Saturday’s bets were a bit of a letdown after Aaron Gordon failed to make it right and grab an additional four rebounds. The Nuggets easily covered but their end of the parlay but we came up short with Gordon collecting just a pair of rebounds. To add insult to injury, Nick Richards went over his rebound prop, while Jusuf Nurkic needed just one more board to hit his prop. Right now we are bust, after being within .35 units of 40, the total has dropped down to just over 21. Not to fret, as change is in the air. It is daylight saving time and there used to be the first lights of dawn peeking through my window when beginning this column. Now it’s dark, and the starlight is the only light coming from outside the window. The stars always have a soothing feeling, and they are known to bring what you wish upon them. May they shine on Fantasy Alarm NBA Best Bets, as we lay down the most units ever bet in this column. Three parlays are on deck, as the 20th week of the NBA wraps up today.

 

NBA EXPERT BET OF THE DAY FOR MARCH 10

MONEYLINE PARLAY- MIAMI HEAT & NEW ORLEANS PELICANS (-162 BetMGM); 10 UNITS

You are reading that correctly; 10 units on the parlay! Today is a day of laying it on the line, no need to be frugal. The Miami Heat host the Washington Wizards who have all but given up on the season. They did win their last game, but that could be their last win of the season. Meanwhile the Heat are currently in sixth place in the Eastern Conference and desperately want to avoid the play-in. The Heat have a positive point differential and the Wizards have the second-highest negative point differential in the NBA. Miami is 11.5-point favorites which is the second-highest spread of the day. It should be an easy victory for the reigning Eastern Conference champions.

The New Orleans Pelicans have quietly, without much attention, had an excellent season. They are currently fifth in the Western Conference, on a three-game winning streak, and have a fully healthy roster. The Pelicans have a +5.3 point differential, and for the first time in what feels like a decade are enjoying a fully healthy roster in mid-March. 

The Atlanta Hawks are on a three-game winning streak, and trying to secure their spot in the play-in. They are currently in 10th place and playing well despite the loss of All-Star Trae Young. Atlanta also has a 4.5-game lead over the 11th place Brooklyn Nets. 

The Hawks are 16-16 at State Farm Arena, and believe it or not, the Pelicans have a better away record than they do home record. New Orleans has 20 wins and 13 losses on the road this season. The Pelicans have a bigger roster, a better point guard, a much better point differential, and a 7.5-point advantage on the spread. 

10 units is a lot to put down, and if your unit is the American Standard, then this wager amount is what is referred to as a ‘dime’. They are not often suggested but the sportsbooks have been really accurate lately, and the strategy is to ride their algorithms for a win.

SAME GAME PARLAYS FOR MARCH 10

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS -3 & JARRETT ALLEN 10+ REBOUNDS (-175 DraftKings Sportsbook); FIVE UNITS

Yes you are reading that correctly, five units after a 10-unit bet. This is called a ‘nickel’ bet in the betting world, and we are laying both a nickel and a dime today. FantasyAlarm is going for it on Daylight Savings when others sleep we take advantage with more analyzing and stat diving.

The Brooklyn Nets at Cleveland Cavaliers is the first game on ESPN tonight with a 7:00 PM ET tip-off. The Brooklyn Nets are playing in back-to-back games and their third consecutive road game. They took a loss against one of the worst teams in the league last night, the Charlotte Hornets. The Nets are already short-handed with Cameron Johnson and Lonnie Walker IV both out, and back-to-back road games are tough on the mind and body.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are without three starters tonight, but do not panic. Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen are putting this team on their back with Donovan Mitchell, Max Strus, and Evan Mobley injured. The Cavaliers are only 0.5 games ahead of the Milwaukee Bucks for second place in the Eastern Conference, and that could be pivotal in the second round of the playoffs. Cleveland enjoys a +4.6-point differential to Brooklyn’s -2.3, and Cleveland should cover this teased down spread from -7 to -3.

Jarrett Allen has been playing excellent basketball with fellow big man Evan Mobley out. Allen has played 34+ minutes in six straight games, and 35+ in games without Mobley. He has an average of 10.8 rebounds per game, and has recorded 12+ since Mobley’s injury. Brooklyn is tough against rebounds but Nick Richards just burned them with 13 rebounds last night and Allen is a much better center than Richards. 

The Cavaliers are playing for something meaningful and the Nets are ready for the offseason. Trust the five units on this teased down same game parlay.

MILWAUKEE BUCKS MONEYLINE & GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO OVER 11.5 REBOUNDS AND 30+ POINTS (+228 DraftKings Sportsbook)

This is the first game of the day with a 12:00 PM local time tip-off (3:00 PM ET). In fact Los Angeles gets two NBA games today with both the Clippers and Lakers playing at Crypto.com Arena. The Clippers are not only in the first game today, but playing in the second of back-to-back games. To make matters worse they have a two-time NBA MVP staring them down and no player to really defend him, and their old coach, Doc Rivers, who knows them well. Milwaukee beat the Clippers earlier this week and that was without the 2021 Finals MVP.

Welcome back Giannis Antetokounmpo to Fantasy Alarm NBA Best Bets. His points and rebounds became a little erratic at times, and he has been injured. Tonight though he desperately needs to lead his team to a victory and stop a losing streak. He plays a team the Bucks have an advantage on and although Milwaukee is on the road, they have been in Los Angeles for four days. The Bucks have had more rest than the Clippers in their own city. 

Antetokounmpo is averaging 30.8 points and 11.2 rebounds per game this season. He is the sixth leading rebounder per game and Ivica Zubac, Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, nor Mason Plumlee are good enough to stop Antetokounmpo when he gets rolling. His point line has been teased down to 30+ on the alternate point line. His rebounds have been left as is as he should have more energy than the Clippers players. The moneyline is on the parlay at good odds and the bet returns 2.28 units if successful. 

This bet qualifies for the same game parlay insurance provided by Draftkings. Make sure to opt-in and select it in your ticket before placing your wager amount. If one bet in the parlay were to lose, this bet would be refunded up to $50.00.

16 units are four times more than the average units bet per day in this column. But when a bettor is down on their luck, they’ll take their chances. And chances will be taken - that's for sure. After all, over 11 units gained from one day of sports betting is enough to make anyone smile.

Thanks for reading. Remember to check out Fantasy Alarm for all your fantasy and betting needs across multiple sports. 

Bet Smart, Be Lucky - Iggy

*All Bets to be placed at one-unit unless specified otherwise