X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Free NBA Betting Picks - Today's Best Bets, Expert Predictions, Odds (4/23/22)

jayson tatum nba dfs lineup picks daily fantasy basketball NBA injury news

Thunder Dan's top NBA betting picks and best bets for today's NBA games on 4/23/22. His free picks against the spread, teasers, parlays, and NBA player props.

Friday night's game featured two games that came down to the wire and one big ole' Bucks blowout. The Miami Heat choked away game three in the fourth quarter, costing me a chance at going 3-0 on sides last night and busting up my parlays. Jimmy Butler took some ill-advised shots on the final two possessions while Trae Young made a huge shot in the closing seconds to secure a one-point win and ensure that Atlanta wouldn't be swept.

I thought the Bucks would bounce back, but I didn't anticipate they'd throttle the Bulls as they did in game three. If anything that just proves to me that Chicago's game two win was flukier than ever. The Suns needed big efforts from Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton to hold off those pesky Pelicans, but they now lead their series 2-1, also. Props only went 1-2 last night and I've admittedly gone cold on them this postseason, but we will keep after it. Today and tomorrow we have four-game slates and despite having to also cover MLB and wanting to sleep, I couldn't resist making some picks for you. It's the NBA Playoffs, c'mon! There are no days off!

Attention fellow sports bettors! We have some exciting news to share as we are now officially partnered with various sportsbooks and have some sweet sports betting promo offers! Get your deposit bonus, as well as a year of free RotoBaller Premium access, when you sign up with a new account today! After you're signed up, use our picks in this article for spreads, totals, and props to win big. In this article, I'll be providing my favorite picks against the spread, game totals, series predictions, parlays, teasers, and player props for NBA games on Saturday, April 23, 2022. I would also strongly encourage you to join our RotoBaller premium slack group by signing up for a premium pass!

Featured Promo: Get any Props Premium Pass for 30% off using code NEW. Win more with our two new Props Optimizer tools -- one for PrizePicks Props, and one for Sportsbook Betting Props. Find optimal prop bets and get our recommended picks daily! Go Premium, Win More!

 

Thunder Dan's NBA Best Bets for Today

  • Postseason Record 31-34
  • Against the Spread 12-12
  • Over/Under 3-4
  • Player Props 14-18

(click to enlarge)

 

NBA Betting Picks for 4/23

Philadelphia 76ers (-3) @ Toronto Raptors (213.5 total)

So here's where I have to get a little weird with my picks today. I was ready to bury the Raptors after seeing Joel Embiid hit a game-winning three in overtime of game three as that felt like a back-breaking blow to their chances of making this a competitive series. But then yesterday we found out that Embiid has a torn ligament in his thumb. Embiid plans to play through it, but we have no idea how it might affect him or his shooting. I honestly thought that the Sixers might even sit him down and try to win game four without him, having the advantage of being up 3-0 in the series.

The Embiid injury opens the door for the Raptors here, if even ever so slightly. We've seen plenty of teams up 3-0 take their foot off the gas before, and the underdogs who are living to fight another day play their guts out trying to stave off elimination. I'm not one to make picks based on narratives, but in the postseason, I think they may carry some more weight than usual. And to be fair, Toronto is at home and covered this spread in game two.

I think Toronto either wins a close game or they get blown out, I don't see too many outcomes in between. I'm going to roll with the Raptors here in game four and take them to win outright at some nice odds. I think they can win here and push this series to five games, sending it back to Philadelphia where the Sixers probably close them out there.

The Picks: Toronto ML (+130)

 

Dallas Mavericks (+5.5) @ Utah Jazz (212.5 total)

Why are the Mavericks still such heavy underdogs after going up 2-1 in the series? I'm not sure that I get it, but I suppose bettors simply aren't convinced they're that good or they are waiting for Utah to wake up. Guess what, people, this is who Utah is! The Jazz are a "good but not great" team and their inability to stop a Dallas team without its star has proven that.

Guess what else? Luka Doncic could return tonight! So Utah could be in big trouble here. I'd say they play better with their backs pressed up against the wall a bit, but I am not sure they're capable of playing that much better. They are getting 30+ per night from Donovan Mitchell and 20+ from Bojan Bogdanovic. They simply have no answers defensively for the Mavs small-ball lineups. They even tried benching Rudy Gobert and playing Eric Paschall as a small-ball center late in game three.

The Jazz are bewildered and the Mavs are playing with the utmost confidence. I like them to cover here even if Luka doesn't suit up, and if Doncic plays, I will be betting the Dallas money line as well, as I think they win if he's able to play even half his minutes with his usual effectiveness.

The Picks: Mavs +5.5 (-110), Mavs team total OVER 103.5 points (-115)

 

Boston Celtics (+3) @ Brooklyn Nets (222.5 total)

Today I happen to be on a bunch of underdogs after I was on all three favorites last night. I hate that I love these Celtics so much. Let me clarify. I don't like the Celtics, I have always hated their franchise and most of that came out of the fact that they were always good and their fans always annoyed me. What I am trying to say is that I love watching THIS Celtics team play and I find myself rooting for them in this series. Some of that could be due to my loathe for Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, but either way, I'm pulling for Boston here.

My rooting interests never impact my picks though, I promise! Boston should be favored here and I've backed them in both games one and two, so it should be no surprise to you that I am on them again. Reports are that they will get starting center Robert Williams III back today in a limited fashion. After tearing his meniscus, he's healed faster than anticipated and even 15-20 minutes of Williams is going to be a big boon to this Celtics interior defense and rebounding. Al Horford does a great job but has physical limitations of being undersized, and let's face it - he's old.

Boston has all the momentum here. They stole game one with a buzzer-beater and then battled back in game two from a big deficit to cover with ease. I'm not sure what else to say about this series at this point, other than Boston's players trust each other and are the more cohesive unit on the floor. They're tough, gritty, and find ways to get offensive rebounds, and loose balls. Tatum and Brown make big shots and never shy away from big moments. I like Boston here as they are the better TEAM despite Brooklyn having the two best players in the series.

The Pick: Celtics ML (+135)

 

Memphis Grizzlies (-3) @ Minnesota Timberwolves (232.5 total)

This series has been...crazy. The last two games have seen a ton of fouls that have really impacted how these teams want to play. It was Memphis who got into foul trouble early in game three and Minnesota raced out to another huge lead that was reminiscent of the lead they blew (but eventually recovered) in game one.

They didn't recover in game three. They ended up losing by nine points despite having a 20-point or better lead TWICE at different points during that game. I'm sure Minnesota fans are sick about it, so I won't rub it in, but it certainly feels like they've missed their chance at grabbing the upper hand in this series. I've been on Memphis from the beginning of the series and that doesn't change tonight. When they're clicking, they're a really tough team to stop as Morant has the ability to create his own shot and get open looks for shooters Dillon Brooks and Desmond Bane.

JJJ is a walking foul, but probably the most athletic dude on the floor at all times and when he's making shots it's almost like found money for Memphis. Brandon Clarke has been huge in this series and is a real problem for Minnesota with his athleticism and ability to score on the pick and roll. Memphis just keeps coming at you with more guys and they can deploy so many different types of lineups by going really small with Kyle Anderson at the four, or much bigger with Clarke and Jackson both out there at the same time.

The T-Wolves just seem out of sorts. Who is their go-to guy? Is it KAT? Is it Edwards? Is it Russell? I wouldn't totally count them out in this series if they can win tonight, but I think the much more likely outcome is a Memphis win and for the Grizz to head back home up 3-1 (sorry, Kyle Ringstad!).

The Pick: Grizzlies -3 (-110)

 

Attention fellow sports bettors! We have some exciting news to share as we are now officially partnered with various sportsbooks and have some sweet sports betting promo offers! Get your deposit bonus, as well as a year of free RotoBaller Premium access, when you sign up with a new account today! After you're signed up, use our picks in this article for spreads, totals, and props to win big.

 

NBA Prop Bet Picks

Donovan Mitchell over 30.5 points (-110) - The Spider is 3/3 on this prop in the series, scoring 32 points twice and 34 points in game two. Win or lose, I think he's likely going to get there as he's taking a huge volume of shots and has two games already with double-digit free throw attempts, too.

Ja Morant over 8.5 assists (-125): We hammered this at 7.5 last game and he had another 10-assist night in game three. He played 40 minutes in game three and the ball is in his hands every possession. With shooters flanking him and capable finishers like Clarke and JJJ inside, it's very feasible for him to get there yet again tonight.

OG Anunoby over 27.5 PRA (-110): The Raptors are fighting for their lives and so I expect their starters to continue to basically play the entire game as they did on Wednesday. OG is 3/3 hitting this prop in the series and Scottie Barnes is still out today, so I'm firing him up and hoping the Raptors can win one to extend the series.

Bruce Brown over 9.5 assists/rebounds (-125): Brown had a terrible game one, but in game two we saw him have another huge performance where his production returned to what we saw against Cleveland in the play-in game. His scoring can be erratic, but he crashes the boards and has been a great passer, finding Claxton on lobs for dunks and feeding Kyrie/KD coming off screens.

I usually post all my favorite props in our RotoBaller premium slack on a nightly basis - if you're not a premium member for NBA content you can change that by signing up here!

We just added a new player prop tool that is available to our NBA premium and betting premium members, too!

 

NBA Betting Picks: Team/Player Stats Matrix

(click either chart to enlarge)

I use this chart when making player prop bets! I hope you find this information useful when making your bets as well.

Thanks for checking this new column out and check back every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for the rest of the NBA season! Good luck and bet responsibly!



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy basketball mobile app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, lineup notifications & DFS articles. All free!

NBA DFS News and Injury Alerts

More DFS Lineup Picks and Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Griffin Conine

To Have Shoulder Surgery On Tuesday
Luke Keaschall

Twins Prospect Luke Keaschall Suffers Broken Forearm
Logan Gilbert

Leaves Friday's Start With Forearm Tightness

Vikings Select Tai Felton To Finish Day 2

Seahawks Select Quarterback Jalen Milroe With The 92nd Pick Overall

Browns Select Dillon Gabriel 94th Overall

Packers Pick Savion Williams At No. 87 overall

Steelers Snag Kaleb Johnson In Round 3

Broncos Select Wide Receiver Pat Bryant With The 74th Overall Pick

Texans Select Jaylin Noel With 79th Pick

Lions Select Wide Receiver Isaac TeSlaa With The 70th Overall Pick
Jack Leiter

To Start On Sunday

Patriots Add Wide Receiver Kyle Williams In Round 3

Browns Draft Harold Fannin Jr. With 67th Pick
Garrett Mitchell

Makes Early Exit
Luke Keaschall

Removed Early On Friday
Blake Snell

Likely Avoids Major Injury
Cole Ragans

Dealing With Mild Groin Strain

Broncos Add RJ Harvey To Backfield With 60th Pick

Raiders Select Jack Bech With 58th Pick

Chargers Add Wide Receiver Tre Harris In Round 2
Detroit Lions

Lions Acquire 57th Pick From Broncos

Seahawks Draft Elijah Arroyo 50th Overall
Carolina Panthers

Panthers Acquire 51st Pick From Broncos
Arizona Cardinals

Cardinals Snag Will Johnson At No. 47

Jets Add A Pass-Catcher With Mason Taylor At No. 42

Rams Select Terrance Ferguson With 46th Pick
Houston Texans

Texans Acquire 48th Pick From Raiders, Draft Aireontae Ersery

Saints Snag Tyler Shough At No. 40
Brenton Doyle

Out For Personal Reasons On Friday
Brandin Podziemski

Not On Injury Report For Game 3
Jimmy Butler III

Warriors Optimistic About Jimmy Butler III Playing Saturday
Jae'Sean Tate

To Remain Out Saturday
Jock Landale

Unavailable For Game 3
Terry Rozier

Out On Saturday
Jrue Holiday

Ruled Out For Friday Night's Game 3 Against Orlando
Kevin Love

To Miss Saturday's Game
Jaylen Brown

Available For Friday Night's Game 3 Against Magic
Gary Payton II

Iffy For Saturday's Action
Jayson Tatum

Officially Available On Friday For Game 3 Against Magic
Will Smith

Back From Injury On Friday
Luke Kennard

Questionable For Game 4 On Saturday
Darius Garland

Listed As Questionable For Game 3
Ja Morant

To Miss Game 4 On Saturday
Rui Hachimura

Available For Game 3 In Minnesota
Aaron Ekblad

Available To Return Saturday
Erik Swanson

Ryan Burr Progressing
Daulton Varsho

To Return On Tuesday At The Latest
Max Scherzer

Takes Positive Step On Friday
Aleksander Barkov

Questionable For Saturday
Gabriel Landeskog

Set For Larger Role In Game 4
Calvin Pickard

To Start Game 3 For Oilers
Randy Arozarena

Resting For First Time This Year
Jonas Siegenthaler

To Play Limited Minutes In Game 3
MLB

Red Sox-Guardians Game Postponed On Friday
Luke Hughes

Remains Out On Friday
MLB

Tigers-Orioles Postponed On Friday
Patrik Laine

A Game-Time Decision Friday
Yainer Diaz

Out On Friday Against Royals
Iván Herrera

Ivan Herrera Hopes To Start Rehab Assignment Next Week
Salvador Perez

Sitting Out For First Time This Season
Jaylen Brown

Questionable For Game 3 On Friday
Brendan Donovan

Back In Action On Friday
Jimmy Butler III

Could Miss Game 3 On Saturday
Coby Mayo

Getting On A Roll At Triple-A
Carlos Prates

Looks To Remain Undefeated In The UFC
Ian Machado Garry

Set For UFC Kansas City Main Event
Cade Cunningham

Collects Double-Double In Loss
Jalen Brunson

Drops 30 Points In Game 3
Karl-Anthony Towns

Leads All Scorers In Game 3 Victory
Zhang Mingyang

Scheduled For Co-Main Event
Anthony Smith

Set For His Final UFC Bout
David Onama

Set For Featherweight Bout
Giga Chikadze

Looks To Bounce Back
Abus Magomedov

Looks For His Third Consecutive Win
Michel Pereira

Returns To Action At UFC Kansas City
Nicolas Dalby

An Underdog At UFC Kansas City
Randy Brown

A Favorite At UFC Kansas City
Andre Muniz

Set To Open Up UFC Kansas City Main Card
Ikram Aliskerov

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Sergei Bobrovsky

Shuts Out Lightning In Game 2
Cam Fowler

Finishes Thursday's Win With Five Points
Robert Thomas

Posts Four Assists In Game 3 Win
Pavel Buchnevich

Celebrates Hat Trick During Four-Point Performance
Dylan DeMelo

Battling An Illness
Marcus Johansson

Exits Early Thursday
Aleksander Barkov

Hurt In Game 2
Jrue Holiday

Tagged As Questionable For Friday
Jayson Tatum

Likely Out Again On Friday
Anthony Cirelli

Good To Go Thursday
Andrei Vasilevskiy

Looks To Bounce Back In Game 2
Rasmus Ristolainen

To Miss Training Camp
Jonas Siegenthaler

Returns To Practice
Aliaksei Protas

Traveling With Capitals
Gabriel Vilardi

Still Out On Thursday
Max Pacioretty

Set To Join Maple Leafs Lineup For Game 3
Cam Davis

Looking For Better Fortunes At TPC Louisiana
Adam Svensson

Making Third Apperence At Zurich Classic
Max Greyserman

Aiming For Similar Success At TPC Louisiana
Lee Hodges

A High-Upside Player In New Orleans
PGA

Nico Echavarria Looks To Ride Off Of Elite Putting In New Orleans
Gary Woodland

A Player Worth Watching In New Orleans
Max McGreevy

Returns To The Zurich Classic Of New Orleans
Rasmus Hojgaard

In Search Of Consistency Ahead Of Zurich Classic
Sam Stevens

A Boom-Or-Bust Candidate In New Orleans
Nicolai Hojgaard

Looking To Turn Season Around At Zurich Classic
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

Looks To Sway A Hot Putter In Teams Favor At Zurich Classic
Akshay Bhatia

Looking To Bounce Back At TPC Louisiana
Carson Young

Looks To Turn Things Around At TPC Louisiana
Erik Van Rooyen

Looking For Momentum In Louisiana
Andrew Novak

Making Start At TPC Louisiana After Near Miss At Harbour Town
Ben Griffin

Making Third Career Start At Zurich Classic
Taylor Moore

Competing With A New Teammate In New Orleans
Wyndham Clark

Making Return To New Orleans
Kurt Kitayama

Teeing It Up Again In New Orleans
Collin Morikawa

Back At Zurich Classic For Fifth Time
Thomas Detry

Making Third Appearance At New Orleans Team Event
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF