Best Sports Betting Picks Today: NBA, Australian Open, College Basketball Bets on January 21st

We should have an investigation into the Washington Wizards. Might be time for the relegation system, as I’m sure their G League squad, the Capital City Go-Go, could win six games in half an NBA season.

The Wizards have dropped 10 straight games entering Tuesday’s contest against the Los Angeles Lakers, and that is only their second-worst skid of the season. There isn’t even much hope for the future.

The Australian Open is deep into the tourney, and we miss most of the best matches because they happen when we’re asleep. But we’ll be awake when American Emma Navarro attempts to take down Iga Swiatek in a quarterfinal match.

Good college basketball players depart for the NBA quickly these days, but Caleb Love is still around and buried in a slump. We will take a look at Love as the Arizona Wildcats visit the Oklahoma State Cowboys.

WASHINGTON WIZARDS AT LOS ANGELES LAKERS

One thing to keep in mind if you are weighing whether to bet on this game is that Lakers star LeBron James was in Atlanta on Monday night rooting on Ohio State in its national championship victory over Notre Dame. Could the Lakers be targeting him for rest on Tuesday with the Boston Celtics next on Thursday? Was he going to take a red-eye flight back to Los Angeles?

You’d think Los Angeles could beat the Wizards without James. Then again, the Lakers have lost four of their past six games and can’t afford a stumble against the Wizards. LeBron has been questioning the roster makeup lately too.

Anthony Davis also could be in line for rest as his left foot troubles have persisted. Seems doubtful both Davis and James would sit. The Wizards haven’t won since Jan. 1 and sit 1-17 on the road.

Washington has allowed 120 or more points in six consecutive games and eight times during the 10-game skid. You can expect to see lots of Los Angeles shots swishing the net.

Over 230.5 points, -108 (DraftKings)

EMMA NAVARRO VS. IGA SWIATEK, AUSTRALIAN OPEN

Swiatek and two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka are the favorites to win the Grand Slam event, but second-seeded Swiatek could run into trouble during her quarterfinal match. The eighth-seeded Navarro served notice that she plans to compete for major titles when she reached the U.S. Open semis last summer before losing to Sabalenka. 

Navarro has been a quick riser since joining the professional ranks full-time after winning the NCAA women’s singles title in 2022 for Virginia. The big question might be her lack of deep Grand Slam experience compared to Swiatek, who has won five major titles.

Swiatek has never won the Aussie Open. Her best showing was reaching the semifinals in 2022 before being demolished by Danielle Collins. All the pressure is on Swiatek, as people often point out that four of her five Grand Slam titles came on the French Open clay in Paris.

Swiatek lost just one game in each of her last two matches while steamrolling Emma Raducanu and Eva Lys. Things will be much tighter against Navarro at Rod Laver Arena.

Navarro +6.5 games won, -120 (DraftKings)

ARIZONA WILDCATS AT OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS

It feels odd that Arizona is unranked and has six losses around the midway point. The Wildcats are new to the Big 12, and their trip to Lubbock was even more dreary than the town itself. Texas Tech had little trouble notching a 70-54 victory on Saturday.

Meanwhile, fifth-year guard Love isn’t looking like someone who was Pac-12 Player of the Year and a third-team All-American last season. He also isn’t living up to that preseason All-American billing. He has scored in single digits six times, including three of the past four contests.

Love had a stellar stretch in late December when he scored 23, 24 and a season-best 33 in a three-game span. But since then, he has averaged 10.4 points and shot 28.3 percent from the field over a five-game span. As coach Tommy Lloyd said, “He’s got to start playing better.”

Oklahoma State beat Colorado 83-73 on Saturday and is 10-2 when holding teams under 80. Love won’t end up in single digits, but it’s hard to see a 20-point outing.

Caleb Love to score 16-plus points, -130 (DraftKings)