Best Sports Betting Picks Today: NBA, NHL Predictions for February 6th | Deadspin.com

Player props are risky when a trade deadline is looming, so it’s always a good idea to play it safe with a moneyline bet instead.

Still, we can’t see Los Angeles trading another superstar in the span of a week, and the Lakers are playing well enough to warrant blending two player props with a spread bet to win some extra cash.

As for hockey, things won’t get too chaotic until the NHL trade deadline early next month, but we still found a bet to round out your first Thursday in February.

On with the picks:

NBA: SACRAMENTO KINGS AT PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS (10 P.M. ET)

We’re all still trying to process the avalanche of recent trades throughout the Association, so we can forgive ourselves for ignoring how well Portland’s been playing these past few weeks.

The Blazers have recovered from a five-game skid by winning nine of their last 10 to close within 3 1/2 games of a play-in spot in the Western Conference. And it’s not like they’re squeaking by, either. Six of those nine victories have been by double digits, and their lone loss came by 10 at league-leading Oklahoma City.

Portland will shoot for its sixth straight win when it hosts a Sacramento squad that fell to visiting Orlando 130-111 on Wednesday in Zach LaVine’s Kings debut. The two-time All-Star managed just 13 points in 31 minutes.

Sacramento has now lost five of seven, and a back-to-back doesn’t offer a team much time to develop solid chemistry with its newest starter. With that in mind, I’m comfortable backing the surging Blazers on their home court.

Trail Blazers moneyline, -112 (DraftKings)

NBA: GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS AT LOS ANGELES LAKERS (10 P.M. ET)

Both teams have been plenty busy near the trade deadline, and there’s no guarantee either squad won’t make one final move at the eleventh hour.

The dust from the earth-shattering Davis-for-Doncic trade was finally starting to settle when Los Angeles reportedly acquired Mark Williams from Charlotte on Wednesday in a deal that netted the Lakers a needed big man.

The latter trade came hours after Golden State did Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat a solid by acquiring the disgruntled six-time All-Star in a multi-team transaction, per multiple reports.

It’s unclear what the lineups will look like in Los Angeles on Thursday night, but the Lakers should continue a surge that’s seen them win three straight games and eight of their last nine.

Each of Los Angeles’ last three victories has come by at least 16 points, with LeBron James leading the Lakers in points and assists each time. The Warriors have dropped two of their last three, including a 131-128 loss at Utah on Wednesday.

It’s a safe bet (right?) that James won’t be traded, so we’re counting on another dynamic performance from the future Hall of Famer in a convincing Los Angeles win.

LeBron James 20+ points, LeBron James 10+ assists, Lakers -7.5 spread, +264 (FanDuel)

NHL: WASHINGTON CAPITALS AT PHILADELPHIA FLYERS (7 P.M. ET)

The last team from Washington to venture up I-95 for a game in Philadelphia didn’t fare so well. If it had, we’d be days away from watching Jayden Daniels become the first rookie quarterback ever to start a Super Bowl.

While the Commanders will have to wait until at least September to get another crack at the Eagles, the Capitals can reclaim some bragging rights for the D.C. area in the meantime if they can take down a slumping Flyers squad.

Philadelphia has faceplanted since a 5-0-1 stretch brought it within two games of a playoff spot on Jan. 21. The Flyers have gone just 1-5-1 in their last seven games, scoring just eight times during that span. They were blanked in three straight games before finally breaking through in a 3-2 home overtime loss to Utah on Tuesday.

Washington, meanwhile, nearly matched Philadelphia’s recent offensive production during Tuesday’s 6-3 home win over Florida. That victory followed two straight overtime defeats in which the Capitals scored four goals in both contests. 

Zooming out, Washington enters Thursday ranked second in the league in both goals scored (3.55) and goals allowed (2.45) per game, while the Flyers rank in the bottom half in both categories.

Let’s not overthink this.

Capitals -1.5 spread, +170 (DraftKings)