NBA Odds: Cavs-Magic, Nuggets-Suns, Sixers-Heat (4/6/23)

Forbes

06 April 2023

NBA Odds: Cavs-Magic, Nuggets-Suns, Sixers-Heat (4/6/23)

The playoffs are almost here, and NBA games are high-stakes affairs with spring in the air.

The best NBA betting sites offer many ways to wager on the NBA, including moneylines, spreads, and over/unders. Those are the traditional ways to bet on basketball. You can also wager on NBA futures.

Here’s a look at the NBA games for Thursday, April 6, 2023.

Odds from DraftKings Sportsbook and subject to change.

Cleveland Cavaliers (50-30) vs. Orlando Magic (34-45)

Cleveland’s successful season continues. It has locked up fourth place in the Eastern Conference and will take on the New York Knicks in the opening round of the playoffs. The Cavaliers have just two games left in their season, including this one, so expect them to rest players, including Evan Mobley, Donovan Mitchell, Isaac Okoro, Caris LeVert, Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen.

Orlando will have momentum heading into next season after playing better than .500 for over half the season. If it wasn’t for the super slow start, the Magic could have made the playoffs. The Magic have been getting better guard play during that stretch. When combined with their talented front court, it makes them a tough matchup. For this game, Orlando will miss only Jonathan Isaac, who suffered a season-ending hamstring injury just a few weeks after returning to the floor.

Start Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Location: Amway Center (Orlando, FL)

Betting Odds Summary

Spread: Cavaliers +9 (-105), Magic -9 (-115)
Moneyline: Cavaliers +330, Magic -410
Total: Over/Under 217.5 Points (-110/-110)

Miami Heat (42-37) vs. Philadelphia 76ers (52-27)

Miami still has much to play for in its last three games of the 2022-23 regular season, as it is merely 1.5 games behind Brooklyn for sixth place in the Eastern Conference. If the Heat could squeeze into sixth, they would avoid the play-in games, ensuring a seven-game first-round series instead of being forced to win one of two high-stakes matches. Bam Adebayo and Kyle Lowry are listed as questionable ahead of this battle with Philly. The Heat will need both to grab a much-needed road win.

Joel Embiid has put together an MVP season for the Philadelphia 76ers, exemplified by his most recent 52-point, 13-rebound and six-assist outing against the Boston Celtics. Philly is dangerous, especially with James Harden, who has had a significant bounce back from a few relatively down seasons. Further, the supporting cast of De’Anthony Melton, P.J. Tucker, Georges Niang, Tyrese Maxey, Jalen McDaniels and others is superb and amongst the best in the NBA. For this game, Tucker, Maxey and Melton hold questionable designations.

Start Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia, PA)

Betting Odds Summary

Spread: Heat +2 (-105), 76ers -2 (-115)
Moneyline: Heat +115, 76ers -135
Total: Over/Under 219 Points (-110/-110)

Portland Trail Blazers (33-46) vs. San Antonio Spurs (20-59)

After shutting down Damian Lillard for the remainder of the regular season, Portland has dropped six of its past seven games. Lillard is not the only player that the Trail Blazers seem to have shut down, though, as Jusuf Nurkic, Anfernee Simons and Jerami Grant have also not played in that span. The Blazers have an absurdly long injury report, so don’t expect many regular rotation players on the floor tonight.

San Antonio has properly tanked this season and will have tremendous chances at landing either Scoot Henderson or Victor Wembanyama in the 2023 NBA Draft. The Spurs have just three games remaining in their season and will be without multiple key players in that span, including Doug McDermott, Jeremy Sochan, Devin Vassell, Devonte’ Graham and Khem Birch. Romeo Langford and Keldon Johnson are questionable for this game, but don’t be shocked if they are scratched, too.

Start Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
Location: Moody Center (Austin, TX)

Betting Odds Summary

Spread: Trail Blazers +4 (-105), Spurs -4 (-115)
Moneyline: Trail Blazers +150, Spurs -175
Total: Over/Under 227.5 Points (-110/-110)

Oklahoma City Thunder (38-42) vs. Utah Jazz (36-43)

After an impressive stretch that catapulted them into the playoff picture, the Thunder have since dropped four of their past five games, with a narrow one-point victory against Detroit being the only positive. Now, Oklahoma City will be fighting to maintain 10th place, the last play-in spot, as Dallas is on its heels. Lu Dort is questionable, and Aleksej Pokusevski is out for this battle with Utah.

The Jazz looked like a playoff-caliber team through the first half of the season but have since fallen off, dropping to 12th place in the West. They are out of the playoff picture and will keep their key players off the floor, including Lauri Markkanen, Walker Kessler, Rudy Gay, Collin Sexton and Jordan Clarkson, to avoid unnecessary injuries and increase their odds at a top pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.

Start Time: 9:00 p.m. ET
Location: Vivint Arena (Salt Lake City, UT)

Betting Odds Summary

Spread: Thunder -7 (-110), Jazz +7 (-110)
Moneyline: Thunder -275, Jazz +230
Total: Over/Under 239.5 Points (-110/-110)

Denver Nuggets (52-27) vs. Phoenix Suns (44-35)

The Denver Nuggets have clinched the Western Conference with three games left in their 2022-23 regular season campaign; they dominated the second half of the season behind another incredible year from Nikola Jokic, who is averaging just shy of a triple-double. However, they have dropped three of their past four games and have struggled a bit in their last leg of the season. Denver’s entire starting five is questionable leading up to this game against Phoenix, as there would be little reward in them playing tonight.

Phoenix remains undefeated when Kevin Durant plays, boasting a 7-0 record since acquiring him from the Nets. The Suns are locked into fourth place in the Western Conference after a roller-coaster season filled with injuries and a massive trade. As of Thursday morning, no players were listed on their injury report; however, keep an eye on it throughout the day because they might scratch someone late.

Start Time: 10:00 p.m. ET
Location: Footprint Center (Phoenix, AZ)