NBA Predictions and Best Bets – March 31, 2021

The NBA isn’t as exciting as it could be. LeBron James and Anthony Davis are sidelined, teams rest players left and right, and there are more and more blowouts every night.

While these are definitely things that could be improved upon, there is one thing that you should still amp up for; betting on the NBA.

The league is back in full force come Wednesday, with 10 games hitting the hardwood. See who is in action before placing any bets.

This figures to be a lopsided slate, with many mismatches and pricing indicating some blowouts.

Bettors can exploit that type of market, of course. Not only can you side with expected blowouts, but in spots where you disagree, there is an edge to be had.

Let’s see which way you may want to lean with Wednesday’s NBA predictions and top betting picks.

The Blazers head to Detroit to battle a young Pistons team that has little interest in winning. Detroit are just 8-13 at home and 3-7 over their last 10 games.

Portland, meanwhile, has a bolstered starting five after trading for Norm Powell and getting big man Jusuf Nurkic back.

Not only is Norman Powell playing for the Trail Blazers tonight, but he's starting in place of Damian Lillard.

Jusuf Nurkic is also back for Portland and starting.

— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) March 26, 2021

The Blazers are trending upward, too, as they’ve won three straight and seven of their last 10.

I think Portland is an obvious pick here, but the Pistons are 25-20-1 ATS on the year, so I’d either target the Blazers to win or go after the Over.

Portland games have seen the Over go 26-20 this year, and the total is a palatable 219.5 at BetOnline.

Miami may finally be ready to make their run. They’re on the road and are just 4-6 over their last 10 games, but they made a push by trading for Victor Oladipo.

Assuming he’s ready to suit up for this one, this serves as an instant revenge spot, as he can take out his former Pacers team.

Not in love with either of these teams? Just bet the Under.

The Celtics have been incredibly erratic all year, and they come into Wednesday at just 23-24. They’re still clinging to the 7th seed and will be at home, of course, where they’re a solid 13-8.

Boston is just 22-25 against the spread this year, however, and their most recent acquisition didn’t exactly pass the eye test in his debut.

Evan Fournier Celtics debut:

33 MINS
0 PTS
0-10 FG
0-5 3P

That’s the most scoreless minutes by a Celtic with 10+ attempts since the three-point era (1980). pic.twitter.com/vPZmZXADDJ

— StatMuse (@statmuse) March 30, 2021

My guess is Evan Fournier never has a game like that again, but that still wasn’t ideal to see.

On the other side are the Mavs, who hope to climb the Western Conference ladder. They’re in 7th place right now and are healthy after seeing Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis miss some time.

I certainly lean toward the Mavs, who are the more dynamic team and have been trending in a more positive direction.

This is technically another James Harden revenge spot, although he already faced his former Rockets squad earlier this year.

I’d put less of an onus on that and really just highlight the fact that Houston isn’t very good.

John Wall is still there, but the Rockets are 13-33 for a reason, and Christian Wood is banged up again.

Brooklyn, meanwhile, has gone 8-2 over their last 10 games and put up too many points to expect Houston to even keep it close. I like Brooklyn across the board, as well as the Over.

The Timberwolves have some nice young talent to mold, but it hasn’t translated into much winning. They have the fewest wins in the NBA, and I doubt that changes before the season’s end.

Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns can be fun to watch, but their explosive scoring will likely be curbed against a slow Knicks team that plays solid defense.

New York isn’t always pretty, but they’re 24-23 because they enforce their will on opponents. I expect them to win here, and their pace and defense lean toward the Under.

The Raptors officially can’t be trusted. They have burned me countless times this year, but getting housed by the lowly Pistons might be the last straw for me.

Toronto has the talent to compete with anyone, but they got worse after the NBA trade deadline and are now just 1-9 after their last 10 games.

It’s not like I love OKC. The Thunder care so little about winning right now that they exiled big man Al Horford.

Despite that, I can’t bring myself to back the Raptors. I’d either go with OKC or just stay away from this one.

Utah feels like an easy bet in this clash with the Grizzlies. Mike Conley should be out for some revenge as he returns home, while the Jazz continues their plight to hold onto the NBA’s best record.

The Jazz are a stellar 35-11, and the Suns are breathing down their neck, behind by just 3.5 games. Utah certainly seems focused, as they’ve won six straight and eight of their last 10.

Utah is a bit more human on the road, but I expect them to take care of business against the middling Grizzlies.

This game is tough to peg. Sacramento has been horrendous defensively this year, but they’re actually surging thanks to a five-game winning streak.

The Kings are now 7-3 over their last 10 games, and De’Aaron Fox is playing lights out. Just look at what he did to the Warriors recently.

San Antonio is settled into the 8th seed in the west, but that feels rather tentative. They’re just 4-6 over their last 10, and they lack the veteran presences they used to hang their hat on.

I don’t mind the Kings here, but the real bet is the Over. Sacramento is still giving up over 118 points per game on the year, and both of these offenses are top-16 in pace.

Los Angeles isn’t very formidable without King James and The Brow. The Lake Show has gone 6-4 over their last 10 games, but they probably won’t put up a great fight here if the Bucks bring all of their main guys.

This looks like a get-right spot for Milwaukee, who have dropped three in a row. They need to get back on track, as they had been hurting thanks to Giannis Antetokounmpo tweaking his knee.

Milwaukee and the Over look like solid bets.

Lastly, we get the Bulls and the Suns in Phoenix. This is actually an interesting one, seeing as the Suns played on Tuesday and could be a bit worn down.

That and Chicago are a different team after swinging trades to get better down low.

The Bulls are 0-2 since doing that, but eventually, having Nikola Vucevic bolstering their paint impact has to help them at both ends.

I doubt it happens on the road against a nasty Suns team that defends as well as anyone, of course.

These are my three favorite bets for Wednesday. I know Miami has been struggling, but Dipo could make his debut here, and the Heat have to get it going eventually.

Indiana isn’t any easier to trust, so I’ll hop on the value here with Miami.

The Blazers game is probably a blowout, but Detroit has been pesky on the year, and the Blazers do give up over 115 points per game. That fact, plus their offensive upside, makes the Over pretty safe.

I also love OKC with this 8-point spread. The Thunder are obviously stripped down for various reasons, but they still compete and trusting the Raptors in any capacity these days simply isn’t an option.