NBA Picks

There’s been scary news came in for the Detroit Pistons this week, as star point guard Cade Cunningham will be out for an extended period of time with a collapsed lung. He left the game on Tuesday against the Washington Wizards just 5 minutes in, but the Pistons were still able to rally to take home the 130-117 win. These teams will now run it back for a second straight game, as the Pistons will try to win their 50th game of the season.

Jalen Duran stepped up in a big way in Tuesday’s action with Cunningham out, finishing the game with 36 points on 13-17 shooting from the floor. With the Wizards missing Alex Sarr, they had no answer for the Detroit big man. Sarr is questionable to return for Thursday’s game with a toe injury. Cunningham has not missed a lot of time this season, so it could be unclear who will take over the majority of time in the starting point guard spot. It will likely be a committee of Daniss Jenkins, Marcus Sasser, Duncan Robinson, and Caris LeVert slated to run the offense. With question marks in their backcourt, it is hard for me to back the Pistons to cover this number. These two teams have played each other three times this season, and the Wizards have been competitive in all three games. It took a 137-135 overtime win for the Pistons to beat the Wizards in their first meeting, and then the Wizards beat the Pistons in Detroit 126-117 back in February. I like the Wizards and their plethora of young guards to keep this game competitive against Detroit.

Pistons vs Wizards prediction: Wizards +14.5 (-110) available at the time of publishing. Playable at that number.

Charlotte has evolved into one of the more dangerous teams in the Eastern Conference over the course of 2026. What once looked like a middling roster at best has begun to find consistency on both ends of the floor, and the results have followed. The Hornets have shown the ability to defend at a high level while also producing offensive bursts that can quickly shift the momentum of a game. Their 30-point win over Miami earlier this week was a perfect example of how quickly Charlotte can separate when its offense starts flowing and the defense holds serve.

What makes the Hornets particularly difficult to deal with right now is their versatility. Charlotte can win games in multiple ways. If the tempo rises, they have the scoring to match it. If the game slows down, they are comfortable leaning on their defense and executing in the half court. That flexibility presents a problem for Orlando. The Magic tend to rely on a defense-first identity built around controlling pace and limiting possessions. Against most teams that approach can dictate the style of play. Charlotte, however, has proven capable of playing that same slower, defensive game while still having more offensive options available when needed. Location also matters here. This matchup takes place in Charlotte, where the Hornets have been significantly more confident and aggressive offensively. Orlando on the contrary, hangs it hat on its home court presence, as well. If the Hornets continue the balanced form they’ve shown throughout the year, their defensive stability and ability to score in bursts should ultimately allow them to win and pull away.

Magic vs Hornets prediction: Hornets -5 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable to the number.

With 13 games left the Cavaliers are still holding on to hope of catching the 3rd seed and the New York Knicks who are 2.5 games ahead in the standings. They have a very winnable game on Thursday as they head into Chicago for a date with the Bulls. Cleveland is 12-3 SU in 15 meetings, so even if the Bulls have won 2 of 3 against them this season they’ll still feel very optimistic going into this clash. The offense has been clicking over the past 15 games, the Cavs are 3rd in efficiency at 120 points per 100 possessions scored.

During this stretch the Bulls are all the way down in 29th, averaging 108.2 points per 100 possessions. Because of this they’ve won just 4 of 20 games overall, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing for a team that’s looking to improve its positioning in the NBA draft. Their last game saw them get blown out by the Toronto Raptors 139-109, the three-ball just wasn’t going in as they connected on only 9 of 31 attempts from deep. Whenever you have an opponent dishing 30+ assists you have to question the defensive effort of the team that’s allowing that to happen. The Bulls just aren’t putting winning atop of their list of priorities these days.

Anything but a win for the Cavaliers would be considered an upset here. The spread does look big at first glance, Chicago’s net rating over the past 15 games is just -6.8 points which tells us they’ve been competitive in some of these losses. With them beating the Cavs already twice this year, I’m willing to give them the benefit of the doubt and back them to cover as huge underdogs here. Take Chicago.

Cavaliers vs Bulls prediction: Bulls +13 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

The New Orleans Pelicans and the Los Angeles Clippers are slated to play their second game of a back-to-back tonight. As slight 1.5 point favorites at the time of tip off, the Pelicans won and covered the spread handily last night 124-109. Saddiq Bey led the team with 25 points, and Trey Murphy added 23 points. As a whole, the Pelicans shot 53% to get their first win in three tries against the Clippers this season. Some good news for Los Angeles is that yesterday was the return to the lineup for Kawhi Leonard after a short injury stint. Leonard is once again listed as available for tonight, but his running mate, Bennedict Mathurin will remain out with an injury. Mathurin had seemingly been excelling in his role on the Clippers, averaging 20.6 points per game in his last ten games.

The Clippers will need to rely on Leonard and Darius Garland to get the job done against the Pelicans tonight. Despite the Pelicans sitting near the bottom of the Western Conference standings, they have been a difficult team to beat recently. Out of all the teams currently sitting out of the playoff picture, the Pelicans are the only team actively still trying to win games. New Orleans has won 9 of their last 13 games. Some good news for Los Angeles is only two of those wins came against a team with a winning record. The Pelicans will once again be favored tonight, but I think the Clippers can bounce back to get a win. These teams played back on March 1st, and with no Garland, the Clippers shot 54% and won 137-117. Despite the Pelicans recent success, they still rank as a bottom-10 defensive team. The Clippers have the tools and players to bounce back tonight.

Clippers vs Pelicans prediction: Clippers ML (+105) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

On Wednesday, we witnessed a performance for the ages from the Los Angeles Lakers and LeBron James in particular, as they downed the Houston Rockets for the 2nd straight game 124-116. Luka Doncic went off with 40 points, while LeBron James added 30 points of his own on a stellar 13-for-14 from the field. As a team the Lakers shot 61% from the field, which tells you everything you need to know about the defensive effort of the Rockets in that game. The sad news for the Lakers is that they are in action less than 24 hours after last night’s game, as they head to Miami for a date with LeBron’s former team the Heat. They’ve now won 7 in a row, but playing right after such a grueling game against one of the better teams in the West could be problematic.

Miami has cooled off a bit following their 7-game win streak with back-to-back losses to Orlando and Charlotte. Bam Adebayo missed the Hornets game, so we can attribute that 30-point loss to him not being available. The calf should feel a lot better ahead of Thursday’s game, having the rest advantage here could be massive for Miami who just got Norman Powell back from injury. I’m expecting the Heat to ramp up production in these remaining 13 or so game, they are just a half game back from the 6th seeded Orlando Magic and 1.5 games back from the Raptors who are 5th in the standings. Miami has covered in 7 of 8 at home and is 7-2 SU in 9 games overall.

I really feel for the Lakers here. No starter logged less than 34 minutes last night, with Reaves and Doncic playing 39 and 38 respectively. With us being so deep into the season every opportunity to rest is valuable, I just don’t think they’ll have the energy to compete with the fast-paced Miami offense here. The Heat have won 5 straight home games against the Lakers, they are also 5-1 ATS in 6 games vs West opponents. Go with the home team here.

Lakers vs Heat prediction: Heat -3 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

The Phoenix Suns travel to face the San Antonio Spurs in a Western Conference matchup featuring a surging contender against a competitive opponent. San Antonio enters at 51-18, powered by an offense averaging 118.1 points per game while shooting 47.7% from the field. Victor Wembanyama anchors both ends with 24 points, 11 rebounds, and 3+ blocks per game, while the Spurs also average 26.6 assists per game, showcasing strong ball movement. Their recent form has been dominant, winning 19 of their last 21 games and frequently scoring over 130 points, making them one of the hottest teams in the league.

The Suns enter 39-30, averaging about 113.6 points per game on 46% shooting, led by Devin Booker, who is posting over 25 points and 6 assists per game. Additional scoring from players like Jalen Green has boosted the offense, including a recent combined 79-point performance. However, Phoenix has struggled defensively at times and recently lost 121-94 to San Antonio, highlighting the gap against elite teams. While the Spurs hold clear advantages in efficiency and recent form, Phoenix’s scoring ability and perimeter shooting could help keep the game competitive.

Suns vs Spurs Prediction: Suns +10 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable to +9

This will be the second game this month between the Utah Jazz and the Milwaukee Bucks. The first meeting saw these sides combine for 212-points with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Keyonte George leading the scoring for each team, respectively. With neither of them available for tonight’s contest, the teams will have to find scoring elsewhere. Considering they are 21st and 27th in offensive rating over the last 10 games, that might be difficult for them to achieve. Over the last 10 games the Bucks are ranked 4th in opponent points in the paint and were able to hold the Jazz to just 24 such points in their last meeting. With George being a major part of their inside scoring threat, the hosts could struggle there once more.

Over the last 10 games the Bucks have been just 22nd in pace of play. If they are successful in bringing the tempo down tonight, it could help limit the scoring for both sides here. Over that stretch of games the hosts have been down in 28th in field goal percentage. With limited possessions, it is hard to see them doing their part scoring wise in this one. Kevin Porter Jr. is also listed as questionable and with him being the Bucks main playmaker, it could be another big hit for the visitor’s offense. Back the under as a result.

Bucks vs Jazz prediction: Under 229.5 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable to 228.5.

The Philadelphia 76ers travel to face the Sacramento Kings in a matchup that projects to be sloppy and inconsistent. Philadelphia enters at 37-32, averaging 115.3 points per game, while Sacramento scores closer to 110.7 points per game. The 76ers have been dealing with key injuries, forcing a shift toward a slower, half court style focused on defense and rebounding. That approach has led to inconsistent offensive production, including a recent game where Philadelphia was held to just 96 points, highlighting their struggles when short handed.

Sacramento has also dealt with offensive inconsistency, ranking near the bottom of the league in shooting efficiency metrics, including three point percentage. While the Kings can push pace at times, their half court execution often leads to scoring droughts. A previous meeting between these teams ended 113-111, reinforcing the likelihood of a tighter, lower scoring contest. With Philadelphia likely to control tempo and Sacramento struggling to generate efficient offense, this matchup sets up as a long night without star power on the floor.

76ers vs Kings Prediction: Under 225.5 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable to 224