Top NBA Odds, Picks & Predictions: Wednesday (3/13)
We’ve got nine games on tonight’s NBA slate tonight, including two matchups on ESPN.
I’ve found value in both of those nationally televised games, and I’ll share them all below.
Wednesday’s Best NBA Bets
Odds courtesy of ESPN BET | All wagers are for 1 unit
Denver Nuggets vs. Miami Heat
The Miami Heat have dropped three consecutive games heading into this one. The first two were against the Mavericks and Thunder, but the most recent loss to Washington, at home, wasn’t good.
The Heat have struggled on the offensive end over the last few games. They’ve been inconsistent on the offensive glass, rarely get to the foul line, and haven’t shot a good effective field goal percentage lately. Right now, the Heat are still without Tyler Herro and might not even have Jimmy Butler tonight.
On the other hand, the Nuggets have been clicking on all cylinders offensively. Denver scored 142 points against the Utah Jazz and followed that up with 125 points against the Raptors. They’ve been the opposite of the Heat. The Nuggets are looking great offensively but struggling defensively.
The Heat will win plenty of offensive rebounds and should get some quality looks from the floor. But it’s hard to trust this Heat team right now. They’ve scored no more than 108 points in each of their last three games. That won’t be enough against Denver, even at home.
Let’s back the Nuggets at -4.5.
Bet: Nuggets -4.5 (-110)
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Sacramento Kings
The Los Angeles Lakers’ injury report includes a full lineup. However, the only two players who are questionable are LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Meanwhile, the Kings won’t have Trey Lyles and could be without Keegan Murray, who is listed as a game-time decision.
Recently, the Lakers have been hard to guard. There’s been consistency there. Los Angeles has shot an effective field goal percentage of at least 59.8% in five straight games.
However, turnovers can get high sometimes, and the Lakers typically lack a high offensive rebounding rate. Ultimately, the Lakers are inconsistent in many areas. Some nights, they’re dominating the glass and earning foul shots at a high rate, and other times, they’re nowhere to be found on the glass and not getting to the line. They’ve hit the extremes on both ends of the spectrum.
On defense, the Lakers have done very well at limiting foul shots and don’t allow many offensive rebounds. That’s where the consistency comes on the defensive end.
On the other hand, the Kings have been great offensively, too. The Kings have scored at least 126.2 points per 100 possessions in three of their last four games. They’ve also minimized turnovers to 13% or fewer in their previous three games.
While we won’t see many offensive rebounds between the two teams, both offenses should get quality looks. The Lakers should also see the foul line a little bit more.
Therefore, I’m taking the Over 238.5 (-105).
Bet: Over 238.5 (-105)
Make sure to check out our other best bets for Wednesday: