Wednesday night was bad-beat central for our NBA best bets, with only our alternate line parlay hitting out of the four picks.
Not great, especially when Jordan Poole makes a game-winning shot to fall half a point shy of his prop. But hey, we bounce back today.
It’s a shorter slate on Thursday night in The Association, but I’m all over the New York Knicks-Boston Celtics game for a side and some prop plays.
We have not one, not two, not three, but four (ode to Miami Heat LeBron) player props to bet for tonight.
Let’s get into it:
NBA best bets record to date
NBA best bets today
- New York Knicks +8.5 (-110) vs. Boston Celtics
- Immanuel Quickley OVER 18.5 Points, Rebounds and Assists (-120)
- Julius Randle 13+ Rebounds (+135)
- Mikal Bridges OVER 17.5 Points (+100)
- Bojan Bogdanovic OVER 23.5 Points and Assists (-120)
New York Knicks +8.5 (-110) vs. Boston Celtics
I know the Celtics are the best team in the NBA this season, but this is a few too many points to give Tom Thibodeau’s club on the road.
The Knicks are 16-8 against the spread on the road this season, the best record in the NBA, and they’ve made a key adjustment since their loss to Boston earlier this season.
In that game, the Celtics made 27 3-pointers, but the Knicks are now one of the best teams at defending the trey. New York ranks third in the NBA in opponent 3-point percentage, a major flip from early in the 2022-23 campaign.
For some reason, the Knicks play better on the road this season, so I’ll gladly take the 8.5 points in this matchup.
Immanuel Quickley OVER 18.5 Points, Rebounds and Assists (-120)
What a value line for Immanuel Quickley, who has become an integral part of New York’s rotation this season.
IQ has cleared 18.5 points, rebounds and assists in 12 of his last 14 games, and he’s kept up the solid play since Jalen Brunson returned from a hip injury, averaging 14.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.
Quickley is playing 36.0 minutes per game over his last 14 matchups, so I expect him to have the chances to go OVER this prop against Boston.
Julius Randle 13+ Rebounds (+135)
Death, taxes and Julius Randle rebound props.
That’s been my motto as of late, and those of you who have been avid readers of the column (appreciate y’all) know that we’re taking the alternate line for Jules every time.
Randle’s prop is set at 11.5 for tonight’s game against the Celtics, but I took his alternate rebounds at DraftKings at 13+ (+135).
The Knicks star has put up 13 or more rebounds in nine of his last 11 games, averaging 13.6 boards per game since Dec. 14. If the books want to keep hanging these value lines out there for Randle, I’ll gladly keep taking them.
Mikal Bridges OVER 17.5 Points (+100)
No Devin Booker?
No problem for Mikal Bridges and the Phoenix Suns over their last four games. The Suns have won each of those matchups, and Mikal is really shooting the ball well as of late.
Bridges has cleared 17.5 points in six straight games and seven of his last eight, and his usage is what I love for this prop.
The Suns wing is taking 16.6 shots per game over his last eight matchups, and he’s taking on a Dallas team that has been brutal on defense as of late, ranking 29th in defensive rating over its last 10 games.
Bojan Bogdanovic OVER 23.5 Points and Assists (-120)
Bojan Bogdanovic has been hot for the Detroit Pistons, timing things perfectly for the NBA trade deadline.
The veteran forward has cleared 23.5 points and assists in 10 consecutive games, and he’s averaging 21.5 points and 2.7 assists per game this season.
Now, he gets a Brooklyn Nets team that is on the second night of a back-to-back after giving up 137 points to the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night.
There’s a chance Bogdanovic clears this on points alone, so I love this one as an under the radar play tonight.
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Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.