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NBA weekly betting preview: Big spots for the Ball brothers

Layne Murdoch Jr. / National Basketball Association / Getty

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We've got a ton of NBA action this week, beginning with a monster 10-game slate Monday.

Let's dive into all the hot matchups and dish out some valuable betting info, starting with a couple of player props.

Monday

Big spots for the Ball brothers

If you're interested in the player prop market, brothers LaMelo and Lonzo Ball have terrific matchups on their hands.

The former draws the Magic on the second of a back-to-back. LaMelo, who's averaging 6.0 assists in his first cup of coffee as a pro, posted eight dimes last night against Orlando in the Hornets' 107-104 win. The rookie has at least six assists in five of the previous eight games and gets a Magic defense allowing the second-most assists to point guards this year. Go over 5.5.

Lonzo and the Pelicans, meanwhile, match up with the Spurs. The eldest Ball brother should cruise past his 11.5 point total. San Antonio allows the fifth-most points in the league to guards, while Lonzo's logged at least 12 points in four of the last five contests against the Spurs.

Thunder @ Trail Blazers (-5.5, 224.5)

Bettors might want to consider fading the Thunder defense against the Trail Blazers. OKC has allowed an average of 117.8 points over the last four on the second of a back-to-back - a situation that applies Monday after the Thunder lost to the Clippers the night prior.

Tuesday

Clippers @ Hawks (NA)

Speaking of the Clippers, no team in the NBA is hotter. L.A.'s ripped off seven straight victories, with four covers along the way. The Clippers won each game by an average of 17.1 points and now rank No. 3 in the league in scoring margin (plus-7.5 per game).

The Hawks have played the sixth-easiest schedule so far. If this number isn't too out of hand, play the road team.

Wednesday

Lakers @ 76ers (NA)

We're in for a solid non-conference clash when the Lakers square off with the 76ers. The reigning champs are tied with the Clippers for the West's best record, and there's been nothing fluky about it. The Lakers rank No. 1 in RPI and expected win-loss, all while playing the third-toughest schedule through the first month of the season.

The 76ers pace the East standings, but are there concerns heading forward? They've played worse than their 12-5 record indicates, despite taking on the fourth-easiest slate of opponents.

Thursday

Clippers @ Heat (NA)

As lovable as the Heat were in their memorable run to the Finals a few months ago, they've become difficult to trust with money on the line. Miami's failed to cover back-to-back games at any point this season as the club sits just 6-9 overall.

To make matters worse, the Heat aren't positive regression candidates - they've performed like a 5-10 team. Oh, and the biggest kicker of them all? They've played the easiest schedule to date.

Don't be in a rush to bet the Heat.

(Odds source: theScore Bet)

Alex Kolodziej is a betting writer for theScore. He's a graduate of Eastern Illinois who has been involved in the sports betting industry for 12 years. He can quote every line from "Rounders" and appreciates franchises that regularly wear alternate jerseys. Find him on Twitter @AJKolodziej.

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