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Tonight, we have a smaller six-game slate on the Thursday night hoops schedule. We're chugging right along as the season goes by and trying to find picks we like on a nightly basis.
The two featured games tonight will be Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns traveling to Boston to take on Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics. In the late game, Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will duke it out in what should be a fun Western Conference matchup.
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 7:30 p.m. EDT on Thursday, March 14. Follow me on X, @Jwiesel13.
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NBA Betting Picks: Spreads & ML
Phoenix Suns (+6.5) at Boston Celtics (227.5 total)
I'm taking Phoenix and the points here on the road, with some key Celtics out or iffy to play. Kristaps Porzingis has already been ruled out, and Jaylen Brown is questionable to play with a back injury.
When these teams played in Phoenix on March 9, the Celtics won 117-107. Phoenix won the second half 55-57 after losing the first half, 62-48. This was a five-point game with four minutes left in the fourth quarter before the Celtics pulled away to win.
An Eric Gordon open missed three that would've cut the deficit to two led to an Al Horford three that extended Boston's lead 110-102 with 1:54 left. This is to say that it was a very competitive game, and the Suns did not have Devin Booker. Booker is back tonight, and I would like to believe that will make a difference in a late-game situation. Kevin Durant scored 45 against Boston and has scored 35+ points in four straight games.
Phoenix picked up a nice road win in Cleveland on Monday night and has had two full days of rest going into this game. Against the Cavs, Durant (37), Booker (27), and Beal (24) all scored 24+ points, and Phoenix improved their record to 15-9 when they've all played in the same game. The Suns hit 55 percent of their FGA, and they sit inside the top seven in field-goal and three-point percentage this season. Booker missed the Suns' last four games before returning Monday night. I think they'll be better acclimated with him in the lineup tonight.
Boston's season numbers are great, but I don't like them tonight with Porzingis out and Brown not feeling good if he plays. Brown scored 27 points in 34 minutes against the Suns in their matchup. Phoenix should have pretty much everyone playing tonight, and that's the side I'm leaning on. I wouldn't be surprised at all if the Suns won this game.
No. 35 going to work. pic.twitter.com/KPfBgfmE58
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) March 12, 2024
The Pick: Suns +6.5 (-115 ESPN BET)
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NBA Betting Picks: ML & Spreads
New York Knicks (-10) at Portland Trail Blazers (205.5 total)
The Knicks looked really good when OG Anunoby returned to the court on Tuesday night. After missing the previous 18 games, he didn't miss a beat, and the Knicks crushed the Sixers, 106-79. Philadelphia shot 38 percent on field-goal attempts and 24 percent from three. The Knicks outrebounded them 51-31, and they should have another big rebounding advantage tonight against the Blazers.
New York jumped out to a quick 26-14 lead after the first quarter, and I'm hoping for a similar result tonight. On the road this season, the Knicks are one of the best first-quarter ATS teams in the NBA with a 19-10-1 record. In MSG, the Knicks are only 12-23 ATS in the opening 12 minutes, which is the worst mark in the league.
They are the opposite of their New York counterparts, the Brooklyn Nets, who have been great at home in the first quarter and stunk on the road. Portland is right behind the Knicks with a 13-20 ATS record to start home games.
New York hit 11-of-22 FGA and 3-of-8 three-pointers in their Tuesday night first-quarter win. On defense, the Knicks have held teams to 26.5 first-quarter points this season, the lowest average in the NBA. In January, when Anunoby played the majority of the games, his team held opponents to under 46 percent field-goal shooting and under 36 percent from three.
This team is fierce defensively and comes out with an uncomfortable intensity for its opponents. I'm very bullish on the Knicks going forward (shocker), and I think they have a good start against a Blazers team on a back-to-back.
INSTANT IMPACT 💪
OG Anunoby - 14 PTS | 4 REB | 2 AST | 1 STL pic.twitter.com/vw6E2y8OqU
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) March 13, 2024
The Pick: Knicks First Quarter -3.5 (-104 FanDuel)
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