NBA top betting picks and best odds | Friday, March 4

Last night’s NBA action was headlined by yet another Lakers loss. The LeBron led team from LA has struggled in recent weeks and last night was a continuation of that. They lost to a depleted Clippers team and LeBron is in legitimate danger of missing the playoffs. Tonight’s games are full of intrigue as many of the matchups will be important for playoff seeding. Without further ado, let’s dive into the matchups and find some NBA winners.

Atlanta Hawks at Washington Wizards betting picks

NBA fans have been waiting all season for the Hawks to establish themselves but apart from a couple good runs, they have been largely disappointing. They are the 10 seed but after an Eastern Conference Finals appearance last year, they need to be better. The Hawks are on a 4-2 run against the spread, which is a good sign but it is not enough. This team, led by Trae Young, is too talented to be fighting for a playoff berth. Ultimately, they are a better team than the Wizards and despite a rough season, the Hawks should easily get past the Wizards.

The Wizards jumped out to a great start but everyone knew it was unsustainable. Just by looking at their roster, one could tell they were not a playoff team. Now, with their star Bradley Beal out for the rest of the season, the Wizards are back to what many expected of them. They are the 11 seed in the East and while they are within striking distance of the Hawks, they simply do not have the talent. This will be a good game for the Hawks to extend their lead and hopefully kick start their season.

Cleveland Cavaliers at Philadelphia 76ers betting preview

Prior to the James Harden trade, the Cavs would have had a great shot to win this game. They have the interior defenders to slow down the 76ers’ MVP candidate, Joel Embiid. But the addition of Harden makes Philly so tough. It remains to be seen if the 76ers are legit title candidates but they can be dominant in the regular season. They are undefeated with Harden and it doesn’t look like anyone can stop them. This will be Philadelphia’s biggest test yet, but they match up well in the guard positions against the Cavs and should cover the number in another Philly win.

The Cavs are slowly falling back to Earth. After a remarkable start to the season, they are 0-6 against the spread in their last six and haven’t been able to maintain their hot start. They are now the 6 seed in the East and that falls in line with their expectations. While the Cavs are a fun team and building for the future, they are on a different timeline than the 76ers. The 76ers want to win now and this will be a good opportunity to show they are a class above some of the middling teams of the Eastern Conference.

Milwaukee Bucks at Chicago Bulls top picks

This line opened at Bulls +2 and has been bet down to this number. It is a clear disrespect of the Bulls and what they’ve achieved this season. The Bulls, to everyone’s dismay, are the three seed in the East and they have a deep team that will not back down to Giannis’s Bucks. They play great defense and should be able to limit Giannis as much as anyone can. The Bulls are 5-1 at home in their last six and have the talent to win this game. They haven’t garnered the respect they deserve and this will be a good opportunity to prove their doubters wrong.

The Bucks are coming off a huge win against the East’s one seed, the Miami Heat. They may be in for a let down spot in this game and while the Bucks are more talented than the Bulls, they won’t be ready for the Bulls’ motivation. Milwaukee is 1-6 against the spread in their last 7 and have won a lot of close games as of late. This game should be another close game and that makes the Bulls +5 very appealing. In a potential Eastern Conference showdown, the Bulls will want to prove their legitimacy and this is a great spot for them to do so.