It's time to get buckets.
Wednesday night's NBA slate features 20 teams in action, meaning our "Buckets" podcast crew has plenty of best bets to make before the night gets rolling.
Their Wednesday NBA predictions include a standard side and total, along with a first-half pick and a team total in the nightcap.
Check out all four of our NBA best bets from the "Buckets" podcast below.
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 7:00 p.m. | Spurs 1H -2 |
  | 7:30 p.m. | Hawks -1.5 |
  | 7:30 p.m. | Over 234.5 |
  | 10:30 p.m. | Raptors Under Team Total 113.5 |
Spurs 1H -2 at Pistons
7:00 p.m. ET ⋅ NBA League Pass
This is an ugly game. The 5-30 Spurs travel to face the 3-31 Pistons. The Pistons are without Cade Cunningham and Isaiah Stewart and just lost a game by 20 to the Kings in which they led by 20 at the end of the first half.
Meanwhile, the Spurs have the rest advantage, and although they've lost five in a row, they have covered three straight and nearly beat the Bucks and the Cavs in their last two games.
| | | |
Hawks -1.5 vs. 76ers
7:30 p.m. ET ⋅ NBA League Pass
The Hawks have the worst against-the-spread record in the NBA at 8-27 this season.
In theory, teams should end up 50/50 against the spread at the end of the season, and the Hawks are coming off two straight games in which they lost outright and did not cover.
I think this is a good spot for the Hawks with both Joel Embiid and Robert Covington out tonight. I like to see a team that is 14-21 against one of the top teams in the East as a short favorite.
| | | |
Over 234.5
7:30 p.m. ET ⋅ NBA League Pass
By Sean Little
The Heat are still playing without some key players, including Jimmy Butler, Kyle Lowry and Caleb Martin.
Miami just returned home from a road trip and took care of the Rockets even with Lowry going down. It still managed to pick up 31 assists on 40 made buckets.
Duncan Robinson stepped up and ran the pick-and-roll with Bam Adebayo. Tyler Herro has returned to his old form after returning from injury.
I think this is going to be a really competitive game, with the Heat as one of the best teams in the first half this season and OKC being one of the best teams down the stretch.
The Thunder are 8-2 to the over in their last 10 games, while the Heat are 10-6 to the over at home. I see this game being a shootout in the fourth quarter.
| | | |
Raptors Team Total Under 113.5 at Clippers
10:30 p.m. ET ⋅ NBA League Pass
By Jay Money
This is the fifth straight road game for the Raptors in this particular spot and the second night of a back-to-back. I think we see them run out of gas.
This is also their eighth road game in their last nine games total. I think we will see tired legs and missed jump shots.
The Clippers defense is good and has been holding opposing offenses to 107 points per game. If L.A. can hold the Raptors in the half-court and not let them run-and-gun, they should be able to keep Toronto under 100 points.
