The college basketball world is on hold until this weekend for the Final Four, which means this week is a huge one to bet on the NBA for all of our hoop lovers.
Joel Embiid is sitting out tonight’s Denver Nuggets-Philadelphia 76ers matchup, which ruins the fun of the two top MVP candidates squaring off, but I still have a pick in that game.
That, along with a pair of player props, should get us started on the right foot this week.
Let’s dive in to the action:
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- RJ Barrett UNDER 1.5 3-Pointers Made (+135)
- DeMar DeRozan OVER 22.5 Points (-105)
- Denver Nuggets -7 (-110) vs. Philadelphia 76ers
- Phoenix Suns/Sacramento Kings Moneyline Parlay (+102)
RJ Barrett UNDER 1.5 3-Pointers Made (+135)
This season has been a tough one for RJ Barrett shooting the ball, as he’s posted a 3-point percentage of just 31.8 percent in the 2022-23 campaign.
Barrett has failed to hit multiple shots from beyond the arc in 12 of his last 17 games, and if Jalen Brunson (questionable) ends up playing tonight, Barrett will have a smaller share in the offense.
The other key is that RJ is taking just 4.7 shots from deep over this 17-game stretch, meaning he has to have a good shooting night to go OVER. Even against Houston, who allows the most 3s in the NBA per game, I can’t pass up the plus money value for Barrett to go UNDER.
DeMar DeRozan OVER 22.5 Points (-105)
This line is kind of crazy for DeMar DeRozna, even on the second night of a back-to-back.
DeRozan had cleared this line in eight of 11 games prior to going down with an injury, and he finished with an efficient 17 points on 13 shots on Sunday.
On the season, DeRozan is averaging 25.0 points per game, so I think this is a bounce-back spot for him against a Los Angeles Clippers team that is surprisingly 20th in the NBA in defensive rating over its last 15 games.
Denver Nuggets -7 (-110) vs. Philadelphia 76ers
The Sixers won’t have Embiid tonight, and I love Denver to cover as a home favorite as a result.
The Nuggets are elite at home, going 31-6 straight up on the season, including an impressive 21-13-1 ATS record as home favorites.
While Philly has played well without Embiid this season (9-4), James Harden (questionable) is also banged up. The Sixers have also struggled as road underdogs, going 7-9 ATS.
After watching Denver win its third straight games in a blowout against the Milwaukee Bucks, I’m willing to bet on it to cover against the Embiid-less Sixers.
Phoenix Suns/Sacramento Kings Moneyline Parlay (+102)
- Phoenix Suns ML (-275)
- Sacramento Kings ML (-205)
These are a couple of favorites that I believe are in line for a victory on Monday night.
The Kings are an impressive 19-9 overall when favored at home this season, and they get a favorable matchup with the Minnesota Timberwolves, who may sit Karl-Anthony Towns or Anthony Edwards on the second night of a back-to-back since they just came back from injury.
For the Phoenix Suns, Deandre Ayton is expected to return to the lineup tonight against the struggling Utah Jazz, who are down Collin Sexton, Jordan Clarkson (both out) and potentially Lauri Markkanen (questionable).
Since Utah is 10-2 ATS as a home dog, I’ll just take Phoenix to win on the road tonight.
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Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.