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 and Best Bets (4/14/24)

Josh Wiesel's top NBA betting picks and best bets for today's NBA games on 4/14/24. Use his free picks against the spread, teasers, parlays, and NBA player props to win money betting on the NBA!

The 2023-24 NBA season started on October 23, back in 2023. After 174 days and almost six months, the NBA regular season ends today. I have really enjoyed doing these betting articles and am looking forward to continuing them in the playoffs. This regular season, I wrote 71 articles and gave out 202 picks. I'm slightly above 50 percent on the season and have seen my fair share of hot and cold streaks. Every team plays today, as we have a 15-game slate to close out the season. Let's get into it.

Friday night, I was happy to walk away with a 2-1 record on my three picks. The Cavs jumped out to a nice lead, then lost it, then closed the game strong to win at home. Miami showed up to play and easily covered their 7.5-point first-half spread. With those two in the bag, it was up to the Suns to win the first quarter by two or more to complete the sweep. Phoenix jumped out to an 11-6 lead, and I thought they would pull through. Sacramento came back and it prevented us from having a perfect night. I got three more picks today and let's close the season strong.

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 1:00 p.m. EDT on Sunday, April 14. Follow me on X, @Jwiesel13.

Featured Promo: Get any Props Premium Pass for 50% off using code SUMMER. 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!

 

NBA Betting Picks: Totals

Milwaukee Bucks (+4.5) at Orlando Magic (214.5 total)

I’m taking the Bucks team total under in this game. I do like Orlando, and as a Knicks fan, I’m rooting for the Bucks to lose. I'm a little skeptical of this line and don't want to take points on either side.

What I'm hoping for is that the Magic defense shows up to play. Orlando could totally lose this game and crater in a big moment but I'm trusting what has built this team this season. This is the biggest Magic game in quite some time and the best team they've had since they went 52-30 in the 2010-11 season. A win today avoids falling to the play-in tournament.

Milwaukee is without Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard and comes into this game off of a 125-107 loss in Oklahoma City on Friday night. I would take the full game under in this game but I just don't know what to expect from Milwaukee on the defensive side of the ball. Orlando has been a top-five defensive team all season and I have enjoyed watching them command that side of the ball. Entering the final day of the regular season, the Magic are third in defensive rating. The Magic's 111 defensive rating is only behind the Celtics (110.5) and Timberwolves (108.1). If Orlando's offense could've ranked around average, they would've easily been a 50-win team.

This is not about the Magic's offense, though, because we need their defense to stop the Bucks. At home, Orlando had a 108 defensive rating, compared to 113.9 on the road. They have held opponents to 105.5 points, which is third behind the Knicks and Timberwolves. The key to this pick is how the Magic limit FGAs. Among home teams, they allow the fewest FGAs and second-fewest three-point attempts.

If Orlando plays up to that average, Milwaukee will have to play efficiently to go over its total. Without Giannis and Lillard and the motivation from a full-strength Magic squad, I don't like them to get it done today.

The Pick: Bucks Team Total Under 105.5 (-120 ESPN BET)

 

Phoenix Suns (+2.5) at Minnesota Timberwolves (216.5 total)

The pick here will be a little off-brand for me but I like the over. I know Minnesota has been excellent on defense and I'm taking the risk here. Both teams can score and the total feels low enough that it's worth a try.

Phoenix hasn't been scoring well recently but they are still averaging 116 points this season. The Suns actually average more points on the road (116.5) than at home (115.8). They shoot slightly better on FGAs and a little worse on threes. Phoenix is seventh in offensive rating among road teams this season. They shoot it well from virtually every distance on the court and are not reliant on one particular spot. On the road this season, Devin Booker (29.0) and Kevin Durant (26.5) are both averaging over 26 points per game. The Suns also have Bradley Beal (18.2), Grayson Allen (12.6), Eric Gordon (10.6), and Jusuf Nurkic (9.9) helping out their top two guys.

On defense, Phoenix ranks 13th in defensive rating. I think the Suns will struggle with the size of Minnesota on the defensive side of the ball.

The Timberwolves are outside of the top 15 in points per game but still average over 113 per game. Minnesota is in the top 10 in field goal percentage and in the top five in three-point percentage. They welcomed back Karl-Anthony Towns on Friday night, who was playing his first game in over a month. Towns only had 11 points on 4-for-11 shooting in 27 minutes, but having some rust is normal. The Timberwolves All-Star is averaging 22 points per game this season. He does have a favorable matchup against a Suns team that doesn't defend power forwards well. Back on November 15, Towns scored 25 points in a 133-115 loss to Phoenix. I also expect Anthony Edwards to rebound after a 14-point outing in the Friday night victory against the Hawks.

Both teams need this game for seeding purposes and I think they can get across this total.

The Pick: Over 216.5 (-115 ESPN BET)

 

Sports Betting Promo Offers

Featured Promo: Get any Betting Premium Pass for 50% off using code SUMMER. Win more with exclusive betting picks from proven winners across 9 sports! Find optimal bets with our Betting Picks Tool and Bet Weighting Tool and follow along in our VIP chat rooms! Go Premium, Win More!

 

NBA Betting Picks: ML & Spreads

Los Angeles Lakers (+3.5) at New Orleans Pelicans (230.5 total)

This is another huge game with playoff-seeding implications. I like the Lakers to cover the first quarter on the road here. Los Angeles hasn't been great ATS in opening quarters this season but they are 6-1 in their last seven. In their one loss, Anthony Davis did not play against the Warriors. Against Memphis on Friday night, they held a 34-26 advantage after 12 minutes of play. I'm a little concerned that LeBron James and Anthony Davis played 40+ minutes, but it is also playoff time and minutes increase with the importance of these games.

In April, Davis is leading the Lakers with 10.2 points and 4.2 rebounds per game in the first quarter. On Friday, he had 13 to open against Memphis. The Lakers have lost the first quarter in their last two matchups against New Orleans but the last time they played was on February 9.

Los Angeles is second in offensive rating and 11th in defensive rating in this seven-game sample. They have the third-highest net rating and have outscored opponents 211–157, not counting the Warriors game. The 34.3 points they've averaged are the most in the NBA. For the season, LA is averaging 29.6 points, which still ranks in the top 12. Over this stretch, the Lakers have hit 51.2 percent of their FGAs and 41.5 percent from three. They could be better on the defensive side of the ball, but scoring 30 or more will likely win them the opening quarter more times than not.

The Pelicans only put up 17 points to open the game against the Warriors on Friday night. Using this same sample, New Orleans is 25th in offensive rating and 18th in defensive rating. They have a -7.0 net rating and haven't looked too sharp. Brandon Ingram could return and play his first game since March 21. He might have some rust and the Pelicans will have to reintegrate him back into the offense. That makes me like the Lakers to cover early even more and I'll ride the hot hand.

The Pick: Lakers First Quarter +1.5  (-125 Sports Illustrated Sportsbook)

 

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



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




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

Julio Rodríguez

Julio Rodriguez Won't Suit Up for Midsummer Classic
Trey Smith

Chiefs, Trey Smith Expected to Work Out Long-Term Extension
Bernhard Raimann

a Candidate for an Extension This Summer
C.J. Stroud

Could Sign Multi-Year Deal Before 2026 Season
Kyle Juszczyk

Says Christian McCaffrey Looks Healthy, Explosive
Kyren Williams

Showing Improved Explosiveness
Christian Barmore

"Dominant" this Spring
Ryan Reaves

Traded to Sharks
Vladislav Kolyachonok

Moves to Dallas
Matt Dumba

Lands in Pittsburgh
Mackie Samoskevich

Re-Signs with Panthers on One-Year Deal
Josh Manson

Inks Two-Year Extension with Avalanche
EDM

Isaac Howard Signs Three-Year, Entry-Level Contract With Oilers
Pete Crow-Armstrong

Homers Twice, Drives in Three
Brice Matthews

Joining Astros
MLB

White Sox-Guardians Postponed on Thursday
Brandon Aiyuk

Likely to Begin Season on PUP List, but Not Ruled Out for Week 1
Jameson Williams

Not in the Team's Long-Term Plans?
Tallison Teixeira

Set For His First UFC Main Event
Micah Parsons

Plans to be Present for Start of Training Camp
Derrick Lewis

Set To Headline UFC Nashville
Ikem Ekwonu

Next Up for Extension in Carolina?
Jalen Thompson

Heading into Last Year With Cardinals?
Gabriel Bonfim

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Najee Harris

Suffers Eye Injury in Fireworks Mishap
Stephen Thompson

Returns At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Calvin Kattar

In Dire Need Of Victory
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere A Favorite At UFC Nashville
Nate Landwehr

Aims To Bounce Back
MMA

Austen Lane Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Vitor Petrino

Set For His Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Set To Open Up UFC Nashville Main Card
Junior Tafa

Set For Light-Heavyweight Bout
Alex Bregman

Will Return to Red Sox This Weekend
Chris Sale

Braves Won't Consider Trading Chris Sale
Clarke Schmidt

to Undergo Season-Ending Elbow Surgery on Friday
Nick Nash

Unlikely to Make Falcons Active Roster
Lane Johnson

in No Rush To Retire
Jalen Williams

Signs Contract Extension With Thunder
Blake Corum

has "Gotten His Speed Back"
Jarquez Hunter

Picking Up Rams Offense Quickly
Alijah Martin

Agrees to Two-Way Deal With Raptors
Tristan Vukcevic

Set to Return to Washington
Kirk Cousins

Feels Misled by Falcons
Bijan Robinson

Says Falcons Have "Outlandish Goals" for the Running Game
Luther Burden III

Bears Expect Luther Burden III to be Ready for Training Camp
Cole Kmet

an Unlikely Trade Piece
Tony Pollard

Titans Hope to Balance Rushing Attack With Tony Pollard, Tyjae Spears
Byron Buxton

Sitting Thursday
Anfernee Simons

Celtics Are "Actively Trying to Trade" Anfernee Simons
NBA

Alex Ducas Heading to Australia
Dominick Barlow

Inks Two-Way Deal With 76ers
Jordan McLaughlin

Spurs Re-Sign Jordan McLaughlin to One-Year Deal
Dylan Harper

Out Thursday, Expected to Play Saturday
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Homers Twice on Wednesday
Mike Trout

Homers Twice in Win Over Rangers
Jazz Chisholm Jr.

Leads Yankees to Victory
Salvador Perez

Crushes Two Homers in Win
VJ Edgecombe

Diagnosed with a Sprained Thumb
Devin Booker

Agrees to Extension with Phoenix
Trevor Williams

to Undergo Season-Ending Elbow Surgery
Byron Buxton

Exits After Hit-by-Pitch, X-Rays Negative
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Playing on Wednesday
Alex Bregman

has "Really Good Chance" to Return Before All-Star Break
Teoscar Hernández

Teoscar Hernandez Expected to Return on Friday
Walter Clayton Jr.

Leads Jazz to Summer League Win
Carter Bryant

Struggles in Summer League Loss
Kyle Filipowski

Drops a Double-Double in Summer League Action on Tuesday
Oklahoma City Thunder

Malevy Leons Logs Impressive Summer League Outing on Tuesday
Dalton Knecht

Collects 25 Points in Lakers Summer League Win
Los Angeles Lakers

Darius Bazley Drops 27 Points in Summer League on Tuesday
Gary Woodland

Looking to Find Rhythm at Scottish Open
Aaron Rai

Brings Consistent Play to Scottish Open
Maverick McNealy

a Solid Value Play at Scottish Open
Aldrich Potgieter

Making Scottish Open Debut
Tom Kim

Looks to Rebound at Scottish Open
Brian Harman

a Safe Option at Scottish Open
Luke Clanton

a Sneaky Value Play at Scottish Open
Sam Burns

Looking to Stay Hot at Scottish Open
Chet Holmgren

Agrees to Rookie Max Extension
Alex Bregman

Not Returning Wednesday
Jhoan Duran

Unavailable Due to Illness
Shane McClanahan

Tosses Clean Frame in First Rehab Appearance
Jacob Wilson

Day-to-Day After HBP
Nicolai Hojgaard

May Feel More at Home in Europe
Harry Hall

Showing Fine Form Heading to Scotland
Ryan Fox

Playing Well Since Early Spring Struggles
Malaki Branham

Traded to Washington
Max Greyserman

has Solid History at the Genesis Scottish Open
Blake Wesley

Moves to Washington
Harris English

Aims High for Scotland Next
Corey Conners

Primed for the Genesis Scottish Open
Kelly Olynyk

on the Move Again
Daniel Brown

Attempts the Scottish Swing Again
Anthony Davis

Recovering From Eye Surgery
Jacob Bridgeman

Needs Putter to Work at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Headlines Field at Genesis Scottish Open
Rory McIlroy

a Smart Play for Scottish Open
Adam Scott

Looking to Build on History at The Renaissance Club
NASCAR

Sepp Straka Not Likely to Find Momentum at Scottish Open
Justin Rose

Hopes Month Hiatus Helps Him Bounce Back at Scottish Open
NHL

Tyler Johnson Retires After 13 NHL Seasons
Jack McBain

Inks New Five-Year Deal with Mammoth
Cam York

Re-Signs with Flyers for Five Years
Jake Knapp

Fits the Mold for Success at The Renaissance Club
Ty Gibbs

Finishes Second at Chicago and Advances in In-Season Challenge
Alex Bowman

Defeats Bubba Wallace in In-Season Challenge, but Not Without Controversy
Alex Bowman

Bubba Wallace Wrecked by Alex Bowman Again, Putting Playoffs in Doubt
Michael McDowell

Throttle Failure Ends Michael McDowell's Chances to Win at Chicago
Austin Hill

Earns First NASCAR Cup Series Top Ten at Chicago
Tyler Reddick

Scores a Strong Third-Place Run at Chicago
Kyle Busch

Matches his Best Career Finish At Chicago on Sunday
Denny Hamlin

Fights his Way to a Top-5 Finish at Chicago
William Byron

has his Worst Weekend of the Season at Chicago
Sonny Milano

on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Jakub Dobes

Signs Two-Year Deal with Canadiens
NHL

Hendrix Lapierre Signs One-Year Deal with Capitals
Carson Hocevar

Should DFS Players Consider Carson Hocevar for Chicago Lineups?
Tye Kartye

Kraken Re-Sign Tye Kartye for Two Years
Ross Chastain

May be A Decent DFS Option for Chicago Lineups
Dmitri Voronkov

Signs Two-Year, $8.35 Million Extension with Blue Jackets
Ryan Preece

Should DFS Players Roster Ryan Preece at Chicago?
Austin Dillon

Is Too Great of A Risk to Add to Chicago Lineups
Zane Smith

Is A Value Play Worth Rostering At Chicago
Austin Hill

is A Favorable Value Option for Chicago DFS Lineups
Ty Dillon

Is Ty Dillon A Decent Driver to Add For NASCAR DFS At Chicago?
William Byron

Qualifying Crash Makes William Byron a Likely DFS Must-Have
Alex Bowman

Should Finish Well, but Probably Costs Too Much for Serious DFS Consideration
Joey Logano

Has Been Relatively Mediocre on Road Courses Lately
Ryan Blaney

Doesn't Really Fit Neatly into Optimal DFS Lineups
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF