NBA Scores
Understanding NBA Game Scores
Understanding how an NBA game scores is a crucial part of betting on the NBA.
Each NBA game consists of four 12-minute quarters, with a half-time after the second. During the game, players can score either one, two, or three points for every basket they make, depending from where on the court they made the basket. Two-pointers are scored from a closer range, roughly 22 feet and in, while shots beyond that spot are worth three points.
The difference between these two scoring numbers is marked by a three-point line. You can get one point from making a free throw, which is awarded to a player who is fouled when taking a shot or when a team is in the bonus after the other team committed too many fouls.
A free throw is a shot from 15 feet away, and the number of shots allowed correlates with how many points the player could have scored if they had made the shot and were fouled on. If fouled on a shot attempt, and it goes in, you still get one free throw, which can turn two points into three.
How to Read NBA Scores?
All NBA scores are not the same, mainly because of the constant flux of player performances. A team can have a hot shooting night from three, putting up a bunch of points. In the next game, the team can take the same shots but miss nearly all of them, scoring less. It is crucial to understand what players are playing well and how they get their points. Some teams and players primarily score from three, while others try to get into the paint and make a lot of baskets up close, which can also lead to free throws.
How to Use NBA Scores for Betting?
NBA focuses on individual performances more than most sports, and if a player is having an off night, the team likely will as well. Understanding the importance of individual players is a critical part of betting on NBA score predictions. It is essential to know how a team or player wants to play. For three-point shooters, an off-night can ruin a bet on a team to win, or a player’s total points for the game. Similarly, if a player scores large portions of their points from the free-throw line, but in a specific game isn’t getting those chances for some reason, that can have a massive effect on a bet.
How to Read Betting Types?
Moneylines:
Betting on an NBA moneyline is betting on who you believe will win a game. The sportsbook will establish a favorite to win the game, represented, for example, by odds that could look like -200. If you agree with the sportsbook, you can win your bet on the favorite. If you disagree with the sportsbook, you can take the underdog, for example, represented as +200.
Spread:
Betting on an NBA spread is much more challenging but more interesting than just betting on the moneyline. The moneyline has already established a favorite, betting on a spread is betting on how much the team will win by. A sportsbook can place the spread at 8.5, meaning the game could be relatively close near the end. If you believe the favorite will win by more than nine points, you will bet the odds on -8.5. However, if you think the underdog team will still lose but make it a much closer game, you can take the odds on +8.5.
Over/Under:
Over/under bets can represent two things when betting on the NBA. One is that betting a total over/under has to do with the total number of points each team will have combined. If both teams put up many points throughout the season, and have great scorers, if the total is set at 211 total points, you might want to take the over because the game could be high-scoring with little defense. The other way to bet on over/under is to bet on specific players’ scoring totals in a game. If a player has been playing well in the last few games, betting on them to remain hot might be a good bet.
