NBA Best Bets Today (Predictions for Tyrese Haliburton, Grizzlies-Hawks and Suns-Bulls

We’re on a solid run in the NBA Best Bets column, going 13-3-1 in our picks dating back to March. 

The process? It has partially been around targeting Tyrese Haliburton, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and others in player props, and we’re going back to that well tonight. 

Not only are we going after Haliburton, but I have two spread picks, as the Chicago Bulls have been awfully bad against teams that are above their playing level this season. 

Let’s get into today’s picks:

All odds via WynnBET Sportsbook.

NBA Best Bets Record to Date

• NBA Best Bets Record: 155-151-3

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

NBA Best Bets Today

• Memphis Grizzlies -5 vs. Atlanta Hawks (-110)
• Phoenix Suns -5 vs. Chicago Bulls (-110)
• Tyrese Haliburton OVER 17.5 Points (-105) 

Memphis Grizzlies vs. Atlanta Hawks: Grizzlies -5 (-110)

The Memphis Grizzlies have won four straight games heading into Friday’s matchup against the Atlanta Hawks. 

John Collins is out indefinitely for the Hawks, which strictly limits the team’s ceiling until he returns. Memphis has a chance to lock up the No. 2 seed in the West with Steph Curry out for the Golden State Warriors, and it is expected to have Ja Morant in the lineup despite some back soreness. 

The Hawks can’t cover in a loss, and I don’t think that changes against a tough Grizzlies team on Friday night. Memphis enters this game 11-5 against the spread as a road favorite. 

15 of the Grizzlies’ last 16 wins have come by more than five points, and the Memphis offense should roll against the Hawks, who are 27th in the NBA in defensive rating this season. 

That’s going to be a major problem, as the Grizzlies rank fifth in offensive rating and seventh in defensive rating this season. I’m surprised this number is so low with Morant healthy,  especially since the Hawks are shorthanded. 

Chicago Bulls vs. Phoenix Suns: Suns -5 (-110)

If there is one trend to follow in this game, then it is to fade the Bulls when they play good teams. Chicago is just 2-16 when it plays a team that has a better record this season.  

Phoenix is the far superior team in this matchup, especially at home where it is 29-8 this season. While the Suns are just 17-20 against the spread in those games, I don’t trust this Chicago defense without Lonzo Ball. 

The Bulls are now 20th in the NBA in defensive rating, a major drop off from their strong start to the 2021-22 season. 

The Suns, even without Paul, are the No. 3 offense and No. 2 defense in the NBA, and they still have the star power needed to compete with DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine, as Devin Booker has scored 22 plus points in 11 straight. 

I’m done backing this Bulls team when they face a tough opponent. 

Tyrese Haliburton OVER 17.5 Points (-105) 

I’m buying low on one of my favorite player props, Tyrese Haliburton’s points, after he scored just four points on 2-of-10 shooting in a blowout loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. 

Haliburton has been really solid since being traded to the Indiana Pacers, going over 17.5 points in nine of his 13 games. The bigger thing for me is the fact that Haliburton has seen ample opportunity, averaging 18.5 points on 13.2 shots per game, including 6.2 3-pointers per game. 

In addition to that, the Houston Rockets are the worst defense in the NBA, and they have allowed 113 plus points in five straight games, and they haven’t allowed less than 112 points in a game since Feb. 27.