Free NBA Betting Picks and Best Bets (4/1/24)

Happy April, RotoBallers! It's the start of the month and we start with a clean slate. To open the fourth month of 2024, there are six games on schedule tonight.

Yesterday, I went 1-2 on my picks. The Lakers crushed the Nets in the first half to get us a win. Unfortunately, the Bulls went over their total, and the first half over did not hit in the Mavericks game. I had a pretty rough end to March, but I’m hoping I can turn it around with the start of the new month.

In this article, I'll be providing my favorite picks against the spread, game totals, parlays, and teasers for the NBA slate that tips off at 7:00 p.m. EDT on Monday, April 1. Follow me on X, @Jwiesel13.

NBA Betting Picks: ML & Spreads

Portland Trail Blazers (+15.5) at Orlando Magic (208.5 total)

After losing to the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday, Magic star Paolo Banchero said the team needs to start games better. Orlando lost the opening quarter 27-11 to the Warriors on Wednesday and followed that up by being down 23-19 on Friday. The Magic must've taken Banchero's words to heart because they led 33-13 after 12 minutes of play against the Grizzlies on Saturday night.

I'm rolling with the Magic to have another good start tonight against the Blazers. On Saturday, it was Joe Ingles and Jalen Suggs who paced Orlando in scoring. Ingles had 11 and hit all three of his three-point attempts. Suggs had 10 and hit two three-pointers. Banchero only scored four points but contributed with four assists and three rebounds. Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. had a strong four points, nine rebounds, and two steals while also playing all 12 minutes.

Memphis was 5-for-23 from the floor and 1-for-8 from three. It was a great defensive performance from a Magic team that was second in defensive rating in the first quarter of home games in March. This team was lowly rated in offensive rating but did pop off for 33 on Saturday. Only the Utah Jazz have a worse defensive rating to open games than the Portland Trail Blazers. I like the Magic to come out strong again tonight.

idk how Paolo made this pass look so easy pic.twitter.com/L9FRZn4UBh

— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) March 30, 2024

The Pick: Magic First Quarter -5 (-110 DraftKings)

Phoenix Suns (+1.5) at New Orleans Pelicans (223.5 total)

Both of these teams come into this game off of losses. The Suns got crushed by the Thunder in OKC on Friday, and the Pelicans offense was slowed down by the Celtics on Saturday. This is an important game in terms of seeding, and I like Phoenix to cover the first half.

The Suns are 21-15-1 in the first half on the road this season. New Orleans is 22-12-2 at home, so both teams have been good in the opening two quarters. They are similar in scoring; Phoenix averages 60.4 points, while NOLA is putting up 59.3. Both shoot good percentages. Phoenix plays better on the road than at home. At home, they are eighth in offensive rating and 18th in defensive rating. On the road, the Suns are second in offensive rating and 10th in defensive rating.

Phoenix's big three leads the way. Devin Booker (13.9), Kevin Durant (13.1), and Bradley Beal (10.1) are all averaging double digits. Durant has been shooting an efficient 54.2 percent on FGAs and 39 percent from three. For all the talk of the Suns not being a good defensive squad, they are holding opponents to 47 percent on FGAs. They are also in the top 15 in points allowed. New Orleans is a strong rebounding team, but Phoenix does a good job grabbing boards.

Devin Booker and company really need wins to have any hope of avoiding the play-in. The Pelicans have been playing good basketball, and I don't want to go against them at home for the entire game. I'll try my luck with a Phoenix squad that has two players averaging 13 points and an underrated defensive team.

The best three-point shooter in the NBA this season: Grayson All3n 👌@PayPal | #ComingInHot pic.twitter.com/3OYJ9zpT03

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) March 30, 2024

The Pick: Suns First Half ML (+110 Caesars)

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NBA Betting Picks: ML & Spreads

Boston Celtics (-17.5) at Charlotte Hornets (219.5 total)

This game has a huge spread that I want no part of, but there is a team total I like. Boston will be projected to score a lot of points, and I think the Hornets' defense can do a decent job against them. Charlotte is on the second leg of a back-to-back, and I think that could also make them play slower on offense.

In March, teams are shooting well against the Hornets, but they have done a solid job limiting attempts. For the Celtics to hit their high total, they will need a lot of attempts. The Hornets give up a lot of three-point attempts, but they are in the top 15 for the lowest opponent's three-point percentage. They also rank in the top 15 in points per game.

I just think it's a lot of points against a team that hasn't been awful defensively. Boston can sometimes rely too much on three-pointers, and I'm hoping Charlotte can do a good enough job to not get torched. The Celtics aren't great at scoring in the paint, and a sub-par shooting night could be all we need.

The Hornets gave up 130 points to the Clippers yesterday. Los Angeles shot 57 percent on 75 field goals and went 30-for-34 from the line. I would be surprised if the Celtics replicated that tonight, especially the free-throw attempts. Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis are both questionable for tonight’s game.

Miles for 2️⃣ off the backboard@MilesBridges | 📹 @HornetsOnBally pic.twitter.com/MwyuXnib0d

— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) March 29, 2024

The Pick: Celtics Team Total Under 118.5  (-115 ESPN BET)

*Picks and odds are subject to change throughout the day. Monitor your books for the best lines. 

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