Things are heating up in the NBA as we cross the halfway point in March. Wednesday brings us 9 more thrilling encounters in both conferences, with the highlight of the night being ESPN’s double-header. The action begins at 7 pm ET between the Warriors and Celtics, followed by a massive clash in Houston between the Lakers and Rockets.
I’ve done my due diligence and analyzed all 9 games, coming up with an NBA Best Bets for every single match-up. Odds are of course courtesy of FanDuel, continue reading below to see my selections. Don’t miss out on our NBA Picks as well on this busy Wednesday evening, but now let’s jump into my predictions!
Warriors vs Celtics Best Bet: Jaylen Brown 2+ Made Threes (-112)
He’s averaging 2.2 makes per game from distance in the last 10 meetings, shooting a solid 35%. The momentum from his 41-point game vs the Suns should carry over to this one, the Warriors are allowing 36.5% of opponent threes to go in over their last 3 games.
Thunder vs Nets Best Bet: Nets +19 (-106)
OKC playing on a 2nd night of a back-to-back, they’ve won just 4 wins in 11 such games this season. Plus, they enter this one having covered only once in 9 games overall. I’m not saying the Nets will win, but they should be able to keep it somewhat competitive for their home fans at least.
Trail Blazers vs Pacers Best Bet: Trail Blazers -10.5 (-108)
Portland has done a solid job allowing only 32.6% of threes to go in over their last 3 games. They should be able to contain the tanking Pacers here, Indiana has lost 10 in a row overall and 8 straight at home, covering only once in 14 games.
Raptors vs Bulls Best Bet: Raptors -7.5 (-106)
This is a big test for the Raptors and I think they’ll pass it with flying colors. They’ve beaten 4 of 5 East opponents going in this one, they are one of the more reliable away teams in the NBA against the spread this season. Chicago has just 4 wins in 19 games overall and has lost 9 of 10 vs East opponents.
Jazz vs Timberwolves Best Bet: Timberwolves -12.5 (-110)
Anthony Edwards is out, but the Timberwolves should still be able to dominate the tanking Jazz here. They just beat the Suns by 8, Julius Randle has connected back-to-back 32 points games so he should be able to make up for Ant Man’s absence here.
Clippers vs Pelicans Best Bet: Pelicans -2 (-108)
The Pelicans are the feel good story right now in the NBA, refusing to tank and giving their max effort despite being eliminated from play-in contention. Kawhi Leonard is questionable to play here, along with Darius Garland, while Bennedict Mathurin is officially ruled out. I’ll give the edge to the Pels.
Hawks vs Mavericks Best Bet: Hawks -7.5 (-114)
The hottest team in the NBA that’s currently on a 10-game win streak takes on a Mavs team that’s lost 9 straight at home. Atlanta ranks 1st in defensive and 4th in offensive efficiency during the win streak, the duo of Jalen Johnson and Nickeil Alexander-Walker has developed incredible chemistry between them. No way the Mavs can put an end to their win streak here.
Nuggets vs Grizzlies Best Bet: DeMar DeRozan 4+ Assists (-154)
From one tanking team to another. The Nuggets just took care of business vs Philadelphia last night, they’ll do the same against the Grizzlies even if they’re playing with no rest here. They’ve won 9 of 10 meetings and covered in 6 of 8 vs the Grizz.
Lakers vs Rockets Best Bet: Lakers +2.5 (-112)
It’s the 2nd game of the baseball series between the Lakers and Rockets. Luka and co. won the first one on Monday by 8 points, extending their win streak to 6 in a row. The tie-breaker and the 3rd seed is on the line here, this should bring the best out of both teams. I’m just not ready to bet against Luka who is averaging 37.8 points, 9.2 rebounds and 7.7 assists in his last 6 games. Let’s double down on the Lakers in this one.
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