NBA Best Bets Today (Predictions for Hawks-Pelicans, Immanuel Quickley on Sunday)

New York Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley.
New York Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley. / Dustin Satloff/GettyImages
facebooktwitterreddit

I’m not a huge fan of the slate on Sunday, but I still have a pair of best bets to make in the NBA. 

There’s one trend that I have my eye on with the New Orleans Pelicans, as they’ve struggled when Brandon Ingram is out of the lineup. On top of that, I’ve got a player prop pick in the New York Knicks-Utah Jazz matchup

One pick, one prop, let’s get into today’s picks!

All odds via WynnBET Sportsbook.

NBA Best Bets Record to Date

  • NBA Best Bets Record: 156-153-3

Find Peter Dewey’s full betting record in the NBA this season here.

NBA Best Bets Today

  • Atlanta Hawks -3.5 vs. New Orleans Pelicans (-110)
  • Immanuel Quickley OVER 20.5 Points, Rebounds and Assists (-105)

New Orleans Pelicans vs. Atlanta Hawks: Hawks -3.5 (-110)

The New Orleans Pelicans have been impossible to read lately, as their last four games have either been double-digit wins or double-digit losses. 

New Orleans is going to be without Brandon Ingram against the Atlanta Hawks, while Trae Young is questionable for this game. 

There’s one major trend to look at in this game, and it’s the Pelicans’ record without Brandon Ingram this season. 

New Orleans is just 4-16 straight up when Ingram sits, and I think that's the reason to back the Hawks at home. 

Atlanta is 16-14 against the spread when favored at home this season, and the Hawks’ offense is No. 2 in the NBA entering this matchup.

I think the Pelicans will have a hard time keeping up without Ingram, and their losses to the Orlando Magic and Charlotte Hornets lately are a pair of instances when the offense fell flat. 

I’ll trust Atlanta at home and hope that Young suits up. 

Immanuel Quickley OVER 20.5 Points, Rebounds and Assists (-105)

After starting the new year in a huge slump, Immanuel Quickley has come on in a big way for the New York Knicks lately, averaging 14.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game over his last 12 games. 

Quickley is shooting 43.1 percent from beyond the arc over that stretch, and he’s cleared this line in eight of his last 12 games. The Jazz and Knicks may be in for a bit of a lower-scoring matchup, but I like Quickley to have a big game, especially with his recently increased role.