NBA Betting Odds, Picks & Predictions: Thursday (3/23)
For the season, my NBA Best Bets have gone 38-22-1 ATS. Letâs check out my favorites for today!
Also, take a look at our other best bets for Thursday:
- NBA Player Prop Bet Rankings Picks & Predictions
- NBA Same Game Parlay Odds, Picks & Predictions
- NBA Player Prop Bet Odds, Picks & Predictions
- NBA Parlay Odds & Picks for Thursday
- NBA First Basket Scorer Prop Bet Picks
- NHL Betting Odds, Picks & Predictions
- NHL Player Prop Bet Odds, Picks & Predictions
- NHL PrizePicks Player Prop Bets & Picks
- Arkansas vs. UConn: NCAA Tournament Same Game Parlay Picks (3/23)
- 2023 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 PrizePicks Player Predictions: Thursday
Thursdayâs Best NBA Bets
Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook
Brooklyn Nets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
These two teams met just two nights ago, with the Cavs claiming a 115-109 victory in Brooklyn. To a degree, the final result is misleading, as Cleveland had this game in hand for the entirety of the second halfâ¦But, we donât expect a similar result Thursday night.
This game was skewed in Clevelandâs direction via the three-point line, as the Cavs shot 14/29 from beyond the arc to the Netsâ 9/33. Itâs foolish to expect a similarly stark difference in this matchup, and unwise to bet the Cavs purely on Tuesdayâs result. To further underline the point: on the season Brooklyn rates fourth in the NBA in 3P%, and any regression to the mean makes them an appealing bet in the rematch.
In addition, the Cavs opened as a one-point favorite last game (closed at/ around Cleveland -3), and nothing really has changed about this matchup since. The initial line for this game (Cleveland -5) was an egregious overcorrection, and sharp bettors have bet it down to a consensus of Cleveland -4. Itâs my guess that this line continues to shorten, and we end up with Cleveland as a three-point favorite once again. There are still stray +4.5âs out there, go catch Brooklyn while you still can.
Bet: Nets +4.5 (-115)
New Orleans Pelicans vs. Charlotte Hornets
This matchup is one that Under bettors dream of.
Since the All-Star break:
- The Hornets rate 2nd in Defensive Pts/Poss
- The Pelicans rate 10th in Defensive Pts/Poss
- The Hornets rate 30th in Offensive Pts/Poss
- The Pelicans rate 23rd in Offensive Pts/Poss
Want more? In the month of March, neither of the two teams play at a high pace (13th for Charlotte, 24th for New Orleans), and the two teams are a combined 15-5 to the Under over their past ten games. Neither team has any highly rated offensive players who could skew the game Over single-handedly, whereas both teams have prominent players on the defensive end.
I find myself looking for a reason not to bet this Under, but nothing stands out against my prior arguments. This is a relatively low total for these two teams, however, a low total does not mean a game is more likely to go Over, or Under. Oddsmakers are generally pretty good at what they do, and games with a total at or below 226 this season are (roughly) 201-192 to the Overâ not enough of a deviation to worry.
Take the Under in a likely slow-paced matchup between two of the NBAâs worst offenses, and best defenses.
Bet: Under 225.5 (-110)
Whether youâre new to sports betting or a betting pro, our How To Bet and Sports Betting Strategy and Advice pages are for you. You can get started with our How To Section â including How to Avoid the 7 Biggest Sports Betting Mistakes â or head to a more advanced strategy â like Thinking Like an Expert Sports Bettor â to learn more.
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