The 2023-24 NBA season is in full swing and we’re tackling it hard at VSiN. As always, Jonathan Von Tobel will be providing you with his exceptional coverage of the greatest league in the world. Just click here for all of his content. However, all of my picks will be featured in this daily column, which will combine my NBA best bets and NBA player props. So, keep reading to find out how I’m playing the NBA slate on Sunday, March 24th. Also, check out our NBA Odds page for the latest line movement.
MORE: Check out our Pro Picks page for everything our experts have on March 24
2023 Record: 276-288-2 (-14.98 units)
NBA Best Bets Today – March 24
New Orleans Pelicans at Detroit Pistons – 3:00 pm ET
The Pistons are definitely starting to trend downward again, and the absence of Simone Fontecchio is an underrated reason for that. However, the Pelicans are playing this game without Brandon Ingram. That didn’t matter in a 111-88 win over the Miami Heat on Friday. But it’s highly unlikely that New Orleans will go unscathed without a borderline All-Star like that. Ingram is just so important to what New Orleans does offensively, and this Detroit team at least competes defensively. And offensively, the Pistons will still have Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey out there today. With that in mind, I’m willing to take a shot on Detroit with my NBA best bets. This might not be pretty to watch, but 13 is a lot of points.
Bet: Pistons +13 (-110 – 2 units)
Oklahoma City Thunder at Milwaukee Bucks – 7:00 pm ET
I’m always a little nervous going against the Bucks in big home games. However, even though Milwaukee has shown signs of life under Doc Rivers, I still have Oklahoma City as a better team than Milwaukee on the road. That said, I’m willing to trust the Thunder to get the job done with today’s NBA best bets. Even if you break the season down to just after the All-Star break, Oklahoma City is a much better basketball team. Sure, the Bucks have an offensive rating of 118.5 since then, but the Thunder are right there at 118.3. But on the defensive end, Oklahoma City’s 108.6 defensive rating is the fifth-best in the league. Milwaukee is just 20th in the league in that span.
The Thunder also have the length required to disrupt Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton a bit. And Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Lu Dort are plenty capable of slowing Damian Lillard down. But the opposite is absolutely not the case. Milwaukee has nobody that can cover Gilgeous-Alexander, who should absolutely torch the Bucks’ drop coverage. And Jalen Williams is also a threat to do some big things in this game. He’s one of the best isolation scorers in the league, and he’ll have opportunities to cook.
Bet: Thunder ML (+118 – 2 units)
Indiana Pacers at Los Angeles Lakers – 10:00 pm ET
This season, Indiana is 27-14 against the spread when facing teams that make at least 36.0% of their 3s. The Pacers are also 20-9 ATS when facing teams averaging at least 116.0 points per game. So, Indiana is plenty comfortable of out-gunning opponents. The Pacers also happen to be 22-13 ATS versus teams they lost to earlier in the year, which speaks to Rick Carlisle’s ability to make adjustments. And that could be especially evident in a meeting with Darvin Ham, who hasn’t been the most inspiring option on the sideline for the Lakers.
In addition to the trends favoring Indiana, it’s also just hard to see how Los Angeles will defend Tyrese Haliburton. The Lakers are relatively weak when it comes to point-of-attack defense. And if Anthony Davis has to overextend himself to step out on Haliburton in pick-and-roll scenarios, the guard will just quickly hit one of his teammates for an open shot. Of course, Indiana will also need to figure out a way to stop Los Angeles. But the Pacers actually have a defensive rating of 111.6 over the last 15 games. Over the course of an entire season, that number would be good for seventh in the league. And it’s a heck of a lot better than the team’s season-long 117.6 defensive rating. If this team is defending like that, Los Angeles is in trouble.
This is also a stage that should bring out the best in Haliburton. He’ll enjoy getting to play under the bright lights in Los Angeles.
Bet: Pacers +4 (-110 – 2 units) & Pacers ML (+140)
NBA Player Props Today – March 24
Philadelphia 76ers at Los Angeles Clippers – 3:30 pm ET
This has been a forgettable month for Tobias Harris. The Sixers are counting on the 31-year-old in Joel Embiid’s absence, but he hasn’t been able to consistently produce. And his 3-point shooting has been abysmal recently, with Harris shooting 4 for 25 from deep over the last six games. But Harris is a career 36.7% 3-point shooter and was at 38.9% last season. So, he’s due for some shots to go down soon. And I think a meeting with his former team, in a building he once called home, could bring out the best in him. Over the last 10 games, Los Angeles is just 25th in the league in defensive rating. So, even though this team has good wing defenders, the group hasn’t been getting it done on that end of the floor.
Harris is also coming off a game in which he took 18 shots in 41 minutes of action against the Lakers. Nick Nurse knows how important it is to get him going, and a mini breakout should be coming soon. That’s why I’m trusting Harris with today’s NBA player props.
Bet: Harris Over 16.5 Points (-115 – 1.5 units) & Harris Alt Points 20+ (+175 – 0.5 units)
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