Tuesday’s Best Bets: NBA, World Baseball Classic & NHL (3/21)
No matter your sport of choice, there’s always sports betting action to be had. We’ll have you covered each and every day with our daily best bets. Here are all of our best bets across each major sport in action today.
Today’s Best Bets
Here are today’s best NBA bets.
NBA Best Bets
NBA Same Game Parlay Picks
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Los Angeles Clippers
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- Leg 1: Thunder Moneyline (+215)
- Leg 2: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Points+Assists o35.5 (-130)
- Leg 3: Josh Giddey Points+Rebounds+Assists u31.5 (-120)
The Thunder are right in the thick of it in the Western Conference, and a win over the Clippers would be crucial in their efforts to lock up a spot in the play-in. Oklahoma City has already beaten the LAC twice this season (both times as an underdog) and has been the better team lately. With SGA expected to play and a relatively clean injury report, back the Thunder to win outright once more.
All of the Clippers’ guards are poor defenders, and SGA has a strong track record vs. LAC this season. Expect another prolific performance from the likely All-NBA G– the type of performance necessary for the Thunder to steal one in Los Angeles.
Who doesn’t love Josh Giddey? But his number is too high. The second-year pro averages a hair under this number on the season and has failed to cross this threshold in five of six. Further, Giddey may draw either Kawhi Leonard or Paul George as his primary defender and such matchups would naturally make him an afterthought in the Thunder’s offensive gameplan.
Parlay Odds: +500
- Tommy Jurgens
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NBA Game Picks
Boston Celtics vs. Sacramento Kings
The Celtics got two days of rest. The Kings are playing on a back-to-back after losing to Utah, 128-120.
Boston has scored 118 points per 100 possessions while shooting an effective field goal percentage of 56.6%. The Celtics consistently hold onto the ball but are extremely inconsistent on the offensive glass. Don’t expect the Celtics to dominate the offensive glass and earn second chances. But you should expect the Celtics to get good looks from the field and knock down shots.
Sacramento’s become the best offense in the NBA, but they’re still not the best team in the NBA due to their defense. Anyway, the Kings have scored 119.7 points per 100 possessions. That leads the nation. But they’ll struggle against the Celtics, who have held teams to 112.1 points per 100 possessions. Just like the Celtics, the Kings won’t be earning many second-chance points. There also won’t be too many turnovers from the Kings, either.
Most defenses can’t stop the Kings. But Boston’s one of them. Let’s take the Under 238.5 in this one.
Bet: Under 238.5 (-110)
- Jason Radowitz
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First Basket Scorer
Brooklyn Nets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
The Brooklyn Nets look different since the last time these two teams played. Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant scored 32 points the last time these teams played. Tonight both these players are on different basketball teams. That gives the Cleveland Cavaliers an advantage in scoring first.
The player with the most betting value at scoring first is Donovan Mitchell. He averages 27.4 points per game. He takes the ninth most shots per game. He takes an average of 20.26 shot attempts per game. That means he will have the best chance to take the first shot in this game.
First Basket: Donovan Mitchell (+430 FanDuel)
- Cameron Lynch
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World Baseball Classic
The pitching matchup for tonight’s World Baseball Classic Championship sees a matchup between Merrill Kelly for the USA and Shota Imanaga for Japan. Kelly comes into this one having made one start this tournament, a 3.0-inning outing against Columbia. The right-hander allowed a pair of earned runs on four hits and two walks, taking a no-decision in the 3-2 win.
Imanaga is set to make his third appearance of the tournament, entering at 0-0 with a 2.25 ERA and 0.75 WHIP over 4.0 innings of work. The southpaw picked up a hold in the 13-4 win over Korea, lasting 3.0 innings and allowing one earned run on three hits. He followed that up with a 1.0-inning scoreless outing in the 9-3 quarterfinal win over Italy on the 16th.
It’s anyone’s guess as to who wins this Championship matchup in Miami tonight. The Japanese ran through the group stage with ease, smoked Italy in the quarterfinal round, and really only saw their first challenge last night against Mexico. As for the United States, after dropping their opener to Mexico, they seem to be hitting their stride right now, scoring 23 combined runs in their two recent playoff wins.
One thing is for sure, and that’s that these two teams can hit the cover off the ball. They’re first and second in the rankings in both runs scored (53 vs. 49) and OPS (.986 vs. .969) this tournament, with Japan having the edge in both categories. The Asian squad comes in slashing .314/.471/.515 as a team, while the Americans are at .310/.425/.542.
With the USA’s pitching being its weakness, allowing 25 runs over 52.0 innings, you can expect that they’ll have to rely on their bats to get it done tonight. All things considered, I think we’ll see a lot of runs, and I’ll lock in the over.
Bet: Over 10.0 (-115 via DraftKings)
- Trenton Pruitt
Check out our best NHL bets.
NHL Best Bets
NHL Game Picks
Carolina Hurricanes vs. New York Rangers
The 7:00 p.m. ET NHL window gets tonight’s action started, and there’s no easing into it as we open the night with a heavyweight tilt in the Metropolitan Division between the Hurricanes and Rangers. This one takes place at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY.
These two squads are set to play a home-and-home series over the next three nights, with tonight’s showdown taking place in the Big Apple. The Rangers come into this one having won four straight games, outscoring their opponents 22-5 over the stretch. They’re also riding a seven-game point streak, going 6-0-1 over the sample. I’ll back the Blue Shirts on the moneyline in this matchup that the oddsmakers see as a coin flip.
On top of being red hot, New York has dominated Carolina in recent history. They’ve won both contests this year (5-3, 6-2) and have now come out victorious in six of the last seven. For whatever reason, the Rangers have the Hurricanes’ number right now, and I’m not going to bet against the trend – especially with a Carolina team that’s lost three of their last five games. Let’s ride with New York at home tonight.
Bet: New York Rangers Moneyline (-110 via DraftKings)
- Trenton Pruitt
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NHL Same Game Parlay
Seattle Kraken vs. Dallas Stars
The Kraken have struggled by losing four of five. This has allowed Edmonton to move into third place in the Pacific.
Seattle’s success comes from their offense and an excellent blue line, but the goaltending has struggled. Martin Jones and Philipp Grubauer have each received significant playing time, but neither has been able to play consistently well.
The race in the Central is easily the most exciting, with Dallas holding a one-point lead over Minnesota and Colorado. They’re playing well, going 7-3-0 in their last ten, but their counterparts have been able to keep pace.
Goalie Jake Oettinger has been the key to Dallas’ success throughout the season, but lately, he’s struggled. He’s allowing 3.57 goals in his last seven games, but thankfully the Stars’ offense has been playing very well and is supporting him.
These teams played twice recently, and we saw both hit the over, so I’m expecting another offensive-centric matchup.
Parlay Odds: +575
- John Supowitz
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NHL Player Prop Bet Picks
Miro Heiskanen OVER 0.5 Assists (-140)
The Central is currently a three-way race between Dallas, Minnesota, and Colorado. All three teams are playing well, and it could go down to the very end.
The Stars’ success has come through goaltender Jake Oettinger, but he’s hit a rough patch. In March, he has a .895 save percentage and is allowing 3.34 goals per game, but thankfully the offense has been playing very well and has given him support.
They’ll take on the Kraken, who are falling down the Western Conference standings, having lost four of five. Two of those losses have come from Dallas. Heiskanen earned the one and two stars in those games thanks to a goal and four assists. He has an assist in seven straight, and I expect him to stay hot tonight.
- John Supowitz
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