NBA Best Bets | Expert Picks for Saturday
The team logos in the table below represent each of the matchups that our NBA betting staff is targeting from today's slate of games. Click on the team logos for any of the matchups below to navigate to a specific bet discussed in this article.
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 7 p.m. | |
  | 7:30 p.m. | |
  | 10:30 p.m. | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NBA Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
We've got the six game NBA slate for Saturday, which means we've got plenty of NBA best bets today with our experts' picks. Our analysts found three best NBA bets today, featuring a moneyline bet and two player props.
Let's get to our NBA best bets today and expert picks for Saturday!
Hawks vs. Wizards
These two teams met up on November 1st, with the Hawks winning 130-121. At that time, Johnson was still coming off the bench, but he still recorded 11 rebounds in his 24 minutes of action.
Johnson played his way into the starting earlier this year as he is averaging 14.6 points and 7.7 rebounds while shooting 59% from the field and 42.1% from behind the arc. He is coming off a season-high 40 minutes in his last game while playing 31+ minutes in eight of his last nine games.
Johnson ranks second on the Hawks in rebound chances with 12.7 per game. Our model has him projected for 9.4 rebounds, while his prop line is only set at 7.5 rebounds. Given the elite rebounding matchup, I wouldn't mind taking Johnson at over 8.5 rebounds (+108) on FanDuel. His double-double odds on DraftKings at +220 are also worth a look.
Either way, this is a great spot for the third-year pro to rack up rebounds tonight.
Pick: Jalen Johnson Over 7.5 Rebounds
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Lakers vs. Cavaliers
By Joe Dellera
One thing about LeBron James is he loves a good homecoming. He never misses an opportunity to play when he returns to The Land.
In the seven games he has played against the Cavaliers since he joined the Lakers, James has averaged 31.6 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 7.0 assists. In the four road games, he has been even more aggressive, with spikes to 34.3 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 7.3 assists with three double doubles.
This is a tough matchup for the Cavaliers and I expect LeBron to stay motivated in this spot, and this season he has averaged 25.7 points and 8.1 rebounds per game for 33.9 Points and Rebounds.
Pick: LeBron James Over 33.5 PTS + REB
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Mavericks vs. Clippers
By Kenny Ducey
I gave a more detailed breakdown of this matchup in the betting guide for tonight's lone NBA TV matchup, but I love the Clippers in this spot.
The Mavericks were able to take out the Lakers on Wednesday, and for three quarters they put forth an utterly dominant performance. They also didn't close the game in the prettiest fashion, blowing a 20-point lead in the fourth quarter and falling behind in the final minute. The Clippers' offense is beginning to take shape now that James Harden has been installed at point guard for nearly a month, and we can confidently say this is not a team that will be playing at a fast pace with Harden leading the charge.
They are well-equipped to win a battle on the perimeter against just about anyone, and I will take them as underdogs in such a matchup every time. They're 23-19-1 against the spread on the second night of a back-to-back under Lue, and while they're just 5-9 ATS this season they're 3-3 ATS in home games. Lue has done an excellent job in situations like this, often without some of his best players, and we should trust him here to beat a flawed Mavericks team which is now down one of its most important interior players in Lively.
Pick: Clippers ML (+116)
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