The eyes of the basketball world are fixated on the NCAA Tournament, but the NBA is still in full swing this weekend. There are eight games on the schedule on Sunday, with plenty of important matchups for seeding and the playoffs. Let's take a look at some of the best angles of the day in the betting market.
Sunday’s Best NBA Bets
(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)
New Orleans Pelicans at Detroit Pistons
Detroit has been an excellent story this year as they look to wrap up a playoff spot down the stretch. It's hard not to look ahead at the last 11 games of the season for the Pistons. They'll take on eight teams that are .500 or better. Fortunately, this isn't one of those games. The Pistons find themselves as double-digit favorites against the Pelicans. It's no surprise either. These teams met less than a week ago where Detroit ran the Pelicans off the floor 127-81.
The Pelicans were embarrassed in that matchup, heading into halftime down 30. But the Pelicans were able to claw back within 19 in the third quarter before they ran out of gas Detroit ran away with it in the fourth. New Orleans should have a little more pride in this matchup and it's a great spot to attack a Detroit team that is in a bit of a lull.
The Pistons will be without Tim Hardaway Jr., who has been a steady presence, especially in the absence of Jaden Ivey. He only scores 10.3 points per game (PPG), but he was missed Friday night in a game Detroit couldn't pull ahead of Dallas. Detroit is just 1-4 in their last five against the spread (ATS) and defensively struggled in those losses. With a big spread here, I like the Pelicans to keep this close enough to cover and show a little pride.
Pick: Pelicans +11.5 (-110)
Cleveland Cavaliers at Utah Jazz
The hottest team in the NBA has hit their biggest spell of the season. The Cavaliers have lost four straight games including three to start this West Coast road trip. However, the cold snap should stop here. The Cavaliers have been one of the best ATS teams in the league at 42-27-1. They were bound to cool off at some point and the current 3-7 ATS streak is just that. The good news for them is Utah should not put up much of a fight.
The Jazz are perfectly content with packing things up and setting their sights on the NBA Draft lottery. They've been far from competitive in any game they've played recently that didn't feature the Wizards, which was their only win in March and only cover in nearly two weeks.
The Cavaliers need a get-right game and this matchup with the Jazz is just what the doctor ordered. Two weeks ago this spread may have pushed 20. That's probably closer to where this final score ends. Fade the tanking team and take the heavy favorites that could use a game to garner some confidence back.
Pick: Cavaliers -14.5 (-115)
Charlotte Hornets at Miami Heat
It's been a terrible run for the Heat who are in the midst of a 10-game losing streak - the longest of the Erik Spoelstra tenure. The last few games have been heartbreaking, losing by three and four points, respectively, to Detroit and Houston. They get a bit of a reprieve Sunday as they host the Hornets, who have the draft lottery on their mind.
On Friday, Miami welcomed back Andrew Wiggins, who put up 29 points, a Miami career high. With him, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro all in the lineup, Miami may be able to get their offense back into gear after scoring just 101.4 PPG during this run. Charlotte alone has given up totals of 141, 134, 123 and 134 in recent outings. With most of their starters expected to play, Charlotte should be able to score some points themselves.
Miami needs a win badly as they fall down the Eastern Conference standings. They should get one here but the total is the real play. Both offenses should be able to score and I expect this to go over with ease.
Pick: Over 211.5 Points (-108)
