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Friday’s Best Bets: NBA, MLB & NHL Picks (3/31)

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No matter your sport of choice, there’s always sports betting action to be had. We’ll have you covered each and every day with our daily best bets. Here are all of our best bets across each major sport in action today.

Today’s Best Bets

Here are today’s best NBA bets.

NBA Best Bets

NBA Game Picks

Toronto Raptors vs. Philadelphia 76ers

In one of their best games in recent memory, the 76ers stormed back on Wednesday night to beat the Mavericks at home, not just winning but covering as 6-point favorites. The victory snapped a three-game slide, all of which came on the road, as the 76ers have a critical three-game stretch following this game against Milwaukee, Boston, and Miami.

While the 76ers are firmly in the playoffs and likely will have the #3 seed, the Raptors are currently in the 9th seed and in danger of playing in the back half of the Play-In Tournament. Having won three straight, all at home, the road get's much tougher tonight, and I think they catch a 76ers team starting to dial it in for the postseason.

A focused 76ers team rolls in this one.

Bet: 76ers -6 (-110)

  • Johnny Perun

Check out our other NBA Odds, Picks & Predictions:

MLB Best Bets

New York Mets (-118) vs. Miami Marlins (+100) | O/U 8 (-110/-100)

Marlins starter Jesus Luzardo had a tale of two halves last year. At the end of May, Luzardo had a 4.03 ERA and 3.73 FIP. However, from August on, Luzardo pitched to a 3.17 ERA over his final 12 starts, which lowered his ERA to 3.32 at the season's end. The problem is that one of those end-of-the-year starts was against the Mets and was his worst outing of the year, as he allowed five earned runs over 3 1/3 innings. In addition, in two starts against New York, he allowed 20 fly balls to just nine ground balls. That is troubling for a pitcher whose career first-half ERA is 5.64 compared to 4.29 in the second half and whose HR/9 rate is nearly a full home run higher early in the season.

Meanwhile, per Michael Simione on Twitter, Mets lefty David Peterson had a higher whiff rate than pitchers like Kevin Gausman, Charlie Morton, and Nick Lodolo last season while posting a better xFIP than George Kirby, Joe Musgrove, Cristian Javier, and Dylan Cease (two of whom were All-Stars last year). In addition, Miami batted an MLB-worst .208 against left-handed pitching last year, which gives the Mets the edge in this early-season tilt.

Pick: Mets ML (-118)

  • Mike Spector

Check out our other MLB Odds, Picks & Predictions:

NHL Best Bets

New York Rangers (+107) vs. Buffalo Sabres (+117) | O/U 6.5 (-127/+105)

To kick off Friday's slate, there is an Eastern Conference tilt with the Atlantic Division's Buffalo Sabres hosting the Metropolitan Division's New York Rangers. Once again this season, keeping the Rangers' season intact is the stellar play of goaltender Igor Shesterkin (along with some solid special teams play).

However, since New York enters this contest on the second night of a back-to-back and Shesterkin got the nod last night, backup goaltender Jaroslav Halak is slated to start between the pipes against Buffalo. While Halak is a serviceable backup, he is a big step down from the reigning Vezina Trophy winner.

Through 22 appearances in the crease this season, Halak is 10-8-3 with a .905 save percentage (SV%). Halak could have his hands full against a wagon of an offense, as the Sabres rank in the top half of the league in Expected Goals For per 60 minutes (xGF/60) at 5-on-5.

Meanwhile, at 5-on-5, the Rangers rank just 22nd in the league in xGF/60. Additionally, big-time prospect Devon Levi is slated to make his NHL debut between the pipes for Buffalo.

At Northeastern University, Levi produced a .952 SV% in 2022 and a .933 SV% in 2023. With extra rest and the extra spark of Levi's debut on home ice, look for the Sabres to pull off the upset.

Best Bet: Sabres ML (+117)

  • Tony Sartori

Check out our other NHL Betting Odds, Picks & Predictions >>

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