NBA Picks

The Golden State Warriors will be trying to extend their winning streak to 4 games when they visit the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday. With the away team catching points, that’s the way I’m going with this Warriors vs Lakers prediction. Golden State is coming off consecutive victories over New Orleans, San Antonio and Memphis. The Warriors are now 18-2 SU when Jimmy Butler plays since he was acquired from Miami. Butler has taken a lot of pressure off Stephen Curry, but that doesn’t mean there has been a decline in Curry’s numbers. The Davidson product went wild to the tune of 52 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists and 5 steals during Tuesday’s 134-125 victory over Memphis.

Los Angeles, on the other hand, is not playing well at all. It is 3-4 in its last 7 and 6-8 in its last 14. LeBron James (groin) is good to go for Thursday’s contest, but he has not looked entirely 100 percent of late. James has been limited to 17 points or fewer in 3 of the past 4 outings. Obviously getting Luka Doncic was massive, but some of the willingness to part with Anthony Davis involved the expected acquisition of big man Mark Williams from Charlotte. When that fell through the cracks after being agreed upon, the Lakers were left with a roster that isn’t built the right way. Having 2 superstars is great, but in this day in age it’s not–or at least not necessarily–the way to win. With the Warriors firing on all cylinders, I like their chances on Thursday. The value is on Golden State as an underdog.

Warriors vs Lakers prediction: Golden State +2 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable to +1.5.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers will be laying 10.5 points on Wednesday night when they host the New York Knicks at Rocket Arena. The Cavs last played at home on Sunday when they secured a 127-122 win over the Los Angeles Clippers and have now won 4 of their last 5 games after a 4-game losing skid. Meanwhile, the Knicks have won 3 straight games and 5 of their last 6 but will be playing the second leg of a back-to-back after beating the 76ers at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday. New York will still be without Jalen Brunson, who has been cleared for basketball activities but has no definitive timeline to return. Brunson has been sidelined with an ankle injury and hasn’t been available for the Knicks since March 3.

The good news for New York is that both Karl-Anthony Towns and Cameron Payne are listed as day-to-day, although both players did not participate in Tuesday’s game against Philadelphia. Even if Towns and Payne are available for Wednesday’s game, I don’t like this spot for the Knicks. The Cavs are on extended rest while the Knicks are playing on back-to-back nights. Aside from the rough travel spot, the Cavs have already beaten the Knicks the 2 times they’ve played one another this season, most recently on February 21 when Cleveland won by a score of 142-105. Laying 10.5 points in a game featuring a pair of top 3 teams in the Eastern Conference may feel like a stretch, but the Knicks have not played well against top competition and they’re without their best player in Brunson. Give me the Cavs at home.

New York Knicks vs Cleveland Cavaliers Prediction: Cavaliers -10.5 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

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The Boston Celtics return home after picking up 6 straight road wins which helped extend their win streak to 9 games. They will now be taking on a Miami Heat team who they have dominated in recent games. They have done this by locking down their opponents. In the last 6 meetings between the sides, the Heat have not managed to surpass the 91-point mark in any game. As a result of these offensive struggles, the last 7 games between these sides has come in at under 213 points. With both sides ranking in the top 10 of defensive rating over the last 10 games while also being 29th and 30th in pace, we should be set for another very low scoring game here.

The Heat are on a 5-game win streak with their efficient from beyond the arc playing a large role in this. However, this is something the Celtics have been great at taking away, ranking 4th in opponent 3-point percentage over the last 10 games. The Heat also look to be without Andrew Wiggins which deprives them of one of their best scorers. With Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday and Al Horford all listed as questionable to play, the hosts could be short of firepower themselves tonight. As a result, expect yet another really scoring encounter between these teams.

Miami Heat vs Boston Celtics Prediction: Under 212 available at time at publishing. Playable to under 210. 

It has been a difficult stretch for the San Antonio Spurs who have faced 5 likely playoff teams, losing all 5 games by an average of 19.5 points. Things don’t get easier on Wednesday night as they head to Denver for a date with the Nuggets. However, one thing that could give the Spurs some confidence going into this game is the fact that they’ve already won once at Ball Arena this season. It was back in early January in a game where they got 31 points and 18 rebounds from Victor Wembanyama. Wemby has been done for the season for a while now, so the Spurs will have to rely on the young guns to get a result here.

We witnessed another historic performance from Nikola Jokic as he racked up 61 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Sadly for him his team fell short 140-139 in double OT, despite having the ball and a 1-point lead with seconds remaining. The loss puts a dent into the hopes of the Nuggets in capturing the 2nd seed as Houston now has a 2-game lead with just 6 games remaining. You also have to wonder how much fuel is left in the tank after such a long game last night. Jokic and Christian Braun each logged 53 mins, while Aaron Gordon and Russell Westbrook played 47 and 38 mins respectively. Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. both missed last night’s game, they could be back for Wednesday’s clash.

I’m kind of hesitant to pull the trigger on Denver to cover here. San Antonio caused them problems in both meetings this season, winning one of them and pushing the game into OT in the other one. Jokic is unlikely to play due to fatigue, the Nuggets have lost their last 2 games in a back-to-back scenario to the Bulls and Wizards. I’ll take a gamble here and back San Antonio to pull off the upset.

Spurs vs Nuggets Prediction: Spurs ML is available at +280 odds at time of publishing. Playable to +260

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The Oklahoma City Thunder enter tonight’s matchup against the Detroit Pistons riding a wave of dominance. OKC posted a stellar 15-1 record in March, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who was named Western Conference Player of the Month after averaging 34.7 points, 7.4 assists, and 4.3 rebounds. The Thunder have also been nearly unbeatable at home, posting a 14-0 record against Eastern Conference teams and a 28-1 mark overall. With a 10-game winning streak and a perfect 10-0 record against the spread in that span, they are primed to keep rolling.

Detroit, meanwhile, has been one of the season’s biggest surprises. With their recent victory over Cleveland, which is a marquee win, it’s even further cemented the Pistons on a team to make a scare against someone in the first round. They’ve already taken down contenders like Boston and Cleveland and will look to add OKC to that list. However, they face an uphill battle tonight. Cade Cunningham remains doubtful with a calf injury, and their depth will be tested due to suspensions from Sunday’s altercation with Minnesota. Isaiah Stewart, Ron Holland, and Marcus Sasser will all be sidelined, making defensive assignments even tougher.

Ausar Thompson will likely be tasked with slowing down Gilgeous-Alexander, but foul trouble could become an issue. The Thunder didn’t have Jalen Williams or Chet Holmgren in the first meeting, yet still secured a six-point win. With their full lineup intact and Detroit shorthanded, Oklahoma City is a heavy favorite to cover once again.

Pistons vs Thunder Prediction: Thunder -13 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable to -14

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