Top NBA Picks and Predictions Today (Celtics Keep Rolling, Knicks and Lakers Can Cover on Wednesday)
By Peter Dewey
There are 13 NBA games on Wednesday night, which means bettors have plenty of matchups to pick and choose from to bet on.
I have a few picks I like tonight, including a play on the Eastern Conference Finals rematch between the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics.
Here are three plays to consider for Nov. 30:
Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics Odds, Prediction and Pick
It seems a little crazy that Boston is nearly laying double digits in this spot, but I’m not going to let it scare me away from betting on the defending Eastern Conference champs.
The Celtics are 10-1 straight up and 8-3 against the spread, the second best ATS mark in the league at home.
The Heat, on the other hand, are just 2-7 straight up on the road and 4-5 against the spread in those games. With Jimmy Butler out and several other rotation players in question, Miami is a risky bet on Wednesday.
The biggest advantage Boston has in this game comes on the offensive end. The team is No. 1 in offensive rating, compared to Miami who ranks 23rd in the league. Not only that, but the Heat have been one of the worst shooting teams in the NBA, coming in 25th in effective field goal percentage so far this season.
Boston’s offense is way too efficient for Miami’s slow-paced attack, especially with Butler sidelined. I’d be shocked if Jaylen Brown missed this game for Boston after playing on Sunday, especially since he sat in Monday’s game because the team was in a back-to-back.
Don’t stray away from Boston when it’s playing this well.
Milwaukee Bucks vs. New York Knicks Odds, Prediction and Pick
These two teams matched up in Milwaukee earlier this season with the Knicks losing by 11, but I think we could be in line for another cover for Tom Thibodeau’s team tonight.
The Knicks didn’t have to exert too much energy in their 30-point win over the Pistons, and they continue to impress on offense despite RJ Barrett’s struggles, ranking 10th in the NBA in offensive rating.
The Achillies heel for this team has been its defense, especially allowing 3-point shots to opponents. However, the Bucks (18th in effective field goal percentage) are shooting just 35.2 percent from 3, good for 17th in the league.
Stopping Giannis Antetokounmpo is not an easy task, and I don’t expect the Knicks to pull off an upset against one of the league’s best teams.
However, I do think they can keep this game close after playing the Memphis Grizzlies and Portland Trail Blazers tough at home.
New York will rely on its offense to keep it in this game, but if the Bucks don’t go crazy from 3, and they haven’t based on their percentage this season, the Knicks will hang around.
Portland Trail Blazers vs. Los Angeles Lakers Odds, Prediction and Pick
Portland is 8-10 against the spread in the second leg of a back-to-back under Chauncey Billups, and this is going to be a tough turnaround after blowing a massive lead on Tuesday.
The Blazers are just 3-7 in their last 10 games, and they’re just 4-6 with Dame out of the lineup.
Betting on the Lakers (7-12 ATS) hasn’t been very profitable this season, but the team is 3-3 ATS when it’s favored.
This is a stylistic clash, as Portland is 28th in the league in pace while the Lakers play at the fastest pace in the NBA.
LeBron James (day-to-day) and Anthony Davis (probable) are both listed on the injury report for this game, but they should suit up after finishing the loss to the Pacers.
I don’t love laying the points with the Lakers here, but I can’t trust Portland after last night’s collapse. Even with Anfernee Simons playing some of his best basketball (37 points on Tuesday), the Blazers are playing too many close games with inferior teams without Lillard.
Find Peter Dewey’s full betting record here.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.