Another night in the Association means another opportunity to make a trip to Green Dot City.
Our NBA writers dropped five best bets for Wednesday's nine-game slate, including two overs and three player props.
So, whether you're trying to cash out early in Thunder vs. Celtics (7:30 p.m. ET) or stay up late sweating Cavaliers vs. Suns (10 p.m. ET) in tonight's ESPN doubleheader, we have you covered.
Read on for all five of our Wednesday NBA best bets below — and check back tomorrow for even more NBA picks.
NBA Best Bets Today
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 7:30 p.m. | |
  | 7:30 p.m. | |
  | 8 p.m. ET | |
  | 10 p.m. | |
| 10 p.m. | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NBA Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Thunder vs. Celtics
By Chris Baker
I like the over here. It feels like the Thunder may have rested Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams last night so they were ready for this Celtics game.
Those two haven’t been officially ruled in yet, but I anticipate them to play as the Thunder try and test themselves against this elite Celtics squad.
The reason I like the over is the Celtics' massive edge behind the 3-point line. The C's offense ranks leads the league in 3-point attempt rate (43.8%), while this Thunder defense allows the sixth-highest 3-point attempt rate (37.7%) in the league.
The Celtics should be able to generate high-quality 3s at will, and that's when their offense is at its best.
The reason I prefer the over rather than Celtics -9 is the reality that Boston doesn't have anything to play for at this point in the season. Case in point, we saw it lay eggs against the Hawks twice last week.
I’m fairly confident the Celtics offense will be good here no matter what, but the defense is always concerning when dealing with a team that's just trying to avoid injury as they cruise to the 1-seed.
If Shai is unable to go, I would definitely be looking to pivot to the Celtics or get off the under, as this Thunder offense is a dramatic 9.6 points worse per 100 possessions with him off the court.
Take the over here, but monitor the injury reports.
Pick: Over 230.5
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Pistons vs. Hawks
By Joe Dellera
Cade Cunningham and the Pistons have a matchup against the Atlanta Hawks tonight, and I’ll be targeting him to have a big game.
Although the Hawks defense has improved without Trae Young, it still remains below average.
Cunningham has torched Atlanta over the last few seasons with games of 26, 35 and 43 points. Couple that with his recent hot streak of three consecutive 30-point games, and this sets up to be a strong spot for him.
The Hawks have recently surrendered big games to Devin Booker (30), Anfernee Simons (36), Delano Banton (31) and D'Angelo Russell (27). Plus, Cunningham can score with the best of them.
Cunningham takes the bulk of his attempts from within the 3-point line, and Atlanta struggles to defend everything on the interior. He should continue his success tonight.
It’s possible he sits tonight due to “injury management,” but we would just void in that instance.
I like Cunningham to exceed 24.5 Points.
Pick: Cade Cunningham Over 24.5 Points
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Magic vs. Pelicans
By Joe Dellera
The Pelicans host the Orlando Magic tonight in what could be a defensive slugfest.
Without Brandon Ingram, Zion Williamson has taken on a significant role as a primary facilitator for his teammates. He has seen his assists and usage spike, but he’s also seen his turnovers jump from 2.5 per game to 3.9 per game.
In 10 games this season without Ingram, he has recorded at least three turnovers in all of them with four or more in six of those games. Dating back to last season, he recorded four or more turnovers in 17 of his 26 games without Ingram.
He's proven that the increased usage comes at a slight efficiency cost. Here, he gets a brutal matchup against a Magic defense that forces the second-most turnovers per game.
I expect Zion to exceed 3.5 turnovers tonight.
Pick: Zion Williamson Over 3.5 Turnovers
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Cavaliers vs. Suns
Over 226.5
By Chris Baker
The Cavs are should return Donovan Mitchell tonight, and I expect their offense to dominate this Suns defense.
Cleveland generated a 50% 3-point attempt rate against the Suns back on March 11 but converted on a poor 33.3% of those looks. With Mitchell and Max Strus back in the lineup, I’d expect their offensive efficiency to be much improved this time around.
This Suns offense has been scorching hot, and they should have solid matchup edges, as the Cavs will be without Dean Wade and maybe their best perimeter defender in Isaac Okoro.
We just saw Devin Booker light up an elite Pelicans defense for 52 points on Monday night, so it’s not like this team is coming in cold. This matchup doesn’t matter; the Suns have the shooters and stars to be efficient.
I just think this number is off by a few points here, and I’d play this up to 228.5.
Pick: Over 226.5 (Play to 228.5)
Evan Mobley Over 0.5 3-Pointers
A new 3-point threat has emerged in Cleveland, and his name is Evan Mobley.
The third-year forward has shifted his game since returning from injury and seems to have the green light to fire from the perimeter.
Mobley has now hit a 3-point shot in four straight games and five of his last six overall. I personally bet his 3-point prop for his game last night against Utah at +110, and he cashed in the first quarter.
Part of the reason I’m backing him again is that his 3-point attempts per game doubled this past month (1.8) compared to before the All-Star break (0.8). Clearly, there’s an emphasis on him taking more triples while sharing the floor with center Jarrett Allen.
The Suns can’t seem to find a rhythm defensively lately, and it’s hurt them on the perimeter. They rank 27th in opponent 3-point attempts and 25th in opponent 3-point makes since the All-Star break.
The likely return of Donovan Mitchell could also lead to more opportunities for Mobley to hit a trey with how much attention the All-Star draws on the perimeter.
Pick: Evan Mobley Over 0.5 3-Pointers (+115)
