The NBA regular season rolls on with an exciting Wednesday lineup, featuring 8 games tonight. Our team of basketball betting experts has analyzed the latest odds and found the best value on the board.
Our betting experts have looked over the odds and made 6 NBA picks for today's contests. Continue below for our NBA best bets and predictions for Wednesday, March 5.
NBA Best Bets, Predictions, Picks, Odds: Wednesday, March 5
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 7:00 p.m. | |
  | 7:00 p.m. | |
  | 9:00 p.m. | |
| 9:00 p.m. | |
  | 9:30 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. | ||
Timberwolves vs. Hornets
Well, we suppose the Hornets are making some progress offensively, increasing their point production in the past four games. Except it's from 88 to 92 to 96 to 100 to 101. At that rate, Charlotte might get into the 120s sometime early next season.
Mostly, however, Charlotte keeps losing, now seven straight, and most of the time it's not close, as only once in the current skid (at banged-up Dallas) have the Hornets even kept the margin within single digits. Even LaMelo Ball's recent return to active duty after a brief absence hasn't sparked the offense.
The T-Wolves have had some of the better defensive numbers in the league and look like they might be ramping up with consecutive romps past the Suns and Sixers. It's a back-to-back scenario after last night's win vs. Philly, but Ant Edwards and Julius Randle weren't overly taxed, and Naz Reid ended the game as the leading scorer with 24. Play T-Wolves.
Pick: Timberwolves -8.5
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Trail Blazers vs. Celtics
There's some history here, as one of the great Celtics title teams from 1985-86 lost only one game at home (in those days, the old Boston Garden) that season, coming against Clyde Drexler's Blazers. Fast forward to 2005, and it's about time, perhaps, to take this current Portland side a bit seriously, too.
The Blazers would have seemed a candidate for a letdown after letting a late lead slip away and then losing in OT at Cleveland on Sunday, yet they bounced right back on Monday night to throttle the Sixers, 119-102. That's five wins in six for Portland, and worth noting that since late January, the only Portland losses have been to playoff-caliber sides (Minnesota, Denver twice, the Lakers, and Cavs). Anfernee Simons was also on fire again at Philly, scoring 34 on Monday.
Meanwhile, I'm not sure how sharp the Celtics are at the moment, having lost two of three, and covering only once in the last four, with almost everyone it seems (including Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum) showing up on the daily injury report. Play Blazers.
Pick: Blazers +10.5
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Kings vs. Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets allow the most assists per game and the third most per 100 possessions.
The Sacramento Kings are, again, without Domantas Sabonis.
DeMar DeRozan has gotten six and four assists without Sabonis this week, and against a Nuggets team with their own injury questions — even Nikola Jokic is uncertain to play — the match-up here is even better.
I considered rebounds + assists at +100 (over 8.5 for DeRozan) but he's been struggling on the glass. If Jokic is out, then maybe. For now, I'll take the assists.
Pick: DeMar DeRozan over 4.5 assists
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Kings vs. Nuggets
The Nuggets and Kings have a few reasons to back the over here. The early market signs have pointed to this number going up, and it’s likely to gain closing line value, the most important secondary metric in betting.
The injury report has Jokic questionable, and it could rise once he is ruled in. The matchup history between these two teams also suggests high pace, high-output scoring. The Kings have actually seemed to be the sharp side against the spread too, but just a total play for me here.
Pick: Over 236.5
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