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Top NBA Odds, Picks & Predictions: Sunday (4/7)

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Sunday has a loaded schedule of NBA action. There are plenty of great opportunities for teams to make moves towards playoff seeding. Here are a few of my favorite bets for a Sunday that should provide plenty of intrigue.

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Sunday’s Top NBA Bets

Miami Heat at Indiana Pacers

Both of these teams are fighting to stay out of the Play-In Tournament with the Pacers currently a half game ahead of the Heat. As the season winds down both of these teams have been heating up, no pun intended. Miami is doing what they’ve been known to do the last few season, coast through the first few months of the year and turn it on in March once the playoffs are within sight. On the road against Indiana, they’ll need that.

When April rolls around, defense becomes key. Miami has a top five defense in the league and has been shutting down opponents to the tune of 100.5 PPG over the last 13 contests. They’re going up against one of the best offenses in the league on Sunday as the Pacers have been the second best shooting team in the league with a 57.6% eFG%. The strength versus strength matchup makes this one of the best games on Sunday.

The biggest concern is the Indiana defense. They’ve been overmatched by many of the teams on their schedule and they rank 24th in defensive rating. Miami can exploit this matchup. The playoff atmosphere will also favor Miami. They’re a veteran-laden team that has been here a lot over the past few years. For the young Indiana team, this is a new experience playing big games like this in April. In a game that feels like a toss up I’ll take the better defense with more experience.

Pick: Heat +1 (-110)

Washington Wizards at Toronto Raptors

This is the perhaps the worst game on the schedule and I cannot blame anyone for wanting to stay away from this game. However, there might be one of the biggest edges on the board in this matchup. Although both of these teams are toiling in the lottery yet again, one of them has shown that they aren’t even playing a competitive brand of basketball.

Prior to Friday’s win over the head-scratching Bucks team, the Raptors had lost 15 straight games. Only five of these contests were single-digit losses. In the midst of this streak, they lost to Washington, in which they both lost the rebounding and shooting edge to the Wizards. 

Washington has won four of their last nine games and in that span has lost only one game by double digits. Although this season has been a massive loss for Washington, it is clear that they’re playing hard and competing down the stretch. I believe the wrong team is favored here and will be taking the underdog including a sprinkle on the moneyline.

Pick: Wizards +4 (-110)

Minnesota Timberwolves at Los Angeles Lakers

The Timberwolves travel to Los Angeles to take on the Lakers on Sunday night. They’ve already clinched a playoff spot, but they enter the day a half-game behind the Nuggets for home-court advantage throughout the Western Conference playoffs. They’ve been one of the best teams in the league and the advanced stats show that. Minnesota ranks first in adjusted defensive rating and second in net rating.

The Lakers are playing the second game of a back to back after hosting the Cavaliers on Saturday. The Lakers pulled out the win with Anthony Davis and LeBron James logging 36 minutes apiece. It was their ninth win in ten contests making Los Angeles one of the hottest teams in the league. It’s that streak that has this line where it is right now.

Minnesota has been the better team all season long. Net ratings would put this line near a pick ‘em. The Timberwolves are without Karl Anthony Towns and that’s a big loss but they’ve been having success in his absence. With the Lakers on a back to back and having clinched at least a spot in the Play-In Tournament, they’re ripe for a letdown spot here against the Timberwolves.

Pick: Timberwolves +3 (-110)

Make sure to check out our other best bets for Sunday: