NBA Expert Tips and Best Bets | 12 Mar

The battle for fourth place in the East, and the last chance at home-court advantage in the postseason, highlights the NBA action of 12 March.

Giannis Antetokounmpo leads his Milwaukee Bucks into Indiana to take on the Indiana Pacers Pacers. Read on to get free analysis of this game and the Los Angeles Clippers hosting the New Orleans Pelicans in a West showdown.

Bucks -3.5 |$1.85 @ Betfocus

The Bucks come into this game having lost two in a row after winning eight of their previous nine. However, the losses were a two-point upset to the Magic and falling to the Cavs, the hottest team in the NBA.

The Pacers will be on the second game of a back-to-back and have point guard Tyrese Haliburtion day-to-day with a hip injury. Indiana is 2-7 against the spread in games with no rest, the second-worst mark in the league. 

They will be at home, where they’re 3-5 as a home underdog, good for fourth-worst in the league. Our NBA prediction for this game is Milwaukee covering the spread.

Bucks-Pacers Over 231.5 |$1.88 @ Playup

When it comes to examining the Over/Under for this game, it can help to look at recent trends and performance against better competition.

Over the last 10 contests, the Pacers rank fourth in the NBA with 121.5 points per game, while Milwaukee is 14th with a 116.3 average. The Bucks have hit the Over in four of their past five games, while Indiana has done so just twice in their last eight.

Milwaukee struggles against good teams, going 9-15 versus winning squads, while the Pacers are one of only six teams in the entire NBA to have a winning record against better than .500 teams. Our expert tip is to expect the points to flow and take the Over in this one.

Clippers -6.5 | $1.95 @ Betright

Both these teams come into this matchup struggling in their last 10, going 4-6. The Pelicans’ struggles just extend season-long, as they have the second-worst record in the conference.

The Pels have failed to cover in five of their last six games and have the third-worst record against the spread in the whole league. The Clippers are above .500 ATS and have the fifth-best mark as the favorite.

With Los Angeles firmly in the thick of the playoff race, expect them to play like this game’s a must-win, while New Orleans will be more motivated by better draft lottery chances. Our pick is to take the Clips to cover.