NBA Expert Tips and Best Bets | 20 Mar

There’s a big Western Conference showdown Thursday in the NBA as the Denver Nuggets and the Los Angeles Lakers battle for the second seed. This will be the final regular season matchup for these two rivals who are a game apart in the standings.

We give you an in-depth betting breakdown for this game and the contest between the Phoenix Suns and Chicago Bulls.

Lakers -2.5 |$1.95 @ Betright

This game has huge ramifications, and the absence of LeBron James may tilt the odds in Denver’s favor. The Nuggets lead the season series 2-1 and with how close the West standings are, playoff tiebreakers may definitely come into play.

Denver has owned the Lakers lately, winning 13 of their last 15 matchups including the playoffs. However, their last two matchups, including a Lakers blowout victory post-Luka Doncic trade, may have turned the tide of the series. 

The Lakers have rebounded from a tough stretch by winning two in a row and have a seemingly healthy Luka Doncic rounding into form. The second-best home team in the West should take care of business there and our NBA prediction is the Lakers to cover.

Nuggets-Lakers Under 232.5 |$1.88 @ Betfocus

The Over/Under will be an interesting market for this game. The teams’ last matchup was just a week ago and saw Denver escape late with a win against what was basically the Laker’s third string.

However, the teams combined to score 257 points, well over the 233.5 line at the start of the game. On the other hand, the teams’ two other games this season both resulted in the Under hitting.

The Lakers should be close to full strength, and their recent elite defense has been good enough to give even the great Nikola Jokic trouble. Our NBA expert tip is to take the Under in this game.

Bulls-Suns Under 236.5 |$1.88 @ Playup

The Suns have seen better days but come into this contest just one game back of the 10th seed and final Play-In spot. The Bulls are tied with the Heat for the 10th seed in the East.

Chicago has been on a bit of a tear lately, winning five of their last six. They’ve covered 11 of their last 13 games. The Suns have been inconsistent there as of late, but both teams have struggled to score a lot of points.

Phoenix has hit the Under in five straight games, while Chicago has done it in three straight. In their combined last 10 games, the total has surpassed 236 just three times, so our best bet is to take the Under at 236.5.