Author: Marc

It’s the beginning of the series between the Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat. After defeating the Raptors in six games, the 76ers now face an even tougher opponent.

The worse news is that Joel Embiid has been ruled out for this game. This leaves the 76ers without their leading scorer, which puts pressure on James Harden. We’ll have to see if he can rise to the occasion.

The Miami Heat have one of the best defenses in the NBA. They finished their series against the Hawks rather quickly, beating them in just five games.

Since they won’t have to worry about Joel Embiid, it’s not surprising that they come in as favorites. The question is, can they cover such a large spread, or is the 7.5 points too large? Let’s look at each team and make our NBA Computer picks.

Game Preview: Philadelphia 76ers at Miami Heat

Although they have one of the best offenses in the NBA, the 76ers are at a massive disadvantage. Embiid averaged 30.6 points per game for the 76ers, and without him, their offense will struggle.

James Harden will need to play a much larger role in the offense during the time Embiid is out. His point per game average against the Miami Heat is an awful 14.0.

The Heat are clearly the team more fit to win this game. Although they average just 109.99 points per game, their defense only allows 105.10. This defense ranks third in the NBA and kept the Hawks under 100 points in three out of five games.

With a defense this stout, they should prevent the 76ers from scoring too much. So, are they the better choice to cover the spread?

Against the Spread: Philadelphia 76ers +7.5

Although the Miami Heat could win this game, the 76ers should cover. With James Harden forced to play a larger role, he should step up accordingly.

There are also other players on the 76ers that can put up a lot of points, Tyrese Maxey, for instance. Although Embiid is out, the game should stay close. We’ll also note Philadelphia is 5-2 ATS in their last seven games.

The Total: OVER 208.5

It seems the sportsbooks believe that with Embiid out, little scoring will happen on each side. It’s important to remember that the 76ers just beat the Raptors 132-97.

The Heat also had a few high-scoring games in their series against the Hawks. With the total being set so low here, we think the over is a safer bet. Six of the 76ers’ last ten against the Miami Heat have gone over.

To Score 20+ Points: Tyrese Maxey (-225)

Adding this to your single-game parlay is a smart move. Maxey is an incredible player that steps up when his team needs him most. It’s also important to note that he’s averaged 21.3 points per game when facing the Miami Heat.

Miami will focus most of their attention on James Harden, which leaves Maxey with a lot of opportunities. Look for Maxey to eclipse the 20-point mark.

Win Margin: Philadelphia 76ers 1-10 (+350)

This is a slightly more risky bet, but we really like this one. The 76ers could come out as the victors here, especially if James Harden steps up.

A small win margin would be the most likely outcome, and you’d get +350 odds on it. It might be a less safe bet, but it is a single game parlay that could pay off for you.

With a 3-2 lead in the series, the Grizzlies look to eliminate the Timberwolves from the playoffs. They won the previous game by a narrow margin on the road against Minnesota. Take a look at all of our NBA Computer picks.

Ja Morant took over that night, something we had hoped to see earlier. Now that the Grizzlies are in a groove, can the Timberwolves stop them? Or will Memphis win Game 6 and move forward?

The Timberwolves have stated that they’re going to try and avoid “hero ball” tonight. However, the team chemistry has looked out of sync in this series. One culprit is Karl-Anthony Towns, who had a tough start to the series.

If the Timberwolves can pull themselves out of the funk they’ve fallen into, they could win tonight in our Same Game Parlay. If they do, they’ll force a Game 7 to be played in Memphis.

Game Preview: Memphis Grizzlies at Minnesota Timberwolves

Each of these teams is known for their strong offenses, especially the Grizzlies. Memphis averaged 115.62 points during the season, the best in the NBA. With players such as Ja Morant, the highlight reel doesn’t seem to stop.

However, in Game 4, they were unable to rally a comeback to beat the Timberwolves. They’ll need to get a quick start in the game tonight.

The Timberwolves are another strong offense that many underestimate. They averaged 115.59 points per game during the regular season, ranking second overall. Their offense has taken a step back during this series, though, averaging just 109.8 points per game.

This decline in production can be accredited to the entire team. The lackluster play has no room in the playoffs.

Against the Spread: Memphis Grizzlies -1.5

Kicking off our single-game parlay is perhaps the toughest choice to make. The question of who will cover is a tough one to answer since each team has its inconsistencies.

Although the Timberwolves are playing at home, the Grizzlies play better as a team. Memphis won’t have to cover a large spread either, which helps. The Grizzlies are also 26-16-1 ATS on the road.

The Total: OVER 229

When it comes to betting on the total, you have to take the history of the teams into consideration. In their last three games against each other, the total has gone over twice.

The 229 total is quite a bit, but with these offenses, it’s pretty likely. Each of these teams also has records where the total usually goes over. The Grizzlies are 44-39-4 against the total this year.

To Score 15+ Points: Desmond Bane -770

Desmond Bane is one of the most important players in Memphis this season. His regular-season average is 18.2 points per game; he averages 17.3 against Minnesota.

After Morant’s huge Game 5, he’ll begin to draw more attention. This will allow Desmond Bane to play a larger role in scoring, easily totaling over 15+ points.

Win Margin: Memphis Grizzlies (1-10) +195

The final pick of our single-game parlay is taking the Memphis Grizzlies 1-10 win margin.

We see this as being a great supplemental pick, especially with how close these games have been. The last two games of the series have been decided by less than three points. 

With elimination staring directly back at them, the Denver Nuggets need to win tonight. Down 3-1 in the series, Denver got their first win of the series in Game 4.

Now that they have a taste of winning, they can attempt to repeat this process again. However, they’ll need to win the next two games on the road to tie the series at 3-3. If not, they’ll be eliminated from the playoffs.

For the Warriors, they’ll attempt to keep everything business as usual. Sure, they took a step back in Game 4, but they can bounce back today. They’re also playing at home, which will give them another advantage.

With the injury list cleared and Stephen Curry playing more minutes, the Warriors are in good shape. Let’s build a single-game parlay with the best NBA computer picks of today.

Game Preview: Denver Nuggets at Golden State Warriors

Each of these teams brings quite a bit of offense to this game. An example of this was the Game 4 victory by the Denver Nuggets. Denver scored 126 points, and Jokic led the team with 37 of his own.

He shot 14 for 21 and went six for six at the free-throw line as well. The Nuggets will need a similar performance from him tonight. However, they need to play better defense.

The Warriors nearly won that game, only losing by five when the buzzer sounded. Stephen Curry put up 33 points, but the Nuggets finally had an answer for Jordan Poole.

This is great news for the Nuggets after Poole gave them plenty of problems in the first three games. The Warriors, however, need to find a way to get Jordan Poole back into the mix tonight.

Against the Spread: Denver Nuggets +9

Although we believe the Warriors will win this game, we believe it will be close. The Nuggets are coming in as nine-point underdogs here, giving us quite a large margin.

Their last two games against the Warriors have been very close. The most recent loss they took to Golden State was only by five points. Since they found a way to stop Poole, we think Denver can keep it close.

The Total: OVER 225.5

This one we essentially feel is a given after looking at these offenses. Each of the four games in the series has gone over the 225.5 mark. The most recent game topped out at 247, so the over is the best bet here.

To double down on our point, the Nuggets have gone over the total in five of their last five games. The same can be said for the Golden State Warriors.

To Score 20+ Points: Klay Thompson -280

As we said, the Nuggets should cover the spread, but the Warriors will win. One of the reasons for their victory will be the performance by Klay Thompson.

Thompson averages 17.0 points per game against the Nuggets already, so this isn’t a stretch. More importantly, the Nuggets focusing on Curry will allow Thompson to get more opportunities to score. 

Win Margin: Golden State Warriors (1-10) +175

This is a great pick to add to this parlay because it will boost your winnings. Golden State is likely to win this game at home, which is why they’re -9 tonight. However, betting on this will give you a chance to take them and actually get +175 odds out of it.

The Toronto Raptors are on the brink of elimination but secured a Game 4 win. With the series at 3-1 in favor of the 76ers, the Raptors need to win three games in a row.

Of course, against Joel Embiid and the 76ers, that task is easier said than done. Since they secured a win in Game 4, the Raptors will try to repeat that performance. The question is whether they’ll be able to.

The Philadelphia 76ers only need one more win to move onto the next round. With a dominant first three games, we’re surprised they lost Game 4. The good news for the 76ers is they get to return home today, giving them an advantage.

Them securing a win tonight hinges on the performance of Joel Embiid and James Harden. So, let’s work on building a few NBA picks today with our Same Game Parlay Predictions.

Game Preview: Toronto Raptors at Philadelphia 76ers

Through the last two games, the Raptors have kept the score relatively close. Even in their win over the 76ers, the margin of victory was just eight points. In the game prior to that, they lost to the 76ers by three.

If they can repeat their performance from a few nights ago, they should at least cover the spread. The only problem is they’ve had trouble dealing with Joel Embiid. 

In their loss to the Raptors in Game 4, James Harden led the team in points with 22. It goes without saying that the 76ers can’t have another game like that.

Finding more ways to get Embiid involved should be their top priority. We’d also like to see more effort from their defense which ranked seventh in the NBA this season. Defense will be how the 76ers close this series.

Against The Spread: Toronto Raptors +7.5

The Toronto Raptors come into this game as heavy underdogs, which we like to see. Most of these games have been relatively close, and we think this one will be as well.

In ten games against the 76ers, the Raptors are 6-4 against the spread. On the road, Toronto has a record of 25-17-1. Although we think the 76ers will win this game, we’ll take the Raptors to cover. 

The Total: OVER 210

With the total set so low, we have to take the over in tonight’s game. We understand that the last three games have gone under, but two out of four have gone over 210.

Tonight’s game is a big test for each team, and we expect to see a lot of offense tonight. Joel Embiid had a tough Game 4; we think that he’ll bounce back in tonight’s game. 

To Score 15+ Points: Tyrese Maxey (-340)

Perhaps the unsung offensive powerhouse for the 76ers is Tyrese Maxey. Against Toronto, Maxey averages 19.8 points per game. During the regular season, Maxey averaged 17.5, so he’s taken a few steps up.

With Harden struggling to put a lot of points up, there’s room for Maxey to succeed. He should be able to easily secure 15+ points tonight.

The Brooklyn Nets are down 0-1 in this series and face the Celtics again tonight. The first game ended in a narrow 115-114 loss, a very close game till the final buzzer. In order to get a win tonight, the Nets need to find a way to get past the defense of the Boston Celtics.

If they can’t, they’ll find themselves in a position as they were just a few nights ago when they lost.

The Boston Celtics got a quick start to the series, jumping ahead 1-0. This will be their second game at home before they head out to Brooklyn. Getting the second win here is important since playing in Brooklyn will be much tougher.

Jayson Tatum scored 31 points in the first game of this series, and they’ll likely look to him again. Let’s build a single-game parlay for Wednesday night.

Game Preview: Brooklyn Nets at Boston Celtics

Between these two teams, the Nets have a slightly higher-rated offense. Ranking ninth in the NBA in points per game, the Nets put up an average of 112.94. However, on the defensive side of the ball is where they begin to have trouble.

Although they rank highly in points per game, as a defense, they rank 19th overall. On average, the Brooklyn Nets allow 112.11 points per game.

The Boston Celtics have the 12th-best offense in the NBA (see all NBA computer picks), averaging 111.80 points per game. However, this isn’t the reason why they landed the second seed in the Eastern Conference.

Their defense ranks first in the NBA in points allowed per game at 104.59. Being able to rely on this defense is why how they took Game 1 away from the Nets. So, can they do it again tonight?

Against The Spread: Brooklyn Nets +3

This is a really small spread, but we also saw how close the first game ended up. Because of this, we’ll take the Brooklyn Nets +3 in Game 2. Kyrie Irving was able to score 39 points against the Celtics in the first game.

The Nets almost completed a comeback as well after scoring 29 points in the fourth quarter. With that being said, we’ll take the Nets to win Game 2.

The Total: OVER 226

Although the Boston defense is the best in the NBA, they had trouble stopping Brooklyn. The first game of this series went over, and the total was set at 226.5. Today, it’s set at 226, and we still believe it’ll go under.

With Tatum scoring 31 and Irving putting up 39 points in the first game, this one should be high-scoring too. Especially with the lackluster defense of the Brooklyn Nets.

To Score 15 Points: Marcus Smart +102

This is a great pick to throw onto your single-game parlay, especially after his Game 1 performance. Marcus Smart put up 20 points against the Nets and shot four for nine from the three-point line. Look for him to have another strong outing against the Nets as Brooklyn’s focus is on Jayson Tatum.

Player Points: Kevin Durant OVER 29.5 (-118)

Although he didn’t have a great start to the series, Durant is due for a big game. He finished Game 1 with only 23 points and shot one for five from the three-point line. The Nets will find more ways to get him involved tonight, so we’ll take the over here.

With the Utah Jazz already up 1-0 in the series, they’ll shoot for another road win against Dallas. Luka Doncic was missing from the lineup in the last game, which inevitably led to a win for Utah. Doncic has already been ruled out of the second game of this series as well.

Now, it’s up to the Utah Jazz to capitalize and pull off another win. The question is, can they go up 2-0.

The Mavericks are trying to fend off the Jazz the best they can until Doncic returns. At the moment, it doesn’t look as if that will be any time soon. The good news is they only lost by six points in the recent loss to the Jazz.

Taking this into consideration, a few tweaks and the Mavericks could win tonight. The Mavericks come in as six-point underdogs in tonight’s game. Apart from our SGP, you can also add this to a parlay prediction.

Game Preview: Utah Jazz at Dallas Mavericks

The Jazz offense was limited to just 99 points in the first game against Dallas. Although they came away with a win, it’s safe to say the Mavericks’ defense performed well.

For the Jazz to get win number two, their offense will need to step it up. Rudy Gobert grabbed 17 rebounds in the first game but had just five points. Utah will definitely need more from him in tonight’s game.

The Dallas offense also needs to find a way to be better tonight. After scoring just 93 points, it’s not surprising they lost the game. Jalen Brunson had a pretty great game against the Jazz, scoring 24 points.

However, he also led the team in rebounds with seven. If the Mavericks want to win, they’ll need to be better in that category. Rebounds usually equal more chances to score.

Against The Spread: Utah Jazz -6

There are a few reasons we consider this to be the best pick for tonight’s game. For starters, the Dallas Mavericks are missing their leading scorer, and their offense is awful without Doncic.

The other reason is we think we’ll see a big step up from Rudy Gobert. He had an uncharacteristic five-point game against the Mavericks last time. His season average is 15.6 points per game.

The Total: OVER 205.5

With Gobert having a better game tonight, we think it’ll greatly impact the score. The total being set at 205.5 is very low, and we think it’ll go over tonight. In their March 27th meeting, the final score was 114-110; on March 7, the score ended at 111-103.

Both of these totals are over the 205.5 expected for tonight. Because of this, we’ll take the over in this scenario.

To Score 15+ Points: Rudy Gobert (+108)

Gobert’s first game against the Mavericks was a disappointment in terms of scoring. Tonight, we think he’ll return to his normal form. His average against the Dallas Mavericks this season is 12.0 points per game.

Today, we think he’ll be much closer to his season average of 15.6. Look for Gobert to play a larger role in the Jazz’s scoring tonight.

Player Points: Jalen Brunson OVER 23.5 (+100)

Brunson seems to be the leader for the Mavericks while Doncic is sidelined. After Game 1, it’s clear that the offense will run through him. He put 24 points against the Jazz on Saturday; he should be able to do the same again today.

The Pelicans have already claimed a win against the San Antonio Spurs to start the play-in tournament. Today, they’ll face off against the Los Angeles Clippers in hopes of earning their second.

Great news for the Pelicans in this one as Brandon Ingram is back in the lineup for tonight. With Ingram and McCollum back together, we’re shocked the Pelicans are underdogs. We have comprehensive NBA computer picks here.

The Los Angeles Clippers started the play-in series with a loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Clippers’ offense, aside from Paul George, struggled to get anything going. Tonight, they face the Pelicans, a team they easily beat in early April.

Will we see a similar outcome tonight? Or will the New Orleans Pelicans secure another win, this time on the road versus Los Angeles?

Game Preview: New Orleans Pelicans at Los Angeles Clippers

Neither of these teams has a particularly impressive offense. On average, the Pelicans put up 109.34 points per game, ranking 21st in the NBA. The Clippers are behind them at the No.23 spot, averaging 108.36 points per game.

With both offenses having their shortcomings, we have to look at matchups. Perhaps the most important is Paul George versus Brandon Ingram.

George has made an immediate impact after rejoining the Clippers. He averages 24.3 points per game, along with 6.9 rebounds and 5.7 assists. He returned to the Clippers when they needed him most, but unfortunately, he can’t do everything.

Other players such as Reggie Jackson and Nicolas Batum need to step up. If they don’t, the Pelicans will win this game.

Against the Spread: Los Angeles Clippers -4

The last time Los Angeles faced New Orleans, L.A. won the game 119-100. The Clippers were two-point favorites in that game and were playing at home.

Tonight, they have a slightly larger spread to cover, but we think they’ll pull it off. When the Clippers lost to the Timberwolves, they lost to the offense that averages the most points in the NBA. The Pelicans aren’t nearly as good.

The Total: UNDER 216

The under in this game is set quite low, and for a good reason. It might be slightly lower than we would like, but we’ll still take the under in this game.

Over their last three games against each other, the total has gone under twice. In 10 of New Orleans’ last 14 games, the total has gone under as well. We’d definitely take the under when these two teams face off. 

Win Margin: Los Angeles Clippers 1-10 (+170)

We nearly wanted to take the Clippers’ Win Margin by 11-20, but it seemed as if that’d be too much. We think this game will stay close, and the Clippers will cover the spread.

We think the outcome of this game will be 110-104 in favor of the Clippers. The Clippers are 27-13 as a favorite this year and are 25-16 at home this season. 

Player Points: Paul George OVER 27.5 (-104)

Our final pick for this same game parlay is taking Paul George over the 27.5 on player points. George is a vital part of the Clippers’ offense and put up 34 points in the game against Minnesota. We expect him to have an even larger impact in tonight’s game.