NBA Best Bets Today, 3/26: Picks, Predictions & Player Props - Wednesday
The brooms were back out at the Fantasy Alarm Betting Bungalow! Karl-Anthony Towns cleared his over 11.5 rebounding line and has become one of the most successful players for NBA best bets. He slipped off the hook, ensuring a correct prediction.
The Oklahoma City Thunder rested several players last night and the match was close heading into the fourth quarter. Then the Thunder did what they often do in the last twelve minutes of the game, shut down their opponent and score points. They won by 16 points.
The double unit prediction on the total of the Cleveland Cavaliers versus Portland Trailblazers cleared easily with over three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Those three wins, with the double unit prediction, brought a return on investment of +3.59 units in yesterday’s NBA predictions!
NBA Picks, Predictions & Best Bets Today, 3/26
There are six games across the Association today, and some great nationally televised matches.
The first match on ESPN happens to be the first of our NBA best bets today.
Lakers vs. Pacers Prediction: Indiana ML (+102 on FanDuel) *BET OF THE NIGHT
The Los Angeles Lakers continue their road tour, and this time it is at Gainbridge Fieldhouse against the Indiana Pacers. The sportsbooks have this match predicted to be a close one, with essentially a pick 'em on the money line, both teams are -110. The Lakers do have the -1 spread advantage but in the NBA every game must have at least one point separation.
Indiana has quietly gone about their business as the most improved Eastern Conference team since the All-Star break. They are currently on a five-game win streak, have won seven of their last ten matches, and are only 3.0 games back from the third place New York Knicks. A win today, and a loss by the Knicks would put them back just 2.0 games with 11 games to go in the season.
The Lakers have the worst home/road split in the NBA. They are amazing at Crypto.com Arena, with a 28-9 home record. One of just four teams to have less than ten losses on their home court this season.
The flip side of it is the Lakers are 15-19 on the road, and to make matters worse the Pacers are one of the four other teams without ten losses at home this season. Indiana is 24-9 in games at the Fieldhouse.
The Pacers score 116.6 points per game which is almost four full points more than the Lakers, who average 112.7. LeBron James and Rui Hachimura returning didn’t change their road woes against the Orlando Magic, and Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam are playing their best basketball of the season.
Put a unit on the Pacers to do what they do at home (win) and the Lakers to do what they do on the road (lose). Remember if you do not have FanDuel downloaded, take advantage of Fantasy Alarm’s FanDuel promotional offer.
Clippers vs. Knicks Prediction: Los Angeles -2.0 (-110 on Bet365)
The New York Knicks are playing in the second of back-to-back games and have the Los Angeles Clippers visiting Madison Square Garden. Los Angeles is in a ferocious Western Conference positional battle, and the Knicks need to hold on, with a 3.0 game lead and 11 games remaining on their schedule.
The Clippers have won eight of their last ten matches and have a healthy Kawhi Leonard. Leonard has been playing without limitations and Los Angeles has been better because of it. They lost their game Sunday against the Thunder, but have had two days rest to prepare for the Knicks.
Ivica Zubac, starting center for the Clippers, is having his best season, and is one of a select few candidates for defensive player of the year. The field is short, but the winner of the award is as open as it has been this decade.
Zubac will slow down Karl-Anthony Towns, who is coming off of a triple double match against the Dallas Mavericks. If Zubac is able to stop Towns from scoring and rebounding the Knicks will most likely lose this match.
The Clippers are 0.5 games back from sixth, which would put them out of the play-in. They are also tied with the Minnesota Timberwolves and could just as easily slip back to eighth place. The extra rest, which is earned from being in the playoffs, would greatly benefit the Clippers. Their starting roster is built with long time veterans, and they will start their series on the road.
Los Angeles holds opponents to an average of 108.5 points per game, which is fourth best in the Association. The Knicks have a 5-6 record in the second of back-to-back matches this season, and with a thin bench, the Clippers will pull away in the second half.
A teased up spread is in play, but put a unit on the -2.0 and build a ladder if you prefer a higher point spread. Make sure to take advantage of the promotional offer for Bet365 at the end of this article and earn free money!
Best NBA Prop Bets & Other Picks Today, 3/26
The second match on ESPN features an Eastern versus Western game with a close spread.
The last of our NBA best bets today comes from that game, and it happens to be the 400th best bet this year! To celebrate, a high odds Same Game Parlay (SGP) is suggested.
Celtics vs. Suns Prediction: PHO -2.5, Durant O25.5 Points & 7+ Rebounds (+750 SGP on DraftKings) *0.5 U
The Phoenix Suns host the defending champion Boston Celtics in the second game on ESPN. The Footprint Center will be rocking as the Suns have won four in a row, are back in the play-in, have a chance to move to ninth, and get at least one more home game after the regular season concludes. They are just 0.5 games back from the Sacramento Kings, and could still win their way into the playoffs.
Kevin Durant was the focal point of one national sports entertainment show yesterday, and it came with two independent NBA sources that have Durant linked with the Boston Celtics next year. What a great move that would be for Boston, and for Durant joining a championship team to help his chances is something he’s already shown a willingness to do.
As for tonight, the Celtics are -3.5 point favorites, and this SGP starts out with a jump for the Suns to get the win by a small margin. Placing a teased up spread for Phoenix gives this portion of NBA best bets today great odds to start with. Phoenix is 23-13 at home this year, and they have a great opportunity to take down Boston, who will be without Jayson Tatum.
Kevin Durant has been the catalyst to the Suns recent winning run. Without Bradley Beal, Durant has improved his offensive play, and put Phoenix’s playoff hopes on his back. Durant has scored 38, 42, and 26 points in his last three matches, and has a season average of 26.2 points per game. There is not a tease on his points and with Boston being an offensive minded team, Durant will have to score often.
His rebounds can be sporadic, but Durant is averaging 6.1 rebounds per game. He recorded eight in the Suns last match, and has seven or more in five of his last ten matches. Boston is an average rebounding team, but only Kristaps Porzingis will have more length than Durant. For that reason Durant’s rebounding line has been teased up one, and in doing so pushes this SGP to +750.
The Suns are only 0.5 games ahead of the Dallas Mavericks, and a loss would put them on the line with them. Phoenix missing the play-in would be embarrassing for a team that had so much hype and potential, especially when the big three of Devin Booker, Beal, and Durant have been relatively healthy. The Suns have ten games remaining on their schedule, and every win and loss has major implications.
Put 0.5 units on this Same Game Parlay, and root for Durant to have an entertaining performance on ESPN. For new customers, make sure to take advantage of Fantasy Alarm’s promotional offer for DraftKings Sportsbook.
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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
Player News
Buddy Hield had 15 points (5-of-14 FGs), three rebounds, one assist, one steal and four three-pointers against the Timberwolves in Game 2 on Thursday.
Hield moved into the Warriors’ starting lineup in the first round and the team became somewhat reliant on his scoring. With Stephen Curry (hamstring) out in Game 2, Hield started and played 29 minutes. The 32-year-old shooting guard led the Warriors in field goal attempts, though no one in a Golden State uniform was able to reach 20 points. The Warriors weren’t able to overcome a double-digit first half deficit. Despite the four made three-pointers, they’re going to need more from Hield as the series shifts to Golden State, especially if Curry remains out.
Jimmy Butler had 17 points (6-of-13 FGs), seven rebounds, four assists, one steal and two three-pointers against the Timberwolves in Game 2 on Thursday.
Butler couldn’t get it done without Stephen Curry (hamstring) on the road in Game 2. The Warriors fell behind by double-digits early and never recovered. Butler had 17 points on 13 shots, which wasn’t far off from the 20 points he had in Game 1. Still, the Warriors have to regroup as they head home for Games 3 and 4 as they try to figure out a way to keep this series close until Curry can return to the court.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker had 20 points (7-of-13 FGs), two rebounds, three assists, one block and four three-pointers in Game 2 against the Warriors on Thursday.
Alexander-Walker was a key scorer off the bench in Game 2. He, Naz Reid and Donte DiVencenzo combined for 10 made three-pointers off the bench. In a game where the Warriors were desperate for scoring without Stephen Curry (hamstring), those bench points were too much to overcome as the Timberwolves won by 24 points.
Julius Randle had 24 points (10-of-17 FGs), seven rebounds, 11 assists and one three-pointer in Game 2 against the Warriors on Thursday.
Randle led the Timberwolves in scoring in the Game 2 victory. The 30-year-old power forward was just three rebounds away from a triple-double. He was a steadying presence in his 33 minutes as Anthony Edwards dealt with an ankle injury towards the end of the first half. Edwards recovered from his injury to play 34 minutes, but Randle is still the next most important player in this series for the Timberwolves.
Anthony Edwards had 20 points (6-of-13 FGs), nine rebounds, five assists, three steals, one block and two three-pointers in the Timberwolves’ 117-93 victory over the Warriors in Game 2 on Thursday.
Edwards appeared to suffer a sprained left ankle towards the end of the second quarter as the Warriors’ Trayce Jackson-Davis landed on his foot. Edwards turned the same ankle in the first round against the Lakers and appeared to re-aggravate the injury. The 23-year-old shooting guard would go on to start the second half and play a team-high 34 minutes in the Game 2 victory. Edwards will only have one full day off before the series resumes in Golden State for Game 3 on Saturday.
Warriors will start Brandin Podziemski, Buddy Hield, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green and Quinten Post in Game 2 against the Timberwolves on Thursday.
No surprise here as Curry was always a long shot to make it back for Game 2 after leaving Game 1 with hamstring injury. While there has been a report that the 37-year-old point guard is expected to miss a week, there is no firm timetable for his return. The Warriors will go big with their starting lineup for Game 2 with center Quinten Post entering the lineup in Curry’s absence.