NBA Best Bets: Friday, March 18th

Another Friday night brings us more NBA action with 13 games scheduled for tonight. The Mavericks are carrying solid value as underdogs in this one, and we have some familiar faces in the Grizzlies and the OKC Thunder.

NBA Best Bets Friday, March 18th

• Philadelphia 76ers vs Dallas Mavericks: Mavericks to Win at 2.41
• Atlanta Hawks vs Memphis Grizzlies: Grizzlies -5.0 at 1.93
• Miami Heat vs OKC Thunder: Thunder +15.0 at 1.91

Odds as at 2 pm March 18th 2022. Odds may now differ.

Philadelphia 76ers vs Dallas Mavericks Best Bet

Fri, March 18. 23:00 (UK time)

The Philadelphia 76ers are 3rd in the eastern conference with 42 wins and 26 losses and are 4 games adrift of the top. They have won 7 of their last 10 games, and are coming off a 118-114 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Embiid went off for 35 points and 17 rebounds, but he is listed as questionable for tonight’s game due to a back injury. There is a very real chance that he might miss this showdown, making Jason Kidd’s job a  lot easier.

The 76ers play slow, with a pace rating of 97.73, they are 22nd in the NBA in that regard, as well as 29th in field goal attempts. They don’t score very much, and despite having a very solid defence, playing against the Mavericks without Embiid is going to be a very tall task. The 76ers are favourites to win at 1.66 odds, and with 82% of bettors picking them tonight, they don’t provide very much value. They lost their first encounter of their season against the Mavs by 98-107, and I’m expecting a similar result in this game.

But the Dallas Mavericks have also been in splendid shape recently, winning 8 of their last 10 and riding a 3-game winning streak. The Doncic-Dinwiddie experiment is working, with the due tallying 37 and 22 points respectively in their last game against the Nets. Despite not having the best offensive night, they hung in there until the very end, and Spencer Dinwiddie provided the perfect end to a tough game –  a buzzer-beating game-winning 3-pointer.

The Mavs have been the slowest team in the league in the last 10 games, but their top 10 defence has made sure to keep opponents to just 33.6% from beyond the arc, whilst forcing 13.5 turnovers per game. Offensively, they haven’t been on fire, but their form has recovered in their last 2 games, earning an offensive rating of 114.3. The Mavericks have been excellent ATS on the road this year, covering the spread in 21 of their 34 games, but I’m disregarding the 3-point spread tonight and trusting them to get the victory.

• Selection: Mavericks to Win
• Best odds: 2.41 (Marathonbet)
• Stakes: 6/10

More tips for Philadelphia 76ers vs Dallas Mavericks

Atlanta Hawks vs Memphis Grizzlies Best Bet

Fri, March 18.  23:30 (UK time)

The Atlanta Hawks are still 10th in the eastern conference standings and coming off a 116-106 loss against the Charlotte Hornets. They have won 6 of their last 10 games, but have only covered the spread in 2, failing to do so in their last 7. With John Collins out, Trae Young and Danilo Gallinari listed as questionable for this game, it’s very difficult to see them hanging in there against the Grizzlies.

The Hawks have been the 2nd best offensive team of the season, averaging 112.8 points per game, but their form has dropped off recently, and they are 9th in offensive rating in the last 5 games. This team relies heavily on Trae Young for most of their offensive production, and he has stepped up, averaging 28.0 points along with 9.5 assists per game. But when he is struggling to get going, their offence often stumbles, and the team is left in the mud.

The Memphis Grizzlies are a completely different story. They are now 2nd in the western conference with 48 wins and 22 losses and are riding a 4-game winning streak. Even with the absence of Ja Morant from their lineup, they come out every night ready to play on both sides of the floor. They have ranked 7th in offensive and 10th in defensive rating in the last 5 games, and are the 2nd best team ATS on the road, covering the spread in 66.7% of their games.

They are coming off a demanding 135-102 victory over the Indiana Pacers, where they received a balanced scoring effort to go along with their solid defence that kept the Pacers to 20% from beyond the arc and forced 20 turnovers. The Grizzlies are in much better form at the moment, and the -5.0 point spread is looking very tempting given the circumstances.

• Selection: Grizzlies -5.0
• Best odds: 1.93 (Marathonbet)
• Stakes: 8/10

More tips for Atlanta Hawks vs Memphis Grizzlies

Miami Heat vs OKC Thunder Best Bet

Sun, March 19. 00:00 (UK time)

The Miami Heat are still sitting atop the eastern conference, having won 7 of their last 10 games. They are coming off a 105-98 victory over the Detroit Pistons, where Tyler Herro saved the day with 29 points and 4 assists off the bench. The Heat are one of the best defensive sides in the league, allowing just 104.7 points per game, and keeping opponents to just 44.3% from the field (4th in NBA). But despite their impressive 46-24 record this season, the Heat are facing some adversity.

Mainly, their offence has been an issue recently, ranking 28th in offensive rating in the last 5 games and averaging just 107.8 points per game. This team is 28th in field-goal attempts per game, and with a percentage of 46.2%, they aren’t exactly built for blowout victories. In fact, the Heat have covered the spread in just 1 of their last 4 games, and their record when favoured by 10 or more points is at 2-6.

But the Oklahoma City Thunder are continuing their excellent performance against the spread and they have no intention of stopping. They have covered the spread in 67.7% of their road games, and are the best team in the NBA in that regard. I’ve been backing them all season, and they have been a gold mine. This team fares best when they are heavy underdogs, and with just 10% of bettors picking them tonight, I’m backing them once again.

They are available to win at 10.50 odds, but this is very unlikely, and the +15.0 point handicap is a much more tempting offer. The Thunder are one of the worst offensive teams in the league, that’s true, but with the return of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, they came very close to taking down the Spurs last time around. He poured in 34 points to go along with 8 assists, and I’m expecting another solid performance out of him.

• Selection: Thunder +15.0
• Best odds: 1.91 (Marathonbet)
• Stakes: 8/10

More tips for Miami Heat vs OKC Thunder

Get more NBA news from bettingexpert
Get more basketball news from bettingexpert
Get more NBA tips from bettingexpert
Get more basketball tips from bettinngexpert