NBA Predictions and Best Bets – March 25, 2021

The NBA scheduling has been a bit wonky lately, but Thursday’s slate may reflect the commotion we’re about to endure.

It’s really fun to bet on who will get traded before the NBA Trade Deadline, but it also can complicate how you bet on the actual games.

Keep player movement (and pricing) in mind for today’s games. But before you place any bets, stop and take a look at who is in action on March 25th.

The trade noise will drown out by the time these games actually fire off, but most of these teams will be involved in the action somehow.

Portland, Miami, Golden State, and both L.A. teams could be looking to improve via trade, while the Spurs and others may want to unload some contracts.

Keep an eye on how that impacts starting lineups (and lines), but before the madness ensues, I’ll hand out my NBA predictions, and top betting picks for March 25th, 2021.

Portland could be a bit tired after playing last night, so bettors will want to keep fatigue in mind.

They’re also heading to South Beach, where a slow, defensive-minded Miami team awaits.

The Blazers have been the better team of the year, but Miami looks like a bad matchup for them. Portland is also just 9-9 on the road this year, so Miami gets the slight bump when you factor in everything.

The Knicks just handled their business in their last game, which saw Julius Randle smoke these very Wizards to the tune of 37 points.

That understandably puts New York as the 3-point favorite again at home, but these immediate rematches can usually lean the other way.

Washington is breaking down with a 2-8 run over their last ten games, but I think they bounce back and play better this time around.

The Wizards are a solid play across the board, but the real bet is the Over. Washington games have hit the Over 29 times this year, and 226 isn’t a high total considering their pace and offensive upside.

This game is more about intrigue than actual substance, as the Clippers are significantly better than the Spurs when you look at the standings.

Kawhi Leonard returns home again, and that will be the big draw here.

That said, the Spurs are slipping a bit and haven’t been very good at home this year. I do think they’re a little sneaky ATS (23-17 ATS this year), and there’s little doubt they’ll have a little extra motivation in this spot.

I like the Clippers to get the win, provided their stars don’t randomly take the night off. San Antonio should put up a fight, however.

This would be a marquee matchup that anchors this tiny slate, but all of the star power is gone. Joel Embiid is out for the Sixers, and the Lakers are down LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

That probably makes this one a wash, and bettors may lean toward the Lakers since they’re at home.

Ben Simmons and Tobias Harris have been crushing, and unless one of them takes a breather, I expect Philly to stay hot.

L.A. is running into the worse defensive matchup, and their supporting cast is being exposed these days. It’s hard not to love the Sixers from all angles here.

You can keep that same theme running for the Dubs, who will be without Stephen Curry again.

Steve Kerr says Stephen Curry will miss at least one more week after MRI reveals inflammation in tailbone pic.twitter.com/CyRxWrj525

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 24, 2021

Andrew Wiggins turned back into a pumpkin in Golden State’s last contest, and it isn’t a reach to assume the Warriors will drop a third straight game without their best player.

Sacramento is a defensive sieve, but they still can score, and they’re at home. The Over is the top bet here, but the Kings are probably winning, as well.

I will be very interested in the Kings game pricing, but for now, there is enough to go to war with at your favorite NBA betting sites.

Washington has been bad, but they still push the pace, and getting an immediate second crack at the Knicks feels favorable. I love the Over there, but Washington also offers a little value as an upset special.

San Antonio stinks at home typically, but they’re the fifth-best team in the NBA against the spread. The Clippers tend to play down to their competition level, too, and they’re just 10-9 ATS as road favorites.

I refuse to bet on the Lakers as long as they’re rolling with their skeleton crew. Their defense has regressed, and their offense isn’t nearly as reliable. I love Philly here, and getting them to win by five seems doable.

The 76ers aren’t quite as good on the road on the year, but they’re 19-13-2 ATS as favorites, and this current rendition of the Lakers is a bit of a mess.