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NBA Betting Odds, Picks & Predictions: Sunday (4/2)

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We’re onto the second to last Sunday in the NBA season. By the end of next week, we’ll know who is playing in the Play-In tournament as well as many of the first-round playoff matchups. It’s a really good opportunity to find edges on some NBA sides. Let’s take a look at this loaded slate to find some best bets on Sunday.

Season to Date: 27-21-2, +3.50 units

Also, take a look at our other best bets for Sunday:

Sunday’s Best NBA Betting Odds

Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook

Memphis Grizzlies at Chicago Bulls

The Grizzlies are finishing hard down the stretch and have an outside shot at overtaking Denver for the first seed in the Western Conference, but it’ll be a tough road that starts in Chicago on Sunday.

Memphis’s road struggles are well known. They’ve gone just 15-22 SU with a 13-23-1 record ATS. Sunday’s game comes against a Bulls team that is peaking at the right time of the year. Chicago finished the month of March 8-4 SU and 7-4-1 ATS. They’ll host Memphis at the United Center, where the Bulls are 20-18 on the season, both SU and ATS.

Much of Chicago’s success over the month of March can be attributed to a strong defensive presence that has catapulted them into the top five of adjusted defensive rating. They’re an excellent rebounding team led by Nikola Vucevic and a cavalcade of big guards that love to crash the glass.  

Memphis’s foul woes on the road will play into a strong free throw shooting Chicago team’s game plan. The Bulls are a top-five team in free throw shooting, connecting at 81% as a team on the season.

A lot of things went wrong for Chicago throughout the season, but they’re a very talented team that is starting to play really well, especially at home. Being small underdogs is a spot that Chicago, who is still trying to clinch a spot in the Play-In tournament, should thrive against a team like Memphis that struggles on the road.

Pick: 1.1u on Bulls +3 (-110)

Dallas Mavericks at Atlanta Hawks

To say the acquisition of Kyrie Irving has not worked out the way Dallas had hoped would be a bit of an understatement. The Mavericks are just 8-15 SU and 9-13-1 ATS since the superstar teamed up with Luka Doncic. One reason is that clearly, something isn’t working when both players are sharing the court. When both play, as is expected Sunday, the Mavericks have gone just 4-10 SU and just 3-11 ATS.

This time of the year, you do have to factor in motivation. Dallas will be on the second night of a back-to-back which is always a tough spot. They sit just one game back of the Play-In tournament, but the way this roster has played over the last month and a half, it seems like they may be more interested in moving onto the offseason.

From a basketball perspective, the Mavericks’ poor defense has not improved since the trade. They currently sit 23rd in adjusted defensive rating. They foul at the fourth highest rate in the NBA, which is welcome to an Atlanta team that shoots 81.3% from the line, third best in the league. In addition, Dallas is not equipped to take advantage of one of Atlanta’s biggest weaknesses on offense, as the Mavericks don’t force very many turnovers.

Atlanta has had their struggles as well this year, but they’ve played better at home. This game won’t feature much defense, and I think the Atlanta offense flourishes in another disappointing performance by Dallas.

Pick: 1.05u on Hawks -4 (-110)

Philadelphia 76ers at Milwaukee Bucks

We get a heavyweight tilt and potential Eastern Conference Finals preview when the 76ers travel to Milwaukee to take on the first-place Bucks. MVP candidates Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo will go head-to-head. There isn’t much more I need to say to hype this one up.

The Bucks, being the home team, should definitely be the favorites in this matchup, but perhaps not as large of favorites as they are. Both teams should be incredibly motivated. Milwaukee needs a few more wins to hold off Boston and Philadelphia for home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. Meanwhile, Philadelphia still has a shot to overtake Boston as the second seed and an outside chance of catching Milwaukee. This is an incredibly important game for both teams.

The Bucks are one of the best defensive teams in the league and lead in defensive eFG%. However, one small spot they can be exploited is in the midrange, and this is where Philadelphia thrives. Joel Embiid can and should look to live in the midrange for much of this game. He is still in a tight race for his first MVP, and a strong showing in this matchup could be enough to seal it for him.

It’s no secret these are two of the best teams in the league and serious title contenders. It may come as a surprise that the 76ers are actually ranked higher in adjusted net rating than the Bucks. Joel Embiid and company love to thrive in these big-time games. I don’t think this matchup will be any different, and I will be backing the 76ers to cover the spread.

Pick: 1.1u on 76ers +5.5 (-110)

Whether you’re new to sports betting or a betting pro, our Sports Betting Strategy and Advice page is for you. You can get started with our 101 section — including 10 Sports Betting Tips for Beginners â€” or head to more advanced strategies — like Key Numbers When Betting Against the Spread â€” to learn more.

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