The 2023-24 NBA regular season is coming to an end and we’re continuing to tackle it hard at VSiN. As always, Jonathan Von Tobel continues to provide 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 31st. 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 31
2023 Record: 290-305-2 (-11.57 units)
NBA Best Bets Today – March 31
Los Angeles Lakers at Brooklyn Nets – 6:00 pm ET
The Nets have now won three games in a row after having earned a 125-108 win over a solid Chicago Bulls team. And they now host a Lakers team that is still all over the place when it comes to consistency. Los Angeles is also in the middle of a six-game road trip and probably feels that quite a bit physically. So, if the Nets come out with some energy, they should be able to make this a very competitive game. In fact, Brooklyn earned a 130-112 road win as a 7-point underdog against Los Angeles on January 19th. And I don’t see any reason the Nets can’t repeat that. Brooklyn is shooting the ball well and doing a good job of cutting down on turnovers. So, the team likely won’t beat itself here.
Bet: Nets +6.5 (-110 – 2 units) & Nets ML (+210 – 0.5 units)
Oklahoma City Thunder at New York Knicks – 7:00 pm ET
I’m really looking forward to this game and think the Knicks have a great shot at winning. Over the last 10 games, New York is first in the league in defensive rating. And the team has a significantly higher net rating than Oklahoma City in that span. The Knicks also have one of the few guards in the league that can go blow for blow with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, with Jalen Brunson playing out of his skull right now.
On top of that, the Knicks will be eager to put the San Antonio Spurs loss behind them. And New York is 8-1 against the spread when coming off a loss by six or less this season, and the team has won those games by an average of 10.2 points per game. The Knicks are also relentless on the glass and are facing a Thunder team that is weak when it comes to rebounding. So, this is great game to attack with today’s NBA best bets.
Bet: Knicks ML (-112 – 2 units)
Golden State Warriors at San Antonio Spurs – 7:00 pm ET
It almost seems a little square to continue backing the Spurs with these big numbers. But how can you go away from it? San Antonio is 13-6 ATS in its last 19 games, and the team has been super competitive with Victor Wembanyama at center. Sure, Golden State has won and covered in three games in a row, but the team is also playing its fourth game in six nights. And this is the end of a five-game road trip, so the Warriors might be a little fatigued.
Of course, Golden State does need to win this game because of its position in the Western Conference standings. But I’m just not sure how much better the Warriors are than the Spurs, at least when it comes to starting lineups. As long as San Antonio doesn’t get obliterated in the bench minutes, the team should hang around and have a shot to win this outright. The Spurs might not have anything to play for, but they’re a prideful group. Wembanyama cares every time he steps on the floor, and that’s contagious for this squad.
Bet: Spurs +9 (-110 – 2 units) & Spurs ML (+310 – 0.5 units)
NBA Player Props Today – March 31
Cleveland Cavaliers at Denver Nuggets – 3:30 pm ET
Darius Garland is averaging 18.8 points per game in March, and he now faces a Nuggets team that he had 26 points against earlier in the year. Of course, Donovan Mitchell didn’t play in that game and he also has missed most of March, but Garland should still be able to exploit this matchup. Whether it’s Jamal Murray playing through a knee injury or Reggie Jackson seeing extended minutes, Garland is going to have the most vulnerable defender on him in this game. And he’s a guy that is difficult to stay in front of to begin with. Look for him to live in the paint in this game, and he should also bang home two or so shots from deep.
Bet: Darius Garland Over 15.5 Points (-115 – 1.5 units)
Added Plays
Dallas Mavericks ML (-140 – 2 units) vs. Houston Rockets
Utah Jazz +6.5 2H (-110) vs. Sacramento Kings
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