Thursday’s NBA action features a shortened slate before every team in the NBA in the league is in action on Friday and on Sunday.
There are still a bunch of things up in the air in the standings, and the Minnesota Timberwolves-Memphis Grizzlies matchup could decide which of the two teams ends up in the play-in tournament next week.
In the Eastern Conference, both the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers are sitting several key rotation players, which opens up one of my favorite props – and a side that I like – for Thursday’s action.
Plus, the Milwaukee Bucks and Atlanta Hawks have matchups where they are aiming to improve their spot in the standings.
It’s almost playoff time, NBA bettors! Let’s close out the regular season strong with the three plays for April 10.
Find Peter Dewey’s NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.
The Knicks have ruled out Josh Hart and OG Anunoby for this game, which means Miles McBride will likely end up in the starting lineup on Thursday.
This season, McBride is averaging 13.9 points per game while shooting 40.4 percent from 3 in eight starts. He’s averaging just 8.7 points per game as a reserve.
The Knicks have been banged up as of late – including McBride and Jalen Brunson – but I expect Tom Thibodeau to let his sixth man get a little bit of a rhythm on Thursday. McBride has multiple 20-point games as a starter this season, and I think he’s undervalued at this number with two of the Knicks’ top five scorers not even suiting up on Thursday.
This is a huge game for the Minnesota Timberwolves and Memphis Grizzlies, as Memphis (the No. 6 seed) holds a one-game lead on the Timberwolves in the standings.
What’s even more important is that the Grizzlies have already won two matchups between these squads, meaning they have the head-to-head tiebreaker.
However, I’m not buying Memphis as a small underdog at home on Thursday. Yes, the Grizzlies have won three in a row, but they have won just one game (April 5 against the Detroit Pistons) against a team over .500 since Feb. 2. That’s a shocking stat, and it just goes to show how far this team has fallen from earlier in the campaign.
On top of that, Memphis is just 2-5 against the spread as a home underdog and ranks 20th in the NBA in net rating over its last 10 games. The Wolves, on the other hand, are 11th in net rating over that stretch.
I’m buying Minnesota to pick up a much-needed road win after Tuesday’s collapse against the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Cavs are sitting several players on Thursday, including starters Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Max Sturs. Plus, Jarrett Allen has been on a minutes limit as of late.
So, we’re essentially getting the Cavs’ bench (which is good) as a nine-point dog against the Pacers, who still have a shot at the No. 3 seed in the East. I’m not buying it.
Indiana should roll in this game, as it has won five in a row and eight of its last 10 to surge into the No. 4 seed and potentially overtake the Knicks for the No. 3 spot.
Tyrese Haliburton is playing at an All-Star level again, and the Pacers rank third in the NBA in net rating over their last 10 games.
I can’t trust the Cavs here with so many key players sitting out.
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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