The National Basketball Association (NBA) has 10 total games on the schedule Monday night, including a doubleheader on Peacock and NBCSN. The San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat meet at 7:00 p.m. ET on the nationally-televised doubleheader, while the Golden State Warriors and Dallas Mavericks meet at 9:30 p.m. ET. Let’s build our bankroll with our best NBA picks & predictions for Monday, March 23rd.
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Monday’s Best NBA Picks & Predictions
Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook | All bets are for 1 unit
Houston Rockets (-400) at Chicago Bulls (+310) | O/U 227.5 (-110/-110)
The Rockets (43-27) and Bulls (28-42) meet at the United Center in Chicago at 8:00 p.m. ET.
Houston heads into this game looking for the season sweep after a 119-113 win at Toyota Center on January 13th, although Chicago covered as a 12.5-point underdog and the over (224.5) cashed. Chicago has covered four of the past six meetings in this series, while the over is on a 9-0 run dating back to November 24th, 2021.
The Rockets outlasted the Miami Heat 123-122 as a 3-point favorite on Saturday, so it was another non-cover for Houston. They are 1-5 against the spread (ATS) in their past six outings. The under is 5-2 across the past seven games for Houston.
In their last road game on March 11th in Denver, the Rockets were dusted 129-93 by the Nuggets as a 7-point underdog, as the under (232.5) cashed. Houston has lost three of its past four games outright on the road, while going 0-4 ATS in these games.
The Bulls are reeling, losing four of their past five games, while going 5-20 straight up (SU) in the past 25 games since January 26th. Chicago has covered three of the past four outings, however, while going an impressive 7-3 ATS in the past 10 outings. The under is 3-1 in the past four games, too, while cashing at a 10-3 clip across the previous 13 contests.
Houston should win this game outright, but risking four times your potential return isn’t a recommended option. Still, Chicago catching nine points at home is a bit much based on the trends for the Bulls lately, as well as the road trends for Houston. Let’s take the points and go over the total, based on the fact that the total has gone high in nine consecutive meetings in this series.
Picks: Bulls +9 (-108) & Over 227.5 Points (-110)
Golden State Warriors (-134) at Dallas Mavericks (+114) | O/U 229.5 (-110/-110)
The Warriors (33-38) and Mavericks (23-48) tangle at American Airlines Center in Dallas at 9:30 p.m. ET. This is the second end of the doubleheader on Peacock and NBCSN. Golden State is looking to avenge a 123-115 loss in Dallas on January 22nd as a 6.5-point favorite, as the over (234.5) cashed. The Warriors did win the first meeting in San Francisco on Christmas Day, 126-116, covering as a 9-point favorite with the over (230.5) cashing.
The Warriors have lost three in a row, while failing to cover in each game. Golden State has also dropped eight of the past nine games, as injuries have really taken a toll lately.
In addition to Jimmy Butler (knee) being long gone, both Steph Curry (knee) and Seth Curry (adductor) have missed considerable chunks of time, and Al Horford (calf) is out again, too. De’Anthony Melton (back), Moses Moody (wrist) and Kristaps Porzingis (back) each have injuries of the day-to-day variety. With injuries crushing the Warriors, Quinten Post and Gui Santos have been thrust into starting roles, and even Malevy Leons has gotten action in the starting five lately.
The Mavericks are also skidding, dropping three in a row since stunning the Cavaliers in Cleveland on March 15th as a 15-point underdog. Despite that cover, the Mavs are still just 1-3-1 ATS in the past five games, and 4-9-1 ATS across the previous 14 outings. The over has connected in four of the past five outings, mostly due to a lack of defense, allowing 120+ points in five in a row and eight of the past nine games.
For the Warriors, even with all of the injuries, the over has cashed in three of the past four games, due to a lack of defense. The over is 6-2 in the past eight games, allowing at least 115 points in four in a row and seven of the past eight. Golden State has coughed up 110+ points in eight straight and 17 of the previous 18.
Let’s go high on the total, and we’ll take Dallas catching the points at home, as Golden State is still not anything close to being 100%.
Picks: Mavericks +3 (-114) & Over 229.5 Points (-110)
Joe Williams is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Joe, check out his archive and follow him @winwithjoe.