NBA Odds: Sixers-Warriors, Lakers-Thunder, Pacers-Celtics (3/24/23)

Forbes

24 March 2023

NBA Odds: Sixers-Warriors, Lakers-Thunder, Pacers-Celtics (3/24/23)

The playoffs are on the horizon, and NBA games are high-stakes affairs as spring approaches.

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 Friday, March 24, 2023:

Pacers (33-40) vs. Celtics (50-23)

Pacers fans quickly forgot Indiana’s brutal loss to Charlotte after it beat the Raptors on their home floor. The Pacers’ next challenge on the road against Boston is even more rigorous. Stay on top of the latest injury information, as Tyrese Haliburton and Chris Duarte, two key players for Indiana, are listed as questionable ahead of this matchup.

After a rough patch, Boston has seemingly righted the ship, winning its last game against Sacramento by 23 points on the road. The Celtics’ offense resembled the one they showed at the beginning of the season: dominant, efficient, and turnover-resistant. Payton Pritchard is listed as doubtful for this game, but every other rotation player is healthy.

Start Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Location: TD Garden (Boston, MA)

Betting Odds Summary

Spread: Pacers +12 (-110), Celtics -12 (-110)
Moneyline: Pacers +475, Celtics -875
Total: Over/Under 234.5 Points (-110/-110)

Spurs (19-54) vs. Wizards (32-41)

San Antonio has suffered back-to-back beatdowns from New Orleans and Milwaukee by a combined 71 points. Injuries have played a role in the Spurs’ recent struggles, and that trend could continue. Khem Birch, Romeo Langford, Jeremy Sochan, and Charles Bassey have all been ruled out, while Zach Collins and Devin Vassell are questionable.

The Wizards have quickly fallen out of the playoff race after losing seven of their past eight games. Further, they have the second-worst record in their past 10 games (2-8) in the entire NBA, only in front of the Detroit Pistons. Matters worse now that Kyle Kuzma and Bradley Beal have also been officially ruled out.

Start Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Location: Capital One Arena (Washington, D.C.)

Betting Odds Summary

Spread: Spurs +8 (-110), Wizards -8 (-110)
Moneyline: Spurs +255, Wizards -380
Total: Over/Under 228 Points (-110/-110)

Pistons (16-57) vs. Raptors (35-38)

Detroit has been the worst team in the NBA all season; it also has the worst record (1-9) in the past 10 games. The Pistons lost star guard Cade Cunningham early in the season, and everything went downhill. As a matter of fact, Detroit’s last road win was in January; it is nearly April now. Injuries will continue to cause issues, as Cunningham, Hamidou Diallo, Isaiah Stewart, Bojan Bogdanovic, Rodney McGruder, and Alec Burks have all been ruled out.

Toronto’s postseason hopes hang in the balance of these next nine games; it has only a two-game lead on 11th place in the Eastern Conference. The Raptors have a favorable matchup at home against the Detroit Pistons; however, the status of Scottie Barnes and Gary Trent Jr is still up in the air as of Friday morning.

Start Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Scotiabank Arena (Toronto, ON)

Betting Odds Summary

Spread: Pistons +14.5 (-110), Raptors -14.5 (-110)
Moneyline: Pistons +625, Raptors -1400
Total: Over/Under 223.5 Points (-115/-105)

Rockets (18-55) vs. Grizzlies (45-27)

For the second time in three days, the Memphis Grizzlies host the Houston Rockets at FedEx Forum. In the first matchup, Houston shot well, making shot after shot; it kept the game close until the end. Ultimately, the Grizzlies proved too strong of a team, stopping the Rockets in their tracks. Regarding injuries, the Rockets have been fortunate all season and will only miss Jae’Sean Tate for this matchup.

Memphis welcomed back Ja Morant to its rotation on Wednesday for the first time in a few weeks. Despite coming off the bench, Morant’s impact was still felt, as he finished with 17 points. Jaren Jackson Jr also stepped up big, scoring 37 points against a weak Houston defense. Steven Adams remains out for the Grizzlies, but the hope is that he will be back for the playoffs.

Start Time: 8:00 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT
Location: FedEx Forum (Memphis, TN)

Betting Odds Summary

Spread: Rockets +13 (-110), Grizzlies -13 (-110)
Moneyline: Rockets +550, Grizzlies -1100
Total: Over/Under 233.5 Points (-110/-110)

Hornets (23-50) vs. Mavericks (36-37)

How important are the next nine games for Dallas? They could mean the difference between entering the playoffs as a No. 6 seed or better versus not making the postseason at all. Unfortunately, recent injuries to Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving have complicated the Mavs’ hopes, but they should hopefully be back in the lineup now. Further, this is a winnable home game against a Hornets team with nothing except pride to play for now. Irving and Tim Hardaway Jr are questionable, but it is challenging to see them sitting out in this spot.

Charlotte’s season is still nine games from being over, but fans have almost certainly looked ahead to the NBA Draft this summer. LaMelo Ball won’t return this season, and the Hornets have no stakes. Still, the future could be bright for this organization, especially if they land a top pick and select the highly touted Victor Wembanyama. For now, the Hornets must lean on Kelly Oubre Jr and Terry Rozier for offensive output.

Start Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
Location: American Airlines Center (Dallas, TX)

Betting Odds Summary

Spread: Hornets +14 (-105), Mavericks -14 (-115)
Moneyline: Hornets +600, Mavericks -1300
Total: Over/Under 227.5 Points (-110/-110)

Bucks (52-20) vs. Jazz (35-37)

Outside of a strange home loss to the Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee has not lost a step or skipped a beat. The Bucks have won 23 of their past 26 games, which is far and away the best winning percentage in that stretch in the NBA. Unfortunately, Milwaukee will have to try and grab a win on the road against a desperate Jazz team without Khris Middleton, Goran Dragic, and Jae Crowder.

Utah is still in the playoff race, but its outlook is not very good, as Lauri Markkanen will miss this game due to a hand injury. Markkanen will be joined by Rudy Gay, Jordan Clarkson, and Collin Sexton on the bench; this team could be in trouble at home, especially against a Milwaukee team that can seemingly do no wrong.

Start Time: 9:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. MT
Location: Vivint Arena (Salt Lake City, UT)

Betting Odds Summary

Spread: Bucks -9 (-115), Jazz +9 (-105)
Moneyline: Bucks -440, Jazz +290
Total: Over/Under 236.5 Points (-110/-110)

76ers (49-23) vs. Warriors (38-36)

For the first time in a long time, the Golden State Warriors not only won a game away from Chase Center but did it in consecutive games. While Houston was not going to be a challenge, the Mavericks are a playoff-caliber team, and beating them on the road is impressive. Luckily, Gary Payton II seems to be nearing a return but won’t be available for this game; Andrew Wiggins remains out for personal reasons.

The Sixers have been the hottest team in the NBA over the past few weeks, boasting a 9-1 record in their past 10 games. This hot streak started with a come-from-behind road win against a Bucks team that had won 16 straight games. Joel Embiid has ascended to first in most experts’ MVP races, giving him and Philly an extra incentive to win as many of these last 10 games as possible. Further, they are only one-half of a game behind Boston for the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. Even so, the Sixers have listed Joel Embiid, Jalen McDaniels, and James Harden as questionable heading into this game. Keep an eye on that.

Start Time: 10:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. PT
Location: Chase Center (San Francisco, CA)

Betting Odds Summary

Spread: 76ers +5.5 (-110), Warriors -5.5 (-110)
Moneyline: 76ers +175, Warriors -240
Total: Over/Under 235 Points (-110/-110)

Bulls (34-38) vs. Trail Blazers (32-40)

Chicago has been playing much more motivated recently, especially with the play-in games in its sight. The Bulls have secured wins in five of their past seven games, with the only losses coming on a De’Aaron Fox game-winner and against the Sixers, one of the hottest teams (9-1 in their past 10 games) in the NBA. Two key players, DeMar DeRozan, and Alex Caruso, are listed as questionable. Their availability will be imperative for this matchup.

Portland finally broke a six-game losing streak with a win over the Utah Jazz on the road. The Trail Blazers’ playoff hopes are virtually gone now, and they will be looking forward to the lottery. Jerami Grant and Anfernee Simons have already been ruled out for this game, while Jusuf Nurkic and Nassir Little are game-time decisions.

Start Time: 10:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. PT
Location: Moda Center (Portland, OR)

Betting Odds Summary

Spread: Bulls -2 (-115), Trail Blazers +2 (-105)
Moneyline: Bulls -140, Trail Blazers +110
Total: Over/Under 226 Points (-110/-110)

Suns (38-34) vs. Kings (43-29)

The sun was shining for Phoenix when it had Kevin Durant for three games, winning all of those bouts; however, things quickly took a turn for the worse when he suffered a pre-game ankle injury that could keep him out until the playoffs. Deandre Ayton joins Durant on the injury report as another player who will be listed out for this game, making the Suns’ chances of winning their second game in the past seven somewhat slim.

Sacramento has lost grasp of second place in the Western Conference after dropping back-to-back games due to exploitable defense. Still, the Kings remain one of the most dangerous teams in the NBA, as few offenses can keep up with the pace and shooting they boast. They may not have to worry about Phoenix creeping up and stealing the No. 3 seed away, but the Kings certainly will want to set the tone with just a few weeks until the playoffs.

Start Time: 10:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. PT
Location: Golden 1 Center (Sacramento, CA)

Betting Odds Summary

Spread: Suns +3.5 (-110), Kings -3.5 (-110)
Moneyline: Suns +135, Kings -175
Total: Over/Under 239 Points (-110/-110)

Thunder (36-36) vs. Lakers (36-37)

The Western Conference is inexplicably tight, with just 1.5 games being the difference between holding the sixth seed versus the eleventh seed. The No. 6 seed does not have to participate in the play-in games, while the No. 11 seed does not even make the play-in games. Los Angeles is trying to claw its way into a playoff spot to make some noise once LeBron James returns to the lineup; they are 6-4 in their past 10 and have won two-straight games.

The Oklahoma City Thunder will be on the second night of a back-to-back, playing their third game in four days, with all of them on the road. Despite many believing that OKC might continue limiting Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s minutes, he says that he could still be available for this game against the Lakers. SGA’s availability for the Thunder is critical, especially considering they are 7-3 in their past 10 games and have a shot at the postseason.