After a day off on Monday, the NBA is back and more loaded than ever with an action-packed 14-game slate.
We preview a plethora of Tuesday's games, as our basketball betting experts have provided nine NBA best bets for today's slate — featuring five player props, one moneyline prediction, and more.
Get in on our NBA best bets for Tuesday, April 9.
NBA Best Bets Today | Tuesday, April 9th
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
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  | 8 p.m. | |
  | 10 p.m. | |
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  | 7:30 p.m. | |
  | 7 p.m. | |
| 8 p.m. | |
  | 7:30 p.m. | |
| 8 p.m. | |
  | 8 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. | ||
Knicks vs. Bulls
By Joe Dellera
The Knicks get a rematch against the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday evening and they should be much better rested for this game.
Jalen Brunson is going to continue torching this Bulls’ defense.
The Bulls’ have the 22nd ranked defense and a major problem for them has been they allow a ton of catch and shoot threes which is a shot Brunson often finds himself setting up for his teammates. In both games against Chicago this season Brunson has recorded 19 potential assists while converting 13 and 11 of them.
As for the points, Brunson has cleared 30 points in both of these games as well. Chicago’s point-of-attack defense is strong; however, Brunson has continually shown the personnel simply does not matter. Couple that with the Bulls listing Alex Caruso (Questionable), Ayo Dosunmu (Questionable), and Coby White (probable) on the injury report and much of those POA defenders suddenly go away. Considering Chicago has the tiebreaker and a 1 game lead on the Hawks for the 9 seed, it would not be surprising to see them rest against the Knicks but take care of business against the Pistons and the Wizards to secure the 9 seed.
Brunson has exceeded this line in 54% of games without Randle including 3 consecutive games. I like him to exceed 37.5 PA.
Pick: Jalen Brunson over 37.5 Points + Assists
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Pelicans vs. Trail Blazers
Pick: Dalano Banton over 4.5 ast (+108)
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Pelicans vs. Trail Blazers
The Pelicans are fighting for seeding and not unlike yesterday's celestial anomaly, they're looking to eclipse the Sun(s) for the 6-seed. They have an identical record to Phoenix but find themselves in the 7-seed play-in spot because of their head-to-head record. They have ample reason to take this game seriously to gain traction in the standings.
The Pelicans, simply put, have been the best first half team in the league–second only to the Boston Celtics. But that's not reason alone to bet them blindly here without some more logic behind the pick. The Pelicans also happen to destroy bad teams. Against teams with a winning percentage of 40 percent or worse, the Pelicans are 15-6 ATS netting you a 37% ROI if you did decide to bet that trend blindly.
On the other side, the Blazers are the sixth-worst first half team in the league at 33-43-2 ATS, but at home they have the worst first half record at 12-25-1.
Zion is questionable but i'll like the Pelicans regardless. I'm just waiting until we know if he's in or not to get the corresponding number.
Pick: Pelicans 1H
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Heat vs. Hawks
By Chris Baker
Surprised to see this number below -4 here as the Heat have every incentive to win this game as they seek to try and climb to the 7 or 6 seed. They have listed a few guys as questionable here like Terry Rozier and Bam Adebayo, but most of their key players are either probable or ruled in already. When Butler has played, this has been a good team this season regardless of Adebayos status as they have a +5.7 net-rating with Butler on and Bam off.
The Hawks have been blown out in 2 consecutive games and have nothing to play for as they have the 10-seed locked up already. I just think this number should be closer to -5 so will grab the -3.5 here.
Pick: Heat -3.5
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Pacers vs. Raptors
By Joe Dellera
The Raptors take on the Pacers tonight and will be without Immanuel Quickley who has been ruled out due to rest.
I’m targeting an under here for RJ Barrett.
While Barrett will be looked at to score, he just is not a great table setter. Since the ASB he has averaged 5.1 assists on 8.9 potentials per game. However, the #1 player he passes to on a game-to-game basis is Immanuel Quickley – the Raptors’ best scoring threat.
Despite the Pacers playing at the second-fastest Pace in the league, they allow the fourth-fewest assists per game (24.6) to their opponents. They stay home on their defensive assignments and do not double or help. Although the Raptors’ assist on their makes at one of the highest rates in the league, they have so few players that can create off the bounce besides Barrett that I expect him to be more of the primary scoring option for the team tonight.
Barrett did rack up 9 assists against Denver without Quickley but he was a bit fortunate with the conversions. In his other matchup without IQ, he only had 4 assists against the Clippers.
Pick: RJ Barrett under 5.5 Assists
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Knicks vs. Bulls
Josh Hart has gone over this prop consistently for over two months.
Since Julius Randle's injury, Hart's played 32 games, hitting this over 22 times. Shrunk down to his last 14 games, he's gone over 11 times, a run that includes him leaving a game due to injury in Chicago on April 5.
Hart's always liable to crack over 14.5 boards and assists, and when it's down here, I just have to play it.
Pick: Josh Hart over 14.5 rebs + ast (-120)
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Celtics vs. Bucks
By Joe Dellera
The Celtics and Bucks clash today as the two top teams in the Eastern Conference.
However, these teams are situated differently. Boston has locked up the overall number 1 seed in the NBA while the Bucks are fighting off the Magic, the Knicks, and the Cavs for the 2 seed in the East.
I expect these teams to approach this game differently.
Boston has rested their starters for full games to a degree, but they’ve made dramatic changes to their late game rotations.
Over the last three games, Tatum, Brown, White, Porzingis, and Jrue are each averaging fewer than 5 minutes played in the 4Q with Tatum at just 1.3 minutes per game. The leaders in 4Q minutes are Tillman (10.4) and Pritchard (10.0), both solid players but clearly not of the same ilk as their starters.
On the flip side, the Bucks need this game after dropping 4 straight. They will either be chasing a lead here if Boston handles business early or they will be trying to secure a win but it should be against the Celtics’ bench no matter what.
I expect the Bucks to take care of business to close this game.
Pick: Bucks 4Q Moneyline
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Knicks vs. Bulls
By Chris Baker
I think we have to continue to back this Knicks team when OG Anunoby is in the lineup as they have been unbelievably elite with him on the floor, outscoring opponents by +23.2 points per 100 possessions with him on the court. In the 19 games he has played, he has yet to have a single game where he lost his minutes finishing every single one with a positive plus minus. The Knicks also have seen the emergence of Deuce Mcbride who has been unbelievably elite on both ends of the floor.
Between Mcbride and OG, I think we see the Knicks harass Coby White, who is really the only consistent source of offense for the Bulls outside Derozan. OG should be able to lock up Demar as well here. Additionally, The Knicks have every motivation to win as they continue to try and move up to the 3-seed while the Bulls are locked into the 9-seed for the play-in tournament. I think this line should be closer to -5.5 -6 so will hop on at -4 here.
Pick: Knicks -4
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Spurs vs. Grizzlies
Don't know if you've heard, but Scotty Pippen Jr. has been a damn starter on the hard-playing Grizzlies.
In fact, he started in the team's upset win in Milwaukee last week.
Pippen is averaging two steals over his last nine games, going over 1.5 in six of nine, and has one of our more significant edges on Action Pro for this slate, with good reason.
The Spurs turn the ball over 14.2 times per 100 possessions, which is seventh most in the NBA, and despite their lowly play this season, Memphis has managed to force the third most turnovers per 100 with opponents committing 14.6 per this season.
Memphis only trails Orlando and Oklahoma City in forcing turnovers per 100 possession, making Pippen a possible beneficiary, which would land him at two or more steals for a third consecutive game.
Pick: Scotty Pippen Jr. over 1.5 steals (-135)
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