Top NBA Betting Picks for Friday, April 9
The Bucks had to limp through another game without Giannis Antetokounmpo last night, and they fell to Luka Doncic and the Mavericks by a 15-point margin. They’re back in action tonight against an Eastern Conference foe, the Charlotte Hornets.
Here are the top NBA betting plays for Friday, April 9, provided by BettingPros experts James Bisson, Raju Byfield, and Isaiah Sirois (Main game odds courtesy BettingPros Consensus; lock and prop odds sites may vary):
Check out our NBA Prop Bet Cheat Sheet for the top bets of the day >>
Betting Lock of the Day
Sirois: Bulls +2 (-115 at DK Sportsbook)
I took the Bulls in their last two outings, and they covered both times. I think they’ll keep the streak alive tonight against the Hawks. Although they are on the wrong end of a back-to-back (on the road, no less), their starters didn’t have to play an unreasonable number of minutes last night — only Zach Lavine played more than 32. The Bulls should be fresh enough to cover against a Hawks team that just fell to the Grizzlies at home. The Hawks have been decent against the spread in Atlanta — they boast a 13-10 ATS record at home — but the Bulls have gone a jaw-dropping 18-6 ATS on the road. The Bulls have even gone 9-6 ATS with a rest disadvantage. With Clint Capela and Danilo Gallinari questionable (and both De’Andre Hunter and John Collins out), play Chicago before the spread moves.
Top Team Prop of the Day
Sirois: Knicks First Half +0.5 (-110 at FD Sportsbook)
The Knicks have allowed the second-fewest points per first half (51.8), and the Grizzlies score the tenth-fewest (55.3). While New York doesn’t average that many points per first half (54), the Grizzlies give up an above-average figure (56.3). The Knicks have struggled to close out games all season, but you don’t have to worry about a late-game choke if you play this line instead of the full-game ones. I also recommend that you consider the first-half moneyline, which currently sits at +100 at FD Sportsbook, as well.
Top Player Prop of the Day
Sirois: Danny Green Over 8.5 Points (-126 at FD Sportsbook)
I wish this line had been set a point higher because we probably would have gotten better juice. Green is averaging 9.8 points per game, more than a full point above this total, and his line for made threes sits at 2.5 (-122). If you do some quick math, you’ll realize that implies that he’d go over on just three-pointers. Why? Well, the Pelicans allow the most made threes per game (15.2). When it comes to small forwards, they allow the second-most made threes (3.4) and the seventh-most total points (22.1). Green will sail over this total if his shots from deep continue to fall.
Check out our NBA Prop Bet Cheat Sheet for the top bets of the day >>
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