NBA Best Bets Today, 3/21: Picks, Predictions & Player Props - Friday
The brooms were out at the Fantasy Alarm Betting Bungalow! It was the last day of winter, and spring cleaning took place. The spreads were safer than a pearl necklace locked away in a safety box at the bank. Fantasy Alarm NBA best bets torched the sportsbooks yesterday.
The Milwaukee Bucks easily destroyed the Los Angeles Lakers with a 29-point victory, slightly over the -3.0 mentioned in our NBA best bets. The Toronto Raptors only lost by three points against the Golden State Warriors, much less than their +14.0 spread.
A teased down spread would have been a great play. The Charlotte Hornets not only covered their +7.5 spread, but they were also victorious against the New York Knicks. The Hornets controlled most of the match and won it by 17 points.
NBA Picks, Predictions & Best Bets Today, 3/21
There are ten matches across the Association today for our NBA predictions, and there are several players sitting out as the March schedule continues to force starters out of the lineup.
Nuggets vs. Trail Blazers Prediction: Portland -3 (+140 on Bet365) *BET OF THE NIGHT
A tough Northwest Divisional battle takes place between two teams attempting to climb up the positional rankings. The Portland Trail Blazers host the Denver Nuggets at the Moda Center, and are slight favorites, with a -1.5 spread. Both teams have an opportunity to improve their rankings, despite being on opposite ends of the Western Conference.
The Nuggets are currently third in the West, and 1.0 games back from second. However, they are only 1.0 games away from fifth place as well, and 3.0 games away from sixth place. Nikola Jokic is out tonight, meanwhile Jamal Murray, Christian Braun, and Aaron Gordon are listed as day-to-day. The only starter without an injury designation tonight is Michael Porter
Portland is currently twelfth in the Western Conference but only 2.0 games back from tenth. They have won three in a row and are a much-improved team since the beginning of the season. Their young back court is improving daily, and they are one of the few teams, with a losing record, that are competing to be in the play-in.
Head Coach Chauncey Billups has the Trail Blazers playing for the opportunity of experiencing post regular season basketball. They have an opportunity to gain momentum against a depleted Denver team. Meanwhile the Phoenix Suns are playing against the Cleveland Cavaliers and are predicted to lose. A win by Portland and a loss by Phoenix would put the Trail Blazers 1.0 games back from the play-in.
Portland has a 19-16 record at home and have covered the spread at home with regularity this season. The suggestion for this wager is to tease it up 1.5 points in order to get much better odds. A push is possible, but with only one more point needed, the odds shift dramatically. To start our NBA best bets today, put a unit on the teased up spread for Portland.
Pelicans vs. Timberwolves Prediction: Julius Randle O6.5 Rebounds (-115 on DraftKings)
The Minnesota Timberwolves’ momentum has suddenly come to a halt. They were tied for sixth but have lost two in a row and now find themselves in eighth place. Despite that they can still move back into sixth place, and be in the playoffs and out of the play-in. Tonight, against the New Orleans Pelicans they can swing momentum back in their favor.
The Pelicans have lost seven of their last ten matches and have a front court that is lacking in depth. Julius Randle of the Timberwolves has a great opportunity to be a focal point for this match. He will be guarded by Zion Williamson and Kelly Olynyk who are not the best defensive players.
Williamson can be a great rebounder at times, but Randle is a three time All-Star and two-time All-NBA selection. He is averaging 32.2 minutes per game and earning an average of 7.0 rebounds per game. He has gone over 6.5 rebounds in five of his last nine matches, and with Minnesota needing to snap their losing streak, Randle should be more active.
The Pelicans allow the third most rebounds per game this season with an average of 54.5 per game. They allow slightly more with 54.6 per game at the Smoothie King Center, and with Rudy Gobert’s lack of involvement due to injury and pain, Randle could be the leading rebounder of this match.
Put a unit on him earning his average in the next of our NBA best bets today. And, if you are a new customer to DraftKings, make sure to take advantage of Fantasy Alarm’s promotional offer.
Best NBA Prop Bets & Other Picks Today, 3/21
It was tempting to add another spread wager to our NBA picks in a ten-game slate, but a point line jumped out and cannot be ignored.
76ers vs. Spurs Prediction: Harrison Barnes O11.5 Points (-110 on Bet365)
Harrison Barnes earns the last of our NBA best bets today, and the over on his points is suggested. The San Antonio Spurs are playing for a high draft pick, but some veterans are playing for the thrill of the game. Harrison Barnes is one of those players.
He has played in every game this season and will be on the court as the Spurs host the Philadelphia 76ers at the Frost Bank Center. Barnes was fortunate to be an important piece to a championship team early in his career and has been one of the most reliable players this century. He has played 77 or more games in nine seasons and is on pace to do it this season.
Barnes is averaging 27.2 minutes and 11.8 points per game. Not bad averages for a role player in his thirteenth season.
This wager is set at his points per game average, and Philadelphia allows 115.2 points per game. The 76ers have six players listed as out, and Barnes will have experience as his advantage against a young 76ers lineup. Philadelphia has also allowed 125 or more points from their opponent in each of the last three matches.
Barnes has earned over 11.5 points in six of his last ten matches, and there is every indication that he will do it against one of the worst teams in the Association. Put a unit on him to cover his point line, and if you are a new customer to Bet365 make sure to take advantage of the promotional offer below.
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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.