The NBA regular season resumes with a relatively light slate this Saturday, with a total of 5 matchups on the docket scheduled for today. However, our staff of basketball betting experts still dug into the latest odds and identified all the best value on the board.
Our betting experts have looked over the odds and made NBA picks for all 5 of tonight's contests. Continue below for our NBA best bets and predictions for Saturday, March 22.
NBA Best Bets, Predictions, Picks, Odds: Saturday, March 22
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 5 p.m. | |
  | 7 p.m. | |
  | 10:30 p.m. | |
  | 8 p.m. | |
  | 10 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. | ||
Nets vs. Pacers
Let's try this again. I posted this bet on Thursday, but Tyrese Haliburton was ultimately ruled out. He's questionable today too, so we'll see if he actually suits up. It's the same matchup as last game.
Haliburton has averaged 4.4 rebounds on 7.0 rebound chances in 5 games this month. It's been a big jump from his season-long marks of 3.5 rebounds and 5.6 rebound chances. Not much has changed for Indiana, so it seems to be more of a small sample size blip than an actual performance change.
Brooklyn is inefficient on the glass, but they're dead last in pace. The slow play helps them rank top 10 in rebounds allowed per game.
Pick: Tyrese Haliburton Under 4.5 Rebounds (-140)
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Warriors vs. Hawks
Jimmy Butler has gone over this line in two straight games, and three of his last six, but that's not the main reason why I like this play.
Tonight, no Steph Curry for the Warriors. Surely, Butler's points will be a popular look, but I'd rather target rebounds and assists. The assists alone are juiced at over 7.5, but Butler's averaging over six of each since being traded to the West.
Butler will obviously uptick in usage, and given Atlanta's pace (second fastest in the NBA), we should see more opportunities all around.
Butler looks to get others involved more than people realize at times, and while I think he'll get his points, I expect him to man a lot of the point guard duties in Curry's absence, while continuing to be a factor on the glass, where he has pulled down eight or more rebounds in five of his last seven.
Pick: Jimmy Butler Over 13.5 Rebounds + Assists (-115)
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Bulls vs. Lakers
By Joe Dellera
The Lakers face off against the Bulls and it seems as if King James will return for this matchup after a multi-week absence.
Watching some videos of LeBron practicing and recovering and he certainly looked spry. One has to wonder if this was an exaggerated injury so he could get a bit more rest heading into the home stretch. This seems more like when he came back from the All-Star break with that injury and ripped off a 37-minute performance in his first game back.
I am not overly concerned about a minutes restriction either. LeBron has only played fewer than 30 minutes in four games this season, and they were all blowouts. On the season, he is averaging 8.2 rebounds, but this has jumped to 10 per game with Luka Doncic.
The Bulls play at the third-fastest pace in the league and their opponents secure the second-most rebounds per game. I have to back the King in his return.
Pick: LeBron James 8+ Rebounds (-130)
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Wizards vs. Knicks
By Jim Turvey
Since Jalen Brunson went out, Miles McBride has been getting shots and usage, but he just hasn't been making those shots. He's averaging 12.7 field goal attempts per game in 34.0 minutes per game. That projects well above this line if he can convert at even close to his historical rates.
