NBA Expert Tips and Best Bets | Apr 10

For our best bets of the day we’re looking towards the Western Conference. First, the Trail Blazers ML looks strong as they travel to Utah to take on the shamelessly tanking Jazz. We then outline the Nuggets vs. Kings matchup in which Nikola Jokic looks primed to lead Denver to a win in a high scoring affair.

Trail Blazers ML | $1.55 @ PlayUp

Neither Portland or Utah had high expectations coming into this season. However, their two years have gone in dramatically different directions with the Trail Blazers at a respectable 35-44 while the Jazz are last in the West at 16-63. Portland are winners of three out of their last four and feature a young core who plays hard every night. Utah on the other hand has fully committed to ‘capturing the Flagg’. The Jazz have lost nine in a row and 19 of their last 20, with 11 of those losses coming by double digits. As far as NBA tips go, picking against a team that’s won one of their last 20 is usually a pretty safe bet. With that, we like Portland’s ML.

Nuggets ML | $1.83 @ PlayUp

At a glance, this pick may surprise you as the Nuggets are losers of four straight, likely to be without Jamal Murray, and just shocked the NBA world with the firing of head coach Mike Malone. However, they have beaten the Kings in four consecutive meetings and as we have seen in the playoffs time and time again, Nikola Jokic can drag his team to wins when they need it most. The Kings are also not without their own injury struggles as Malik Monk is out and Keegan Murray is questionable. We see this as a bounce back game for the fourth seeded Nuggets.

Total Points O233.5 | $1.85 @ Betfocus

Both the Denver Nuggets and Sacramento Kings boast potent offenses with their PPG sitting at third and tenth respectively. On the other end of the floor however, neither has seen much success with Denver’s defensive rating tied for 20th and Sacramento’s at 23rd. Sacramento has gone over in two of their past three and although Denver’s under has hit  in two of three coming in, on the season they’ve gone over at 59.5%, the third highest rate in the NBA. NBA betting sites have the line hovering between 233 and 236. With the lack of defense these side’s consistently show and the Betfocus line currently at 234, we like the over.