NBA Best Bets Today (Predictions for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Mavericks-Nets and Heat Warriors on Thursday)

There are several starts in action in the NBA on Thursday with Steph Curry, Luka Doncic, Jimmy Butler, Kevin Durant, Ja Morant, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Paul George all playing.

This is what we call a perfect NBA League Pass night.

It's also perfect for some NBA bets, and I have three picks for tonight's action to follow up a strong performance on Wednesday.

I'm always going to have a player prop mixed in, this time on SGA, as well as a way to back the Dallas Mavericks against the Brooklyn Nets and cash your bet early.

Let's dive into Thursday's picks:

NBA Best Bets Record to Date

• NBA Best Bets Record for 2022-23 Season: 19-11-1 (+6.0778 units)

NBA Best Bets Today

• Dallas Mavericks First Quarter Moneyline (-125)
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander OVER 26.5 Points (-125)
• Miami Heat +6.5 vs. Golden State Warriors (-110)

Dallas Mavericks First Quarter Moneyline

This is one of my favorite bets of the night, as the Mavericks have been terrific in first quarters so far this season. 

Dallas is averaging 34.0 points per game in the first quarter (second in the NBA) while the Nets are 27th in the league with 24.0 points per game. 

To make matters worse, Brooklyn’s starting lineup of Ben Simmons, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Royce O’Neale and Nic Claxton is the WORST lineup in the NBA so far this season in terms of net rating. 

Dallas should get out to a hot start tonight.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander OVER 26.5 Points (-125)

How many times are books going to lay a line under 28.0 points for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and just beg me to take it?

SGA has cleared this line in every game this season, averaging 31.0 points per game. He’s taken 22 or more shots in each game, and the Oklahoma City Thunder are playing at a top-five pace in the NBA. 

Dating back to last season, SGA has scored 27-plus points in 14 of his last 16 matchups. I’ll back him to do it again. 

Miami Heat +6.5 vs. Golden State Warriors (-110)

The Miami Heat have kept every game this season within 10 points (in their losses), and they face an underachieving Golden State Warriors team on Thursday. 

Golden State is just 22nd in net rating this season, and it hasn't been great offensively with Klay Thompson struggling to start the year (11.0 points per game on 28.6 percent form 3). 

Last season, Miami was 16-8 ATS as a road underdog. The Warriors haven’t covered since their first game of the season, and I don’t expect to blow out a good defensive Miami team tonight.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

Find Peter Dewey’s full betting record here.