Wednesday’s NBA Best Bets & Props were quite successful. All four bets won, and 5.37 units were put in the bankroll! 

The Philadelphia 76ers gave the double-unit moneyline wager a panic, but Joel Embiid displayed he is a true MVP. He scored almost all of the 76ers points in the final two minutes, including clutch free throws. Our data indicated the spread was too high, and the moneyline proved to be the correct play.

 

 

 

Coby White gave our NBA SGP a bit of a scare as well but drained two late fourth quarter three-point attempts and set a career* high in points in the process. The asterisk is due to the fact that play-in statistics mysteriously vanish, and never make it to the official NBA record book. 

Zion’s 40-point double-double? Up in smoke. Coby White’s career-high 42-point game? Filed away with UFO’s and other actions that only happen if you witnessed it. Well, we did witness it, and the money we made off it is real… And their stats should be too.

NBA Picks & Predictions Today, 4/19

Enough of the soapbox talk though; there are two excellent games today and Fantasy Alarm is looking at another profitable day with some more NBA predictions.

The Sacramento Kings travel to the Smoothie King Center to play the New Orleans Pelicans, and the Chicago Bulls travel to ‘South Beach’ to play the Miami Heat. There will be a Same Game Parlay, a straight bet, and a player prop. 

In fact, the favorite of our NBA props is a double-unit Bet of the Night.

*Editor’s Note: Uncover the top NBA odds and lines on BettorEdge, the leading social sports betting platform! With access in over 40 states, entering the code ALARM will score you a $10 bonus when you click here to register – NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED!

 

 

Kings vs. Pelicans Prediction: Trey Murphy III Over 16.5 Points (-125 on Bet365) *2 UNITS

Zion Williamson was injured in the closing minutes of the match against the Los Angeles Lakers. If he were to stay healthy, several – including myself – believed the New Orleans Pelicans would have won that game. New Orleans did lose though, and now are playing without Williamson in the biggest game of the season.

Not only that, but Brandon Ingram has looked like a shell of himself in his two games back from injury. He has only played two games since March 21st and was benched in the fourth quarter. He also did not go back in the game after Williamson’s injury when the game was tied. He is not playing well, he’s not in a rhythm with his teammates, and he’s likely not 100% healthy.

When Williamson was hurt last year, Trey Murphy III was the starter. In fact, he started over 60 games last year, played in 79, and averaged over 31 minutes per game. While Ingram was hurt, Murphy III was filling the void and playing well. After all, the Pelicans did go on a win streak with him in the lineup. 

During their four-game win streak, Murphy III scored 17 or more points in three games. One of those games just happened to be against the Sacramento Kings just over a week ago. In that game, Murphy III scored 27, making seven of 14 field goal attempts. He has a 14.8 points per game average, but could see over 41 minutes this game. He will be called upon to score often and does not hesitate to attempt threes.

The Kings allow 114.8 points per game and the Pelicans have beaten them in every game this season. Murphy III should have another high scoring game tonight, as the Kings do not have a player to match up against him. A two-unit wager is advised for this NBA best bets Bet of the Night.

 

 

 

Bulls vs. Heat Prediction: Chicago -1.5 (+125 on Bet365)

We’ll target the other matchup in the next of our NBA predictions. The Chicago Bulls play the Miami Heat for the eighth seed of the Eastern Conference at the Kaseya Center tonight. It is the second consecutive year they have played each other for the exact same seeding. 

The Miami Heat went on an all-time run last season to become Eastern Conference champions. The Bulls were the closest team to beating the Heat in their historic postseason run, and Chicago remembers how close they were to what could have been an all-time playoff run.

The Bulls have been discredited all year, and they have lacked consistency. Yet, of the eight teams who participated in the Play-In Tournament, they were clearly the best team on the court. Alex Curaso is listed as questionable but there is optimism he will be able to play. The same is true for Andre Drummond, who played 11 tough minutes in the win against the Atlanta Hawks despite a recent ankle sprain.

Truthfully, all starters for the Chicago Bulls played exceptionally well, and although Miami is a much better defensive team than Atlanta, the Bulls should still score at will. The Heat will be without so many impactful players, including their leader, Jimmy Butler. Terry Rozier is out, Duncan Robinson is out, and Tyler Herro and rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. will be asked to shoulder a larger responsibility than they can handle.

Bam Adebayo is an outstanding center, and will be on the 2024 USA olympic team barring injury. But he is undersized versus both Nikola Vucevic and Drummond. He is an underrated ball handler and scorer, but this is too tough of a task for the center. Place a bet on the Bulls’ teased-up spread to win by two or more points.

 

 

 

NBA Parlay Today, 4/19

The rare double bet on the underdog comes into play in this Same Game Parlay. Something is off with the sportsbook's algorithms, and we are doubling down on a Chicago Bulls victory. The reasons why are stated in my NBA picks writeup above, but Coby White was intentionally saved to discuss in this SGP wager. 

 

 

 

Bulls vs. Heat SGP: Chicago ML + Coby White O19.5 Points + Nikola Vucevic 10+ Rebounds (+315 on DraftKings) *0.5 UNITS

A 42-point game in the part of the season where fouls are not as freely given is special. Watching that game live, it felt as if Coby was Kobe out there, and that is said with the utmost respect. He attacked the rim effortlessly, and he dribbled on his defenders as if it were an AND1 video. 

When it was time to put the game away, he scored two threes within two minutes, and put an exclamation point on his game. He is the leading scorer of the play-in thus far, and should add at least 20 more tonight.

We have made several bets on White all season, and his line has moved to 20.5. You can take it if you want to, or tease it back down to the recommended line of 19.5. He is going to score against a tired and depleted Miami Heat backcourt. Jaime Jaquez Jr. admitted he hit his rookie wall over a month ago, and White looks like he’s primed for another 40+ minute game – which he has played in back-to-back games.

Nikola Vucevic is a rebounding giant and will have a height advantage over Bam Adebayo. Vucevic’s rebounding line is currently at 11.5 and teasing it down two is a smart bet. He has 11 or more rebounds in three straight games, and five of his last seven played. Teasing it down covers any foul trouble, late game blowouts, and the chance that Bam Adebayo has a better-than-anticipated game. 

A half-unit is recommended for this Same Game Parlay to finalize today’s NBA predictions, and if placed with DraftKings, a ‘No Sweat Bet’ promotion is taking place. If you opt-in, up to $10.00 will be returned should this bet lose… but this is a winning ticket, and Fantasy Alarm plans on cashing it.

 

 

After exploring my NBA picks for today, make sure to continue reading everything Fantasy Alarm offers for all of your fantasy sports and betting needs!

Bet Smart, Be Lucky - Iggy

*All NBA odds accurate at time of writing and bets to be placed at 1 unit unless specified otherwise