NBA Best Bets Today, 3/14: Picks, Predictions & Player Props - Friday
Nikola Vucevic had his worst game of the season, and The Well has gone dry. Vucevic managed just seven points and three rebounds… well short of the double-double rebounding line.
Dorian Finney-Smith received two quick fouls in the first quarter and played with little aggression the rest of the game, earning just one rebound. Yves Missi did not play and was a voided bet for our NBA predictions.
NBA Picks, Predictions & Best Bets Today, 3/14
There are ten games in the NBA today, and there could be some shifting in the rankings come tomorrow.
For NBA best bets today, the Bet of the Night comes from a top tier Eastern versus Western Conference battle.
Cavaliers vs. Grizzlies Prediction: Cleveland -2.0 (-108 on DraftKings) *BET OF THE NIGHT
The second place Memphis Grizzlies host the first place Cleveland Cavaliers in what is projected to be a fantastic match. The Grizzlies have won four in a row, which is really impressive, but small potatoes compared to the Cavaliers 15 in a row. They did so with different starters in and out of the lineup too. The first NBA best bet today will have key players out for each team.
Cleveland will be without Donovan Mitchell who is out with a groin injury. De’Andre Hunter is listed as probable with an illness but could be playing at less than 100%. For Memphis Santi Aldama is out with a calf injury and the Grizzlies best player, Jaren Jackson, is listed as questionable with ankle injury. He has not played since March 3rd but there are player props available on him.
Wins are hard to come by in any professional sport, but Memphis’ four game winning streak was achieved against Western Conference opponents with sub .500 records. Good teams win against opponents they are supposed to beat; great teams achieve rare statistics.
Cleveland is just the sixth team to have two separate 15 game winning streaks in the same season. They have excellent roster construction, great coaching, and a better than average bench. They average the most points per game in the NBA, 122.7, and allow five points fewer, 111.4, than the Grizzlies.
Look for Darius Garland to put on a show and the dominant front court of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen to control this game regardless of if Jackson Jr. plays. Our NBA best bets today will put a unit on the Cavaliers to cover a low spread.
Kings vs. Suns Prediction: Sacramento +3.0 (-110 on Bet365)
A potential Western Conference play-in match takes place as the Phoenix Suns welcome the Sacramento Kings to the Footprint Center. The Kings are currently ninth, and the Suns eleventh, but both have an opportunity to improve their rankings.
Sacramento is 2.5 games behind the Los Angeles Clippers, and Phoenix is 2.5 games behind the Dallas Mavericks. The Suns are also 3.5 games behind the Kings and with a win would move to 2.5 games back from ninth and earn a home play-in match.
This NBA best bet looks for the Kings to cover against the Suns. They do not have to win this match, but it is a great possibility that they do. The Kings have lost three in a row, but the Suns have lost seven of their last ten matches. Sacramento averages more points and allows less points per game than Phoenix and could have Domantas Sabonis back for this match.
Sabonis does have prop wagers available but has only played one minute this month. If he is a full go he will dominate Mason Plumlee or Nick Richards, should he return to the lineup. If not, Jonas Valanciunas has proven to be a valuable trade acquisition that still has great games left in him. He has recorded nine or more rebounds in all seven matches this month.
The Kings lost to the Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks, Los Angeles Clippers, and Denver Nuggets in four of their last five matches. Those teams are eighth seed or better, and the Suns are nowhere near that level. Put a unit on the Kings to cover a +3.0 spread for the next of our NBA picks.
Best NBA Prop Bets & Other Picks Today, 3/14
This late in the season there are teams playing for different goals, and players can be rested to achieve both.
Navigating the player props is difficult, but one player has a great opportunity for our NBA best bets today.
Raptors vs. Jazz Prediction: RJ Barrett O20.5 Points (-105 on Bet365)
RJ Barrett won when he was mentioned earlier this week, and his best bet today is looking for the same result.
The Toronto Raptors head west to take on the Utah Jazz who have been in full tank mode for over a month. In fact, they have been tanking with such fervor, that they received a $100,000 fine from the NBA.
The Toronto Raptors are also a team seeking a high lottery pick but alternating resting players with minor injuries. However, with the trade for Brandon Ingram, and a good draft pick, they have set themselves up for a potential great season or two. RJ Barrett has been the Raptors best player this season and should display it tonight against the Jazz.
He did not play in the Raptors most recent match on March 12th and should be well rested for today. Barrett is averaging 21.6 points per game and has scored 21 or more points in three of his last four matches. With six Raptors out with injury and Scottie Barnes questionable with a hand injury, Barrett will be called upon to score often.
Barrett has attempted 13 or more field goals in each of his last eight matches, and could exceed his high of 19 tonight. He has made six or more of those field goals in all but one match. Utah allows 119.8 points per game, has lost seven in a row, and defense is not their strength. Put a unit on Barrett to score his average or more with several teammates out to cap off today’s NBA predictions.
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Bet Smart, Be Lucky - Iggy
*All NBA odds accurate at time of writing and NBA best bets today to be placed at 1 unit unless specified otherwise
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Ivica Zubac had a productive outing, finishing with 27 points (11-of-15 FGs, 5-of-8 FTs), five rebounds, one assist and two blocks in the Game 5 loss to the Nuggets on Tuesday.
Zubac continued to score the ball well, finishing with a series-high in points on efficient shooting. However, Zubac’s usual impact on the glass was absent as he secured just five rebounds in Game 5 after tallying at least nine in the previous four, with his one assist also tying his lowest output of the series. Down in the series 3-2, the Clippers head back to Los Angeles for Game 6 on Thursday, where they face a must-win situation to keep their season alive.
James Harden concluded Tuesday’s Game 5 loss to the Nuggets with 11 points (3-of-9 FGs, 5-of-8 FTs), eight rebounds, five assists and two steals in 35 minutes.
Harden had a quiet night on Tuesday, barely cracking double figures in scoring and failing to register double-digit shot attempts. The 2018 NBA MVP has faced a stifling Nuggets defense that, over the last few games, has forced the ball out of his hands, leading to inferior performances compared to earlier games in the series. Harden will look for a bounce-back performance on Thursday as he tries to lead the Clippers to a season-saving victory in Game 6.
Kawhi Leonard stuffed the stat sheet in Tuesday’s Game 5 loss to the Nuggets, posting 20 points (8-of-15 FGs, 3-of-7 FTs), nine rebounds, 11 assists, one steal, two blocks and one three-pointer.
Leonard did a little bit of everything for the Clippers in Game 5. The two-time NBA Finals MVP posted a series-high in assists and also hit the glass hard, resulting in a near-triple-double. Leonard has scored at least 20 points in all five games of this series. However, the Clippers may need even more from him going forward as they look to extend their season beyond Thursday’s Game 6 at the Intuit Dome.
Nikola Jokic earned a triple-double in the Nuggets’ Game 5 win on Tuesday over the Clippers, finishing with 13 points (4-of-13 FGs, 4-of-5 FTs), 10 rebounds, 12 assists, one steal, two blocks and one three-pointer.
The three-time NBA MVP had a relatively quiet game by his standards, but still came away with his third triple-double of the series. Jokic struggled with shooting efficiency, and his scoring output was the lowest of the series. Yet, his points were not as necessary in this game, given how well the rest of the Nuggets shot the ball. Nevertheless, Jokic will be in line for another big performance on Thursday when the Nuggets face the Clippers in Game 6.
Russell Westbrook came off the bench and produced 21 points (8-of-15 FGs, 2-of-2 FTs), one rebound, one assist and three three-pointers in the Nuggets’ Game 5 win over the Clippers on Tuesday.
Westbrook was electric in his first game back in the lineup following a foot injury that kept him out of Game 4. His second-quarter scoring ignited the crowd and helped set the table for what would be his highest-scoring game of the postseason. The 2017 NBA MVP has had himself a nice series thus far from a scoring standpoint and will have a chance to end his former team’s season on Thursday in Game 6.
Jamal Murray had a dominant Game 5 performance in the Nuggets’ win over the Clippers on Tuesday, tallying 43 points (17-of-26 FGs, 1-of-1 FTs), five rebounds, seven assists, three steals, one block and eight three-pointers.
Fresh off a series-low 13 points in Game 4, Murray exploded for a series-high on Tuesday. He totaled nearly as many three-pointers in this game as he had in the previous four combined, while still managing to dish out seven assists. Murray got hot early in this one and never cooled off, and now has provided his Nuggets the opportunity on Thursday in Game 6 to eliminate the Clippers for the second time in the last five seasons.