There are eight games on the slate in The Association this evening, and certainly no shortage of options to explore. Let's not waste any more time and jump right into some of our favorite picks for Monday, March 31st.
Monday’s Best NBA Bets
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Indiana Pacers -5.5 (-115)
Normally, when a team is 3-6-1 over their last 10 games against the spread (ATS), it's usually a good idea to side with the underdog. Having said that, the Kings have lost seven of their previous 10 contests, and own a point differential of -89 points over that span.
Sacramento has lost by at least six points in nine of its last 10 losses. The Kings are also 0-5 in their previous five games when playing on the road. Sacramento is 2-3 in their last five games against the spread, when playing on the road.
Indiana ranks seventh in offensive rating over their last 10 games and fourth in points, scoring over 122 points per game. The Pacers cover the spread 57% of the time after losing the previous contest.
Charlotte Hornets Team Total Under 109.5 Points (-115)
With LaMelo Ball shut down for the season, the Charlotte Hornets are essentially waving the white flag on a rough 2024-25 campaign. The Hornets are averaging an abysmal 101.2 points over the last five games, while shooting 41% as a team.
Charlotte has not exceeded 97 points in their last two games, where they faced the Pelicans and Raptors. The Hornets average 100.4 points when Ball is not available this season.
Charlotte owns the fourth-lowest offensive rating over their last 10 games and has not exceeded 109.5 points in five straight games. The Utah Jazz are one of the most generous defensive teams this season. However, the Hornets may currently be worse on the offensive side of the ball.
Miami Heat at Washington Wizards Under 220.5 Points (-110)
This should easily be the sweat of the night. Yet, fortune favors the bold, and tonight we have a matchup between two of the more ineffective offenses in the NBA as of late.
These two teams make up two of the bottom 10 spots in offensive rating over the last 10 games. However, the Heat are ranked 13th across the league in defensive rating over that span, and third overall in the last five games.
Miami scores 107.4 points per game when on the road this season and is only averaging 106 points over the last 10 games when playing away from home. Whereas the Wizards are averaging 107.5 points in their last four home games on 42.7% shooting from the field.
Houston Rockets Moneyline (+154)
Despite the Rockets being 9-1 over their last 10 games and ranking second in the Western Conference, it seems oddsmakers are trying to push the narrative that the Lakers are the better team in this contest.
We are not buying into that... The Rockets have won both matchups against the Lakers on the season by a combined point differential of 20 points. Houston is scoring over 120 points per game over their last five contests and ranks 11th over that span in defensive rating. The Lakers sit in the 28th spot in defensive rating in their last five games.
The Rockets have won their previous five contests when playing on the road. The back-to-back situation seems like the catalyst for the Lakers being the favorite in this contest. We will side with the better team, even though the Rockets are playing on consecutive nights.
Luka Doncic 29+ Points (-115)
Luka Doncic is averaging 30.8 points over the last 15 games, while shooting 43% from the field. The mid-season acquisition for the Lakers is attempting at least 21.3 shots in those contests.
Doncic has scored at least 29 points in five of the last six games, while averaging 30.2 points in his last five home games. The Lakers guard has not played against the Rockets since joining Los Angeles. However, in the previous five matchups against Houston, he is averaging over 38 points.
The Lakers rank 10th over the last five games in pace, with over 500 possessions in that span. As long as Doncic can meet his current average for attempted shots, he can reach 29+ points this evening.
Enjoy the games tonight and best of luck with your picks.
Make sure to check out our other best bets for Monday:
