NBA Best Bets Today, 3/20: Picks, Predictions & Player Props - Thursday
P.J. Washington had a great game, such a good game that he ruined the teased down, -4.5 spread in favor of the Indiana Pacers for our NBA predictions. The Dallas Mavericks lost by only four points, and Washington played 38 minutes, but only managed five rebounds. That was five short of the 10 needed for his double-double prediction in our NBA picks.
Nikola Vucevic put in a great effort against the Phoenix Suns, but he came up four rebounds short of 10. It was a disastrous day for the best as none really came close. However, that is old news, and we focus on a short slate of games for Thursday’s NBA best bets.
NBA Picks, Predictions & Best Bets Today, 3/20
There are five games today, and two games that have shifted around to accommodate the make-up games from the devastating fires in California.
More than one of our NBA best bets today comes from those make-up matches, including the Bet of the Night.
Bucks vs. Lakers Prediction: Milwaukee -3 (-110 on Bet365) *BET OF THE NIGHT
The Milwaukee Bucks find themselves playing another Western Conference team on the second of back-to-back matches. It did not go their way against the Golden State Warriors, but they must take advantage of these opportunities. With only 14 games remaining, they need to win these games they have an advantage in.
The Bucks have lost two in a row and lost five of their last 10 matches. They need to stop losing in order to avoid dropping in the Eastern Conference rankings. The Los Angeles Lakers cruised to a victory last night, in a rare wire to wire win. Luka dropped the first nine points of the match and the Lakers walked all over the Denver Nuggets, who were without Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic.
Milwaukee is 0.5 games back from fourth place, held by the Indiana Pacers, and only 0.5 games ahead of the Detroit Pistons. They have had plenty of rest to prepare for this match, and with a championship Head Coach in Doc Rivers, there is plenty of reason to believe Milwaukee can cover the low, -3.0 spread.
The Lakers could be resting players, and once the official injury report is listed after today’s walk around, the spread could increase. The Bucks have Damian Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Gary Trent all listed as probable, and they should be able to play their average minutes.
The Lakers will not have an answer for Antetokounmpo in their front court, and he alone should dominate this match. Doncic will not be able to guard Lillard effectively and they could go back and forth tonight. The Bucks have the data, rest, and roster construction to beat the Lakers.
Milwaukee was victorious against them one week ago, 126-106, and a similar result is expected today. Antetokounmpo led the way in that match with 24 points and 12 rebounds, and they do not have a center or forward to stop him. Put a unit on Milwaukee to cover on the road.
Raptors vs. Warriors Prediction: Toronto +14 (-110 on DraftKings)
The Milwaukee Bucks are the lowest spread of the day, and the Toronto Raptors are the highest spread of the day. They are +14 point underdogs against the Golden State Warriors. The match does take place at the Chase Center, and Golden State has been playing better, but 14 points is a bit disrespectful to Scottie Barnes and the rest of the Raptors.
As of now RJ Barrett, Ja’Kobe Walter, Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, and Ulrich Chomche are listed as out for Toronto. Immanuel Quickley, Scottie Barnes, and Jakob Poeltl should play once again, and A.J. Lawson has played improved minutes in his opportunities due to injuries. The Raptors have playmakers, but the Warriors have a healthy lineup and should get into a rhythm early.
The Raptors have a point differential of -5.2 this season, and even with injuries +14 would imply four quarters of the Raptors not playing well. The Warriors don’t have the size to compete with every team and Poeltl and Barnes could enforce their way into more points than projected. The Warriors average less than three points more than the Raptors (113.3 - 110.6), and this spread seems inflated due to the Warriors popularity.
It is highly unlikely that Golden State maintains offensive production throughout the game. The Raptors are going to go on an offensive run at some point with Quickley and Barnes still on the court. Put a unit for the Raptors to cover a +14.0 spread on DraftKings, and if you are a new customer make sure to take advantage of Fantasy Alarm’s promotional offer.
Best NBA Prop Bets & Other Picks Today, 3/20
There are several player propositions available for the five games today. But with back-to-back games, players being declared out an hour before the match, teams resting their players through the brutal schedule of March, and teams ‘milking’ injuries for a higher lottery pick.
It has been tough to find reliable players. Thus, the last of our NBA best bets today is also a spread prediction.
Knicks vs. Hornets Prediction: Charlotte +7.5 (+130 on Bet365)
As crazy as it sounds the last prediction is on the Charlotte Hornets to cover +7.5 against the New York Knicks. The Hornets have been terrible and have the second worst offense in the Association, 105.7 points per game. Meanwhile the Knicks are third in the Eastern Conference but lost five of their last 10 matches. Yet we are taking Charlotte.
The Knicks were just embarrassed by the San Antonio Spurs in a 15-point blowout. Then they flew from the southwest back to the east coast, losing an hour on the way. Those are some of the toughest matches in the Association, back-to-back and traveling from west to east across time zones. New York could have a tougher challenge than anticipated tonight.
The Knicks have been without Jalen Brunson for six games and the inconsistency is showing. They are also looking worn out late in the fourth quarter with a bench that is less than average. Teams are locking down Karl-Anthony Towns, and daring the rest of the team to put up offensive production.
Charlotte has two good centers in Mark Williams and Jusuf Nurkic. LaMelo Ball is listed as day to day, but overall the Hornets are healthy, and they have a better bench than the Knicks. The Hornets have a better record at home, and are playing a tired New York team that is not in a positional battle.
With only 14 games remaining, they have a 4.0 game lead on fourth palace, and are 6.5 games behind second place. Even if the Knicks go 7-7 in their remaining games, the Indiana Pacers would have to go to 12-2 to surpass them… which is highly unlikely.
Put a unit on the Hornets to cover the spread at home, and if you are a new customer to Bet365 Sportsbook use the promotional code below to get $150 in bonus bets!
Get $150 in Bonus Bets Today At Bet365 Sportsbook When You Sign Up
Ready to jump into the action? New users can score a fantastic deal with Bet365 Sportsbook without even needing a Bet365 promo code. Sign up today, place a $5 wager, and instantly receive $150 in bonus bets—win or lose! It’s one of the best offers out there, giving you extra firepower to follow our NBA best bets today.
Whether you’re fading or following our NBA best bets today, this promo reduces the risk and boosts your potential payout. Head to Bet365 now to claim your $150 in bonus bets and get in on the NBA excitement! With these NBA predictions and options in hand, you’re set for a profitable night.
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
Player News
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.