Peter’s Points: NBA Best Bets Today (Expert Predictions, Picks for CJ McCollum, Bruce Brown)

The NBA In-Season Tournament finalists will be decided tonight, and with an early matchup (5 p.m. start), I have three NBA bets to place for the action tonight.

It starts with the Indiana Pacers-Milwaukee Bucks game where I have a pick on the side and a prop for a Pacers role player who could be undervalued as a passer in this game.

In the late matchup, the Los Angeles Lakers and New Orleans Pelicans face off in a revenge game for Brandon Ingram -- and Anthony Davis. I'm rolling with a CJ McCollum prop in that matchup.

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NBA Best Bets Record to Date

• 2023-24 season record: 74-58-3 (+8.05 units)
• Overall record (last 2+ seasons): 699-615-12 (+47.99 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

• Milwaukee Bucks -5 (-110) vs. Indiana Pacers
• Bruce Brown OVER 2.5 Assists (-145)
• CJ McCollum OVER 22.5 Points and Assists (-135)

Milwaukee Bucks -5 (-110) vs. Indiana Pacers

This is going to be a fun matchup from a scoring perspective, as these teams are No. 1 and No. 3 in offensive rating and No. 1 and No. 5 in pace.

Since Nov. 13, the Bucks have nine wins by six or more points, one win by just three points, and two losses.

These two squads matched up on Nov. 9, with the Pacers winning by two points – 126-124 – but Damian Lillard missed that game for the Bucks. 

Giannis Antetokounmpo dropped 54 points in that matchup, and he could be in line for another big game tonight. Indiana ranks just 28th in the NBA in defensive rating, and the team has struggled defending the paint, allowing a league-high 62.6 points in the paint per game. 

I do think this will be a hotly-contested game with so much on the line, but the Bucks are starting to gel as of late. 

In their last 10 games, the Bucks are No. 2 in offense, No. 13 in defense, and No. 2 in net rating (behind only the Oklahoma City Thunder). 

I think the Bucks win this matchup comfortably, even though the Pacers have the offense to keep up. 

Bruce Brown OVER 2.5 Assists (-145)

Bruce Brown is averaging just 2.8 assists per game this season, but I think he can clear this prop in a game that has a total of 256!

Brown has picked up three or more dimes in eight of his last 10 games, and since Nov. 4 he has just three games where he’s fallen short of this number. 

Tyrese Haliburton leads the team in assists and controls the offense, but Brown has the ball in his hands a fair amount and is a capable passer. He’s a solid pick in this prop especially since he hasn’t had less than two dimes in a game since Nov. 19. 

CJ McCollum OVER 22.5 Points and Assists (-135)

I love this prop for CJ McCollum, who has cleared it in all three games he’s played since returning from a collapsed lung. We bet him to go OVER 17.5 points earlier this week and he fell short, so I’m giving us some cushion by adding the assists in here in case he turns in another eight-dime performance. 

On the season, McCollum is averaging 20.7 points and 6.0 assists per game. He’s going to see a few fewer shots with Trey Murphy III back in action, but this prop is still too low. 

In three games since returning, CJ has 25, 27, and 24 points and assists. Even if he doesn’t score 20 points, he can still get over this number.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.