Peter’s Points: NBA Best Bets Today (Expert Predictions, Picks for Victor Wembanyama, Celtics, Magic)

There's more than just college basketball taking place right now, and there are eight NBA games for bettors to dive into on Saturday, including an early start between the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets (1 p.m. EST).

I have four NBA best bets today -- including a prop in that Knicks-Nets game -- a great way to add to the basketball action this weekend.

Plus, one of the plays tonight features the NBA's rising superstar, San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama, and an all-time great, Phoenix Suns wing Kevin Durant, in a little two-pick parlay.

Let's break down the bets for tonight's NBA action!

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NBA Best Bets Record to Date

• 2023-24 season record: 287-267-13 (+0.46 units)
• Overall record (last 2+ seasons): 912-825-21 (+40.41 units)

Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on  BetStamp here.

NBA Best Bets Today

• Orlando Magic -3.5 (-105) vs. Sacramento Kings – 0.5 unit
• Dennis Schroder OVER 18.5 points and assists (-120) – 0.5 unit
• Boston Celtics -6.5 (-108) vs. Chicago Bulls – 0.5 unit
• Victor Wembanyama-Kevin Durant Parlay (-139) – 0.5 unit

Orlando Magic -3.5 (-105) vs. Sacramento Kings – 0.5 unit

The best trend in basketball takes center stage again on Saturday night. 

The Orlando Magic are nearly automatic as home favorites this season, going 16-3 against the spread, and I don’t plan on fading them here – even against a good Sacramento Kings team. 

Sacramento enters this game with a 12-7 ATS record as a road underdog, but the Magic have been money at home no matter the circumstance, ranking No. 3 in defensive rating and No. 5 in net rating at Kia Center this season. 

The Kings are down a couple of key rotation pieces in Lyles and Huerter, and the team lost outright as a major road favorite to the Washington Wizards on Thursday.

That’s a little concerning entering this game, which is the third in four nights for the Kings on their road trip. 

Orlando is not only winning games and covering at home, but it’s winning them in style, posting an average margin of victory of 13.5 points in those games. 

Give me the Magic to move to 17-3 ATS as home favs this season. 

Dennis Schroder OVER 18.5 points and assists (-120) – 0.5 unit

Dennis Schroder has struggled to hit this prop in four of his last five games – going over just once – but prior to that he’d cleared it in eight of nine games. 

In his first start against the New York Knicks this season – while in Toronto – Schroder had 20 points and 10 dimes, and I think he’s a little undervalued in the assist column in this one. The Brooklyn Nets point guard is averaging 6.5 assists per game since moving to the starting lineup, and he’s put up 13.1 potential assists per game over his last 15. 

I’ll take a shot on him against a tough Knicks defense. 

Boston Celtics -6.5 (-108) vs. Chicago Bulls – 0.5 unit

After Jayson Tatum, Al Horford and Jrue Holiday all sat last night, my expectation is that Tatum and Horford will both suit up in this game. 

Holiday has been dealing with an actual injury, so the Celtics may opt to play Derrick White in both legs of the back-to-back, if not, we’ll see a steady dosage of Payton Prtichard and Sam Hauser.

Boston is beating everyone – and beating them badly – over this streak, winning eight straight games and seven of them by double digits. 

Chicago may be a play-in team in the East, but the Bulls aren’t great, ranking 20th in the NBA in net rating this season (Boston is No. 1). 

Not only that, but Boston has covered the spread in five straight games as a road favorite to move to 16-14-3 against the spread in that spot. Plus, they beat Chicago – in Chicago – by 17 right out of the All-Star break.  

I think the C’s can cover this spread and pick up a ninth straight victory. 

Victor Wembanyama-Kevin Durant Parlay (-139) – 0.5 unit

• Kevin Durant 18+ Points
• Victor Wembanyama to Record a Double-Double

Kevin Durant 18+ Points

We haven’t seen the Kevin Durant we’re accustomed to as of late, as he’s scored just 13, 11, 22 and 19 points in his last four games. 

Still, I like him in this two-pick parlay to score 18 or more – a number we’d rarely see for KD. 

Durant is averaging 27.6 points per game on the season, and he has 18 or more in 22 of his last 24 games. Even with a couple of down scoring games on the books, I think he bounces back in this one. 

Victor Wembanyama to Record a Double-Double

Rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama has some big games against the Phoenix Suns this season, including a 38-point, 10-rebound masterpiece in just his fifth NBA game. 

Wemby has a double-double in 13 of his last 15 games, so I don’t mind pairing this play with Durant on Saturday. Plus, we’ve seen the Spurs let their star rookie play a little more, clearing 30 minutes in 10 straight games.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.