NBA Preview, Odds & Best Bets for Tuesday, November 23: Lakers Visit MSG Without Suspended LeBron; Mavs & Nuggets Look to Break Losing Streaks on the Road

There are only four games on the Tuesday night NBA schedule, but that doesn’t mean that we are lacking in opportunities to have some decent NBA betting success.

Here’s our look at tonight’s NBA card and the betting options that we like from each game. And a Dodgeball reference, because whenever I can fit in pop culture references from when I had a head full of hair, I will do so without hesitation.

NBA Schedule for Tuesday, November 23, 2021

Miami Heat (11-6) vs Detroit Pistons (4-12), Bally Sports Sun, 7:00 p.m. ET

Los Angeles Lakers (9-9) vs New York Knicks (9-8), TNT, 7:30 p.m. ET

Denver Nuggets (9-8) vs Portland Trail Blazers (9-8), TNT, 10:00 p.m. ET

Dallas Mavericks (9-7) vs Los Angeles Clippers (10-7), Bally Sports SoCal, 10:30 p.m. ET

NBA Betting Odds & Best Bets for Tuesday, November 23, 2021

• Miami Heat vs Detroit Pistons
• Los Angeles Lakers vs New York Knicks
• Denver Nuggets vs Portland Trail Blazers
• Dallas Mavericks vs Los Angeles Clippers

NBA betting odds listed below are via BetOnline Sportsbook as of Tuesday, November 23, 2021 at 4:30 p.m. ET. To compare NBA betting odds from several top online sportsbooks, check out our NBA odds.

The best bets offered below are not firm picks but are recommendations and suggestions to inform and aid your betting selections. We do also offer aggregated NBA betting picks for every NBA matchup every day.

NBA Betting Picks: Tuesday, November 23

Betting News aggregates our NBA betting picks from trusted sports betting industry sources. Along with NBA picks for every NBA matchup, we also offer MLB picks, NFL picks, and NHL picks.

Miami Heat vs Detroit Pistons NBA Betting Odds & Best Bets

• Spread: Miami Heat -9 (-110), Detroit Pistons +9 (-110)
• Total: OVER 208.5 (-108), UNDER 208.5 (-112)
• Moneyline: Miami Heat -430, Detroit Pistons +340

Both of these teams let leads slip last time out. The Heat were up eight with four minutes to go in Saturday’s game against the Washington Wizards but were outscored 15-4 the rest of the way in a 103-100 loss. The Pistons, meanwhile, did not take full advantage of the Lakers being without LeBron for the final 21 minutes on Sunday after he made Pistons starting center Isaiah Stewart bleed his own blood. The Pistons led by as many as 17, but the Lakers rallied for a 121-116 win.

Jimmy Butler is on a tear since returning from an ankle sprain that kept him out for a week. In three games, Butler is shooting 57.1 percent from the field and has scored 32, 31, and 29 points. Current NBA MVP odds put Butler sixth, behind Steph, KD, Giannis, The Joker, and Hookah Doncic. Can the Pistons slow him down?

Heat vs Pistons Best Bet: OVER 208.5 – I liked the over a bit more when the total was 206.5 earlier in the day, but this is solid value based on the frequency with which this total has been hitting on both sides.

For the Heat, 10 of their last 13 games have finished at 209 or better. For the Pistons, seven of their last 14 games have finished at 209 or better, with others finishing at 208, 206, and 207 (twice). Look for a big night for Bam Adebayo with Stewart, who was suspended two games for not appreciating being made to bleed a significant amount of his own blood.

Miami Heat vs Detroit Pistons Matchup: NBA Betting Picks, Odds, Stats and More

Los Angeles Lakers vs New York Knicks NBA Betting Odds & Best Bets

• Spread: Los Angeles Lakers +6.5 (-110), New York Knicks -6.5 (-110)
• Total: OVER 214.5 (-110), UNDER 214.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Los Angeles Lakers +200, New York Knicks -245

The Lakers will visit MSG tonight without LeBron, who was suspended for tonight’s game after Sunday’s incident. That’s rather unfortunate for the Lakers, given that James only returned from an eight-game injury absence. But they did well to rally against the Pistons without him, and they need to take that with them into tonight’s game.

The Knicks were one of the better home teams in the NBA last season, going 25-11 at the friendly confines. That is not the case thus far this season. At home, they are 3-6 ATS and 4-5 SU, and they have been beaten twice by the 4-14 Orlando Magic.

Lakers vs Knicks Best Bet: Lakers +6.5 – Given the way that the Knicks have been playing at home, that they are favored by this much is interesting, to say the least, even with the Lakers down LeBron and not exactly lighting the world on fire at the moment.

The Lakers didn’t fare very well without LeBron while he was injured, but Sunday’s win in Detroit and the nature in which it occurred could help provide a boost that carries over into tonight.

Los Angeles Lakers vs New York Knicks Matchup: NBA Betting Picks, Odds, Stats and More

Denver Nuggets vs Portland Trail Blazers NBA Betting Odds & Best Bets

• Spread: Denver Nuggets +6.5 (-110), Portland Trail Blazers -6.5 (-110)
• Total: OVER 214.5 (-110), UNDER 214.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Denver Nuggets +210, Portland Trail Blazers -255

The Nuggets, already without long-term absentee Jamal Murray and potential long-term absentee Michael Porter Jr., had already lost three in a row heading into Sunday’s game against the Phoenix Suns. Without MVP Nikola Jokic, the Nuggets fell behind and completely fell apart inside the first 12 minutes. The Suns scored a half’s worth of points in the first quarter–48 points–and coasted to a 126-97 win.

Jokic is listed as questionable for tonight’s game, and the outlook is pretty grim if he is unable to go. It’s been a bumpy ride early on for the Blazers, but they are 8-1 SU and 6-3 ATS at home. Damian Lillard is heading in the right direction, and so are the Blazers, who have won three in a row and have scored 118, 112, and 118 points in their last three games.

Nuggets vs Blazers Best Bet: Avoid pre-game action – If Jokic is out again, it’s difficult to picture the Nuggets being able to generate enough offense to challenge for the win or to do their part to get the over across the line. But I equally don’t trust the Blazers to cover a seven-point spread. This game does warrant monitoring for some in-play action, however.

Denver Nuggets vs Portland Trail Blazers Matchup: NBA Betting Picks, Odds, Stats and More

Dallas Mavericks vs Los Angeles Clippers NBA Betting Odds & Best Bets

• Spread: Dallas Mavericks +3.5 (-110), Los Angeles Clippers -3.5 (-110)
• Total: OVER 210 (-110), UNDER 210 (-110)
• Moneyline: Dallas Mavericks +138, Los Angeles Clippers -164

As is the case with the Nuggets, the Mavs could be without their main man tonight, as Luka Doncic’s status will be a game-time decision. Doncic has missed the Mavs’ last three games after spraining his knee and ankle against Jokic and the Nuggets eight days ago. With Doncic, the Mavs have scored 104 or more points in 10 of 13 games, but they have not eclipsed 104 in the three games without him, including Sunday’s 97-91 loss to the Clippers.

Mavs vs Clippers Best Bet: Clippers -3.5 – This one has moved to 5.5 to 3.5, indicating some optimism that Doncic could take the court tonight. That would obviously be a significant boost for the Mavs, but it also makes this a better spot to take the Clippers. There is still a big Kawhi Leonard-sized hole in their lineup, but they are handling his absence about as well as they could.

Since opening the season 1-3 ATS and 2-2 SU at home, the Clippers are 6-1 SU and 5-2 ATS at Staples Center. They have only one win by fewer than five points, while all seven of the Mavs’ losses have been by at least six points. If you like the Clippers tonight no matter what, and I do, the line movement is a positive.

Dallas Mavericks vs Los Angeles Clippers Matchup: NBA Betting Picks, Odds, Stats and More