NBA Preview and Best Bets (February 26): Surging Bulls Shoot for .500

Friday’s NBA betting schedule features nine games, and there are a number of eye-catching matchups to follow and consider.

The Chicago Bulls have won five of six and are moving up the Eastern Conference standings. A win over the Phoenix Suns, who had a disappointing home loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday, will put them at the .500 mark.

In one of the other big NBA games of the night, the Los Angeles Lakers will be looking to break their current slide as they host the Portland Trail Blazers. The Blazers were on fire about a week ago, but they have lost their last three and need a win themselves.

There should be at least a game or two decided in the final seconds, and if any such situation does come about, hopefully it will go just a little bit better than the Denver Nuggets’ final sequence did last night.

This Nuggets end of game sequence 😅

They were down by 2 pic.twitter.com/Hd2CwjcL1d

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 26, 2021

NBA Betting Preview Menu

• February 26 NBA Betting Schedule
• NBA Betting Game(s) of the Day
• NBA Odds and Trends
• February 26 NBA Best Bets

February 26 NBA Betting Schedule

Indiana Pacers vs Boston Celtics, 7:30 pm ET, ESPN

Houston Rockets vs Toronto Raptors, 7:30 pm ET

Sacramento Kings vs Detroit Pistons, 8:00 pm ET

Utah Jazz vs Miami Heat, 8:00 pm ET

Phoenix Suns vs Chicago Bulls, 8:00 pm ET

Los Angeles Clippers vs Memphis Grizzlies, 8:00 pm ET

Atlanta Hawks vs Oklahoma City Thunder, 8:00 pm ET

Charlotte Hornets vs Golden State Warriors, 10:00 pm ET

Portland Trail Blazers vs Los Angeles Lakers, 10:00 pm ET, ESPN

February 26 NBA Betting Games of the Day

Phoenix Suns vs Chicago Bulls

Portland Trail Blazers vs Los Angeles Lakers

February 26 NBA Betting Odds and Trends

All NBA betting odds are via BetOnline Sportsbook as of 8:00 am ET. Click here for updated NBA betting odds.

Suns vs Bulls

NBA Betting Matchup: Phoenix Suns (20-11, 9-5 away, 20-11-0 ATS, 16-15-0 O/U) vs Chicago Bulls (15-16, 7-9 home, 19-12-0 ATS, 17-14-0 O/U)

• Spread: Suns -6 (-106), Bulls +6 (-114)
• Total: OVER 228.5 (-110), UNDER 228.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Suns -255, Bulls +210

Key Suns vs Bulls Trends: The Bulls are 7-3 SU and ATS over their last 10 games. The OVER is 4-1-0 in the Bulls’ last five home games.

The Suns are 12-3 SU and ATS in their last 15 games. For the season, the Suns have an equal SU and ATS record on the road. The OVER has hit in the Suns’ last five games and is 8-1-0 in their last nine.

Trail Blazers vs Lakers

NBA Betting Matchup: Portland Trail Blazers (18-13, 10-7 away, 17-14-0 ATS, 17-14-0 O/U) vs Los Angeles Lakers (22-11, 9-7 home, 14-19-0 ATS, 12-21-0 O/U)

• Spread: Trail Blazers +5.5 (-110), Lakers -5.5 (-110)
• Total: OVER 222 (-110), UNDER 222 (-110)
• Moneyline: Trail Blazers +198, Lakers -240

Key Trail Blazers vs Lakers Trends: The Lakers have lost their last four games and five of six, and they are 2-8-0 ATS in their last 10 games.

The Blazers have lost three games in a row following an 8-1 SU stretch. Portland is 7-5 SU and 9-3-0 on the road against fellow Western Conference teams this season. That includes a 115-107 win over the Lakers on December 28.

Pacers vs Celtics

NBA Betting Matchup: Indiana Pacers (15-15, 8-5 away, 14-16-0, 16-13-1 O/U) vs Boston Celtics (15-17, 8-5 home, 15-17-0 ATS, 17-15-0 O/U)

• Spread: Pacers +3.5 (-112), Celtics -3.5 (-108)
• Total: OVER 219 (-110), UNDER 219 (-110)
• Moneyline: Pacers +136, Celtics -162

This is a matchup between two flailing teams who need a win and a hot streak to start soon.

Key Pacers vs Celtics Trends: The Celtics are 4-8 SU and ATS in their last 12 games. On the positive side, the Celtics are 9-4-0 ATS at home this season.

Like the Celtics, the Pacers are 4-8 SU and ATS in their last 12 games. However, they have won and covered in their last three road games.

Rockets vs Raptors

NBA Betting Matchup: Houston Rockets (11-19, 6-12 away, 11-19-0 ATS, 11-18-1 O/U) vs Toronto Raptors (16-17, 7-7 home, 15-18-0 ATS, 18-15-0 O/U)

• Spread: Rockets +7 (-106), Raptors -7 (-114)
• Total: OVER 222 (-108), UNDER 228 (-112)
• Moneyline: Rockets +245, Raptors -300

The Raptors have been up and down this season and are currently down, having lost two in a row. But they will feel confident about returning to .500 tonight against the Rockets, who continue to lose and be lost without Christian Wood.

Key Raptors vs Rockets Trends: The Raptors are 4-8 SU and 5-7-0 ATS against the Western Conference this season.

In the eight games since Christian Wood went down, the Rockets are 0-8 SU and 1-7 ATS. Last time out, they lost by 16 at Cleveland, who had ended a 10-game losing streak in their previous game.

Kings vs Pistons

NBA Betting Matchup: Sacramento Kings (12-20, 5-9 away, 13-19-0 ATS, 22-10-0 O/U) vs Detroit Pistons (9-23, 6-8 home, 17-14-1 ATS, 16-16-0 O/U)

• Spread: Kings -1 (-110), Pistons +1 (-110)
• Total: OVER 224.5 (-110), UNDER 224.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Kings -116, Pistons -102

The Kings’ hot streak they were earlier this month looks like a distant memory now, as they are ice cold as February wraps up. The Pistons are as unpredictable as ever.

Key Kings vs Pistons Trends: The Pistons have won only one of their last five games, but they have covered in their last two games. Additionally, they are 4-1 SU and ATS in their last five home games, with wins over the 76ers, Lakers, and Nets.

The Kings are 0-9 SU and ATS, and they face the Pistons after allowing the Knicks, one of the league’s lowest-scoring teams, to score a season-high 140 points. The Kings have allowed an average of 126.3 points per game over their losing streak. Unsurprisingly, the OVER has hit in their last eight games.

Jazz vs Heat

NBA Betting Matchup: Utah Jazz (26-6, 11-4, 24-8-0 ATS, 14-17-1 O/U) vs Miami Heat (15-17, 8-7 home, 13-18-1 ATS, 15-17-0 O/U)

• Spread: Jazz -6 (-110), Heat +6 (-110)
• Total: OVER 218.5 (-110), UNDER 218.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Jazz -255, Heat +210

The Jazz have been rolling, but this could be a test for them. The Heat have been playing well, and they should at least fare better than they did when the two teams met in Salt Lake City two weeks ago (a 112-94 Jazz win).

Key Jazz vs Heat Trends: The Heat have racked up four straight SU and ATS wins, and they are 8-3 SU and 7-4-0 ATS in their last 11 games.

There is not a lot to say about the Jazz that has not been said already, but they are now 22-2 SU and 21-3 ATS in their last 24 games. And after losing to the Clippers last Friday, they have responded with consecutive wins by more than 20 points.

Clippers vs Grizzlies

NBA Betting Matchup: Los Angeles Clippers (23-11, 11-5 away, 19-15-0 ATS, 20-13-1 O/U) vs Memphis Grizzlies (14-14, 7-9 home, 15-13-0 ATS, 15-13-0 O/U)

• Spread: Clippers -6 (-110), Grizzlies +6 (-110)
• Total: OVER 224.5 (-114), UNDER 224.5 (-106)
• Moneyline: Clippers -255, Grizzlies +210

The Grizzlies produced one of the surprises of the night last night, routing the Clippers 122-94. Can they repeat the feat tonight?

Key Clippers vs Grizzlies Trends: Last night was a surprising result for the Grizzlies, in part because they have been a better team on the road than at home this season and lost by 31 to the Suns in their previous home game last Saturday. However, they do have home wins over the Suns, 76ers, Nets, and now the Clippers.

The Clippers have been one of the league’s best road teams this season, with only the Lakers (13-4) and Jazz (11-4) having as much road success. Last night’s loss dropped them to 10-5-0 ATS on the road, and they have yet to have consecutive ATS setbacks on the road this season.

Hawks vs Thunder

NBA Betting Matchup: Atlanta Hawks (14-18, 6-9 away, 16-16-0 ATS, 15-17-0 O/U) vs Oklahoma City Thunder (13-19, 5-10 home, 17-14-1 ATS, 15-17-0 O/U)

• Spread: Hawks -5 (-108), Thunder +5 (-112)
• Total: OVER 223.5 (-110), UNDER 223.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Hawks -210, Thunder +176

Trae Young responded to his All-Star snub with fourth 30+ point performance in his last five games in Wednesday’s win over the Celtics, but can the Hawks show a little consistency and pick up a second win in a row?

Key Hawks vs Thunder Trends: The Thunder’s buzzer-beating win over the Spurs on Tuesday was only their third win in their last 10 games. On the season, they are 5-9-1 ATS at home, and they have not covered the spread in consecutive home games this season. The UNDER is 7-1-0 in OKC’s last eight games.

The Hawks are one of the league’s feast or famine teams, with home wins over the Nuggets and Cavaliers sandwiched around a loss at Cleveland. The Hawks have alternated SU & ATS wins and losses over their last six games, so they will lose tonight if that trend continues. The OVER is 9-1-0 in Atlanta’s last 10 games.

Hornets vs Warriors

NBA Betting Matchup: Charlotte Hornets (15-16, 6-8 away, 17-13-1 ATS, 16-14-1 O/U) vs Golden State Warriors (18-15, 11-6 home, 17-16-0 ATS, 14-19-0 O/U)

• Spread: Hornets +6.5 (-110), Warriors -6.5 (-110)
• Total: OVER 232.5 (-110), UNDER 232.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Hornets +215, Warriors -260

Steph Curry was a late scratch when these two teams met last Saturday, but he will be on the court tonight. The Warriors could have used him in Charlotte, as they fell to a Terry Rozier buzzer-beater in a weird, wild final minute.

Key Hornets vs Warriors Trends: The Warriors are shooting for a third win in three games this week in their return home following a four-game road trip. The Warriors are 10-7-0 ATS at home this season.

The Hornets are 6-7 SU and ATS against the Western Conference this season. But they are 4-3 SU and ATS in a current seven-game stretch against the West, including a 124-121 win at Phoenix two days ago. The OVER is 9-3-0 in the Hornets’ last 12 games.

February 26 NBA Betting: Best Bets

• 1. Kings vs Pistons OVER
• 2. Suns vs Bulls OVER
• 3. Hornets vs Warriors OVER
• 4. Heat to cover vs Jazz
• 5. Clippers to cover vs Grizzlies
• 6. Pistons to cover and win vs Kings