the previous clash due to tendonitis in his knee, and it is unknown if he will face the Suns on Wednesday.
Utah Jazz	Joe Ingles	SF	Ques Wed – Ankle	Mon, Jan 24	Ingles sat out the previous outing due to being hampered by a sprained ankle, and it has yet to be established if he will suit up on Wednesday versus the Suns.
Utah Jazz	Donovan Mitchell	SG	Ques Wed – Concussion	Mon, Jan 24	Mitchell has missed the previous four games while being in the league’s concussion protocol, and it is uncertain if he will hit the court Wednesday against the Suns.
Washington Wizards	Deni Avdija	SF	Ques Tues – Hamstring	Sun, Jan 23	Avdija is bothered by a left hamstring injury, and it is unknown if he will battle the Clippers on Tuesday.

How to Use Our NBA Injury Report to Handicap Pro Basketball

If you are going to bet on the NBA, you need to be checking the injury report on a daily basis. The problem is there’s not a lot of sites out there you can trust or are too slow with updating the information.

Most will just list the player injured and what is keeping him out. That’s solid information, but there’s so much more too it. We take it a step further.

You will be able to see the day the player was sidelined. That allows you to take a quick look at how his absence has effected the play of the team. You can also use it to see if a team was hit hard with injuries at the same time or if they were spread out over a longer period.

We also note the position, so you can see if a club has been hit hard at one spot. Another feature is the perceived impact of that specific player being out.

Lastly, we show a players current status. Why? Because we don’t just remove players immediately after they return from being sidelined. This allows you to look at injuries a whole different way, as a lot of people don’t make the proper adjustments for players returning to the lineup.

Expert Betting Tips on Handicapping NBA Injuries This Season

Now, let’s take a quick look at how you can use that information to start cashing more tickets. Simply knowing who is in and who is out is going to increase your chances of winning.

The big key is accurately predicting how the oddsmakers are going to adjust the odds. Some players are going to shift the line more than others. The bigger the superstar the bigger the expected movement.

Not every player who is out of the lineup is going to shift the betting line. The biggest thing to keep in mind is the books are going to set their odds to try and take advantage of the public.

If they think the public is going to rush to bet against a team that just lost a player, they will over-adjust in their favor.

Let’s say if everyone was healthy the books had “Team A” as a 5-point favorite over “Team B”. Before the game “Team B” loses a starter (second best player). The books know the public is going to be on “Team A” given this news. While they might only think that player is worth 1-2 points on the spread, they might jump ‘Team A” up to a 9-point favorite.

I’m not saying the public will always be wrong. Sometimes the over-adjustment won’t be enough to make up for the loss of a player. For example, anytime time LeBron James sits out, it’s hard not to take the other side, regardless of the inflation.

Where you can really make your money is by focusing more on the non-superstars. The guys who do a lot of the dirty work or simply good players who don’t get the recognition. Oddsmakers typically aren’t going to do much with the line when these guys are out. This is where you can find the value going to the other direction.

This is just one step in becoming an expert NBA handicapper. There’s so much more that goes into handicapping the NBA than just what players are on the floor. You have to look at other things like rest situations and home court advantage.

Don’t have the time to break down all the angles on your own. I highly recommend letting a professional do the dirty work for you. Start building your bankroll with our premium NBA picks tonight.