NBA Odds, Picks & Predictions: Thursday (3/12)
The Thursday night NBA slate is full of juicy matchups. A potential NBA Finals matchup is the marquee game, but plenty of other exciting storylines will take center stage. Let's take a closer look at some of these matchups and storylines for our top NBA picks & predictions for Thursday.
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Thursday’s Best NBA Picks & Predictions
(Odds courtesy of Fanduel Sportsbook)
Washington Wizards at Orlando Magic
The last time we saw the Wizards on a basketball court, it was a historic effort; historically bad. Washington allowed 83 points to Bam Adebayo and 67 points to the rest of the Heat roster. This was no surprise as they're easily the worst defensive team in the league. Their last-place defensive rating indicates this. They are the worst defensive rebounding team, and they allow a lot of points at the free-throw line, where Orlando will look to thrive.
The Magic are on the second night of a back-to-back. They won a highly anticipated game against the Cavaliers on Wednesday night. This second night is a position they've been comfortable with all season. Orlando is 6-3 against the spread (ATS) and even more impressive, 7-2 straight up (SU) in the second game of a back-to-back on the campaign.
After the Adebayo game on Tuesday, you would think this would be a great time to back a Washington team that couldn't be in a lower spot. However, this is a spot the Magic have thrived in all season, and they've been incredibly hot in the last few weeks.
Orlando is an impressive 7-3 both SU and ATS over their last 10 games. With Orlando playing better recently on the offensive end, there is little Washington can do to keep this one close, and there is no reason to believe they will.
Pick: Magic -15 (-112)
Brooklyn Nets at Atlanta Hawks
The hottest team in the league right now is the Atlanta Hawks. They've won and covered in seven consecutive games. But a closer look at the streak indicates they haven't exactly played a murderer's row of opponents. The only team with a winning record that they beat in that span was a shorthanded Philadelphia squad. Other than that, it's been losing teams, including these very same Nets.
The last matchup saw the Hawks prevail 115-104 despite a massive advantage in rebounds. Over the course of the season, the Nets are actually a decent rebounding team, especially on the defensive end, where they rank in the top half of the league. They outrank Atlanta in both offensive rebounding rate and defensive rebounding rate. We can chalk the recent mismatch up to some bad luck, and that could make all the difference.
Certainly, Atlanta is the better team in this game, but this spread is way too high. Brooklyn has had some success in recent games, including wins against Detroit and Memphis, and they're closer to the Hawks than this number indicates. I'll fade the streaking Hawks and hold my nose on a best bet for the Nets.
Pick: Nets +14 (-110)
Boston Celtics at Oklahoma City Thunder
The last game we're focusing on is a potential NBA Finals preview between the last two NBA champions. This is such a highly anticipated matchup, and the Celtics have a few key players listed as game-time decisions. Whether or not they play will make a difference in this game, as Derrick White, Payton Pritchard and Jayson Tatum provide a lot of strong, deep shooting, which is the key to putting up points on this Thunder team.
Oklahoma City allows teams to hit 44% of their attempts from deep. Boston is a strong three-point shooting team with their 36.4% three-point rate, and only two teams in the league shoot a higher volume of their total field goals from deep. A strong shooting game from deep could turn this game, which is anticipated to be a defensive battle, into a high-scoring affair.
The Celtics like to play slow, and they have the slowest pace in the entire league, averaging just 95.3 possessions per game. The Thunder are a team that can get out and run when they need to, but they are incredibly efficient and take care of the ball in the halfcourt.
Despite this game trending towards a low-possession affair, these are the two best teams in the league at not turning the ball over. With Boston’s penchant for three-point shooting, I'll be targeting an over in this highly anticipated game.
Pick: Over 216.5 Points (-110)