NBA Sharp Report: Wolves-Warriors Among 3 Games Attracting Wiseguy Action

After an exhilarating NFL Sunday, sports bettors are thirsty for more action on Monday night. However, outside of  Vikings-Seahawks, there are only four college hoops games.

Luckily for sharps and squares, the NBA is locked and loaded with a sneaky big 11-game slate.

After consulting the betting tools available at Sports Insights and The Action Network, I’ve identified three games that pros are betting on Monday night, with games starting at 8 p.m., 8:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. ET.

Betting Terms to Know

Steam Move: Sudden, drastic and uniform line movement across the market caused by an overload of sharp action from respected players.

Reverse Line Movement: When the betting line moves in the opposite direction of the betting percentages. It’s a top smart money indicator.

Line Freeze: When one side is getting heavy betting, but the line won’t budge, indicating sharp liability on the other side.

Juice: The tax or commission that bettors must pay sportsbooks in order for them to accept your wager. A -115 juice means a bettor would have to wager $115 to win $100.

Full Sports Betting Glossary

Utah Jazz at Oklahoma City Thunder

Tip off: 8 p.m. ET

Sharp angle: Jazz (+5.5) 

On paper, this looks like an easy cover for the home favorite.

Oklahoma City boasts an impressive 16-8 record and is coming off three days of rest. Meanwhile, the Jazz are a lackluster 13-14 and playing the second game of a back-to-back (it lost, 110-97, to the Spurs last night).

This game opened at OKC -5.5. Despite receiving nearly 70% of bets, the Thunder have stayed at -5.5 (and even -5 at some books). This combination of sharp line freeze and reverse line movement indicates heavy liability on the road dog.

Sharps have gotten down hard on Utah at +6 and +5.5, triggering three separate steam and reverse line moves via Sports Insights' Bet Signals.

Wiseguys might even be eyeing the Jazz to win straight up, as Utah fits the profitable Bet Labs PRO moneyline system Bet Against the Public Small Dogs (+93.06 units, 8% ROI since 2005).

Orlando Magic at Dallas Mavericks

Tip off: 8 p.m. ET

Sharp angle: Magic (+5.5 to +4) 

The betting public loves home teams, favorites (especially on short spreads) and teams with better won-loss records than their opponents.

The Mavericks check off all the boxes tonight.

However, despite receiving 66% of bets, Dallas has moved from -5.5 to -4 since opening (some books are even down to -3.5). Why would the oddsmakers drop the line to give public Mavs backers an easier shot at covering?

Because pros loaded up on the road dog and hammered Orlando at +5 and +4.5, triggering market-wide reverse line movement.

Minnesota Timberwolves at Golden State Warriors

Tip off: 10:30 p.m. ET

Sharp angle: Timberwolves (+10.5) 

Wiseguys are staying up late to sweat the big road dogs in this one.

The Warriors (18-9) are at home and finally at full strength as they welcome Draymond Green back to the lineup. Despite the big spread, public bettors are laying the points with Dub Nation as fast as they can.

However, despite receiving 70% of bets, Golden State has remained frozen at -10.5. In fact, it has even dipped to -10 throughout the day.

This indicates liability on Minnesota (13-13) with sportsbooks reluctant to give out any additional value to sharp Wolves backers despite the overwhelming public betting.

Pros hit the Wolves at +11 and +10.5, triggering four separate steam and reverse line moves.

Minnesota also fits the Profitable Bet Labs PRO system Road Dogs Off ATS Loss (54.5% ATS, +106.11 units since 2005).