The NBA regular season continues with a lean, mean 4-game slate today — Tuesday, March 24.
Our staff of betting experts dug into the latest NBA odds and identified best bets for all four of tonight's matchups — including picks for Magic vs. Cavaliers, Nuggets vs. Suns, and more.
Continue below for our NBA best bets, picks, predictions, and odds for this Tuesday.
NBA Best Bets Today
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 8 p.m. | |
  | 7:30 p.m. | |
  | 7 p.m. | |
  | 11 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. | ||
Magic vs. Cavaliers Player Prop Pick
By Joe Dellera
The Cleveland Cavaliers face off against the Orlando Magic tonight, and this is a matchup that I expect James Harden to control.
The Magic are playing in their second game of a back-to-back set after dropping a heartbreaker to the Pacers, who are actively trying to lose games. This forced Orlando to play their starters deep into a game where they were originally heavy favorites.
Harden has scored 30+ points in both of his matchups against the Magic this season. Orlando has had difficulty containing him, and he’s crushed from beyond the ark in both of those games.
While I’m not sure if he’s going to be able to make five three-pointers once again, Harden is excellent in isolation and as a pick-and-roll ball handler, which are two areas that Orlando struggles to defend.
I’ll back Harden on Tuesday.
Pick: James Harden Over 20.5 Points (-130)
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Pelicans vs. Knicks Spread Prediction
By Matt Moore
My in-season data adores the Pelicans in this spot because my metrics don’t really believe in the Knicks, but my composite power rating (which adapts Pythagorean power rating, market ratings, and my preseason priors) think this is a Knicks win that stays Under the number.
The biggest factor pushing me to the Pelicans is the recent performance. This is a time of year where you want to get behind the teams that are playing differently than they did the rest of the year.
The Pelicans are 5-2 in their last seven games, and have actually been competitive. They are 8-3 ATS in the month of March and rank second in spread differential in the past two weeks, while New York is 29th.
On top of that, the Pelicans have a rest advantage here, and they are actually third-best in the league this season with a rest advantage at 9-4 ATS. Meanwhile, Mike Brown, is 17-23 ATS with a rest advantage as a head coach since 2021.
The Pelicans’ defense has been trending up for months now; New Orleans is top-15 since January 20.
This is simply too many points. I’ll reluctantly take New Orleans to hang within the number.
Pick: Pelicans +8.5 (-110)
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Kings vs. Hornets Over/Under Pick
By Bet Labs
This NBA totals betting system focuses on games where struggling road teams face stronger home opponents in non-conference matchups, creating favorable conditions for high scoring results.
When a poor road team with a low win rate meets a winning home team, defensive effort and intensity often dip for the visitor while the home side pushes the pace and controls offensive rhythm.
Non-conference games tend to feature looser defensive schemes and unfamiliar matchups, leading to faster scoring runs and less resistance in transition.
The data shows that when totals close above the 220 range and the line movement slightly favors the Over, the market correctly anticipates offensive efficiency rather than defensive pressure.
These situations consistently produce games where both teams exceed expectations, with the stronger home team dictating tempo and the weaker visitor contributing enough to push the total past the number.
Pick: Over 230.5 (-110)
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Nuggets vs. Suns Prop Bet
By Jim Turvey
With Peyton Watson ruled out for Denver tonight, Spencer Jones should get back up to around 20 minutes, especially with the Nuggets liking to run him out as a small-ball five (with good success) in recent games.
Jones is a very low-usage player who can still go under 3.5 points in 20 minutes — but with his season usage, our projections have him slated for 4.9 points against the Suns tonight, giving the Over a nice edge on his points prop.
Pick: Spencer Jones Over 3.5 Points (-112)
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NBA Best Bet Today: Quick Picks
James Harden Over 20.5 Points (-130)
Pelicans +8.5 (-110)
Kings vs Hornets Over 230.5 (-110)
Over 3.5 Points (-112)
