Today's NBA Predictions, Picks, and Betting Odds for March 12, 2019

The NBA’s 2018-19 regular season continues to wind down with teams jockeying for playoff positions or fighting for a spot in the postseason. Tuesday has seven games on schedule and we’ll preview three of the games and give you our predictions on the other four game on deck.

New York Knicks vs Indiana Pacers

The New York Knicks head to Hoosier State to take on the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday night at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

The Knicks have lost 25 out of their last 28 games and have won just four times since the calendar turned to 2019. But while they continue to tumble in the standings, New York’s chance at getting the #1 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft has also increased by virtue of having the league’s worst record so there’s nothing to be worried about, really.

Dennis Smith Jr. continues to revive his career in the Big Apple. Smith is averaging 15.1 points, 6.2 assists and 1.4 steals per game in 16 games with the Knicks. DeAndre Jordan has been solid as well with 11.5 points, 11.8 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game. The Knicks are also getting solid contributions from Emmanuel Mudiay 14.1 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game and rookie Kevin Knox who is averaging 12.2 points and 4.4 rebounds.

New York has the 4th lowest scoring average among NBA teams at 105.4 points per game. They are in the bottom of the assists rankings with only 19.9 dimes per contest while the Knicks are also just 19th in rebounding at 44.8 rebounds per game. New York is also only 24th in scoring defense with 113.9 opponent points allowed per game.

New York Knicks vs Indiana Pacers Odds

The Indiana Pacers are starting to miss Victor Oladipo. The Pacers started life without Oladipo just fine but recently, they have missed his presence and production as the team has lost five out of its last seven games played. The Sixers have caught up with the Pacers at the 3rd spot in the East. With Boston closing in at #5, the Pacers need to start winning again to have home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

Bogdan Bogdanovic leads Indiana in scoring with 17.7 points per game while also averaging 4.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. Domantas Sabonis is putting up 14.2 points and a team-high 9.2 rebounds per game while Myles Turner is scoring 13.1 points, grabbing 7.0 rebounds and blocking 2.9 shots per game. Thaddeus Young, Wesley Matthews and Darren Collison round up the double-digit scores with 12.6, 12.5 and 11.0 points per game.

The Pacers are ranked 21st in scoring at 108.2 points per game. Indiana is also the 7th best passing team with 26.0 assists per game. However, they are just 24th in rebounding at 43.1 boards grabbed per contest. The Pacers have the #2 scoring defense in the NBA at just 104.0 opponent points scored per game.

New York is 3-7 SU in their last 10 games played and are 1-4 SU in their last five road games. Indiana is 4-6 SU in their last 10 games played and the Pacers are 3-2 SU in their last five home games. Head to head, the Pacers are 6-4 SU in their last 10 games against the Knicks.

The Knicks have long given up on their season. They are merely going through the motions of the remaining games and hopefully, they will get a good shot at winning the Draft lottery. The Knicks have some nice pieces, but this isn’t a complete team yet and doesn’t have the kind of cohesion as the veteran squads.

The Pacers are starting to feel Oladipo’s absence and they’ve missed him in several close calls. Indiana though has a balanced team with plenty of scorers so they can always compete in games. Competing won’t be a problem here though against the woeful Knicks who don’t look like they’re still playing to win.

New York is better off losing games so they can improve their lottery chances.The Pacers need to win to keep pace with the Sixers and need to fend off the Celtic to get home court advantage in Round 1 of the playoffs.

I’m picking the Indiana Pacers to beat the New York Knicks on 3/12/19.

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The Knicks are 4-6 ATS in their last 10 games played and New York is 2-3 ATS in their last 10. The Pacers are also just 4-6 ATS in their last 10 games played and Indiana is 3-2 ATS in their last 10 games played. Head to head, the Knicks are 5-4-1 in their last 10 meetings against the Pacers. However, Indiana is 11-3 ATS in their last 14 home games against the Knicks.

New York is 8-18-1 ATS in their last 27 games versus teams with a winning percentage higher than .600, 2-5 ATS in their last seven road games and 1-5 ATS in their last six games overall. Indiana is 10-1 ATS in their last 11 home games against against an opponent with a road winning percentage below .400, 7-2 ATS in their last nine home games but 2-5 ATS in their last seven games overall. Indiana is also 11-3 ATS in their last 14 meetings in Indiana and 1-4 ATS in their last five head to head meetings. The Pacers have struggled as of late but they are playing the Knicks here.

Prediction: Pacers -11.5

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The total has gone under in seven out of the last 10 games played by Knicks. The over is also 3-1 in New York’s last four road games. The total has gone under in four out of the Pacers’ last five games.

New York’s offense has been sputtering even more lately as the Knicks have averaged just 99.4 points per game in their last five games played. The Pacers have thrived with a low-scoring game all-season long. They have the league’s #2 scoring defense and the under is 12-6 in their last 18 head to head meetings in Indiana.

Prediction: Under 212

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Cleveland Cavaliers vs Philadelphia 76ers

The Cleveland Cavaliers troop to the City of Brotherly Love to challenge the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night at the Wells Fargo Center.

The Cavaliers scored perhaps their biggest win of the season when they beat the #2 team in the East, the Toronto Raptors on Monday night. With the win, the Cavaliers improved to 5-4 SU since the All-star break. The Cavs have long been out of the playoff picture but the team has remained competitive instead of just piling up losses to improve their draft position.

Kevin Love leads the Cavs with 18.8 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. Jordan Clarkson and rookie Collin Sexton are contributing 17.0 and 15.2 points per game for Cleveland. Tristan Thompson is averaging a double-double with 11.5 points and 11.1 rebounds per game while Cedi Osman is scoring 12.8 points and grabbing 4.7 rebounds per game.

Cleveland is next to last in team scoring at 103.7 points per game while the team is ranked 28th in passing at just 21.0 assists per game. The Cavaliers are also 25th in the league in rebounding at 42.7 boards hauled per contest. Cleveland is also allowing its opponents to score 113.5 points per game which is 23rd in the entire NBA.

Cleveland Cavaliers vs Philadelphia 76ers Odds

The Sixers struggled with Joel Embiid resting his knee since the All-Star break but with Embiid returning in their last game against the Indiana Pacers, the Sixers are back in business. Embiid dropped 33 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in his first game back as the Sixers blasted the Pacers 106-89.

Embiid leads the Sixers with 27.4 points, 13.5 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game. Jimmy Butler is averaging 18.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.8 steals per game while J.J. Redick is scoring 17.6 points per contest. Ben Simmons is having a fantastic all-around season with 17.0 points, 9.2 rebounds, 7.9 assists and 1.4 steals per game. New addition Tobias Harris is putting up 20.5 points and 8.0 rebounds per game.

The Sixers are 5th in the league in scoring at 114.9 points per game. They are also third overall in passing at 27.1 assists per game and they are also ranked 4th in rebounds at 47.2 boards per contest. Philadelphia has the 16th best scoring defense in the league as they allow their opponents to score 111.7 points per game.

Cleveland is 5-5 SU in their last 10 games played. The Cavaliers are 1-2 SU in their last three road games. Philadelphia is 6-4 SU in their last 10 games played. The Sixers are 3-2 SU in their last five games played at home. Head to head, the Cavaliers are 7-3 SU in their last 10 games against the Sixers.

The Cavaliers are playing the second of back to back games. Not only have they struggled to win on the road, they have struggled with Game 2 of back to backs at just 3-9 SU on the season. Cleveland is already out of playoff contention but their young guys continue playing to win games.

The Sixers snapped a two-game losing skid with the return of Joel Embiid in their last game against the Pacers. Philadelphia massacred Indiana to earn a share of 3rd place with them. With the possibility of moving up the ladder and improving their playoff position, this game means more to the Sixers than to the Cavs.

Joel Embiid restores the order in Philadelphia. With the Process back, the Sixers are back in business. The Cavaliers don’t have the manpower to match the Sixers nor do they have the big man to stop Embiid.

I’m picking the Philadelphia 76ers to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers on 3/12/19.

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The Cavaliers are 6-4 ATS in their last 10 games played. Cleveland is 2-1 ATS in their last three games on the road. The Sixers are 5-5 ATS in their last 10 games played and Philadelphia is 3-2 ATS in their last five home games. Head to head, the Sixers are 10-4 ATS in their last 14 home games against the Cavaliers.

Cleveland is 6-0 ATS in their last six Tuesday games, 1-4 ATS in their last five games when playing on zero days rest and 4-1 ATS in their last five games against teams from the Atlantic Division. Philadelphia is 5-2 ATS in their last seven games against the Central Division, 5-2 ATS in their last seven Tuesday games. The plus points on Cleveland is tempting especially with the way the team has played ATS but with Joel Embiid back, I think he stabilizes the Sixers and their numbers as well. I’ll eat the chalk with the Process back.

Prediction: Sixers -13.5

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The total has gone over in seven out of the last 10 games played by the Cavaliers. The over is 2-1 in the Cavs’ last three road games. The Sixers have seen the total go under in eight out of their last 10 games played. The under is 4-1 in Philadelphia’s last five home games. Head to head, the total has gone under in 16 out of the last 24 games between the Cavs and Sixers. The under is also 8-4 in the last dozen games between these two teams when playing in Philadelphia.

The under is 18-7 in the Cavs last 25 games when playing on zero days rest. The over is 4-0 in the Sixers’ last four games when playing on one day rest, 4-0 in their last four games against the East and 5-1 in their last six games at home. The Cavs are tired, struggling on the road and struggling on offense. This should go under.

Prediction: Under 222.5

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Los Angeles Lakers vs Chicago Bulls

The Los Angeles Lakers travel to the Windy City to take on the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday night at the United Center.

The Lakers have seen their playoff ambitions vanish before their eyes. Once a Top 4 team in the West early in the season, the Lakers are now too far out of the picture that it appears they are headed the lottery instead. To make matters worse, the Lakers have shut down two of their young stars in Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram for the rest of the season.

LeBron James leads the Lakers with 27.1 points, 8.6 rebounds, 8.1 assists and 1.4 steals per game. Kyle Kuzma is providing support with 18.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per game while Javale McGee is scoring 11.1 points, grabbing 6.5 rebounds and blocking 1.8 shots per game for Los Angeles. Rajon Rondo is averaging 8.8 points and 7.7 rebounds per game.

Los Angeles ranks 15th in scoring at 112.0 points per game on the season. The Lakers are 11th in the league in passing at 25.3 assists per game and they are 7th off the glass with 46.3 rebounds per outing. The purple and gold are allowing their opponents to score 114.0 points per game, 25th among 30 NBA teams.

Los Angeles Lakers vs Chicago Bulls Odds

The Bulls have really been bad this season. Chicago has not had a winning record this season and they were 10 games below the .500 mark  on Thanksgiving and 30 games below the .500 mark by February. Chicago enters this game having lost four out of their last five games.

Zach LaVine is having his best season ever at 23.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game. Lauri Markkanen is averaging 19.2 points and 9.3 rebounds while Kris Dunn is scoring 10.9 points and issuing 6.0 assists per game. Otto Porter is contributing 18.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.4 steals per game.

Chicago has the third lowest scoring average in the league at 105.0 points per game. The Bulls are ranked 27th in assists at 22.1 dimes per contest. They are also 26th in rebounding at 42.4 boards grabbed per outing. Chicago is limiting their opponents to 112.7 points per game, 20th in the entire NBA.

The Lakers are 2-8 SU in their last 10 games played and Los Angeles is 0-4 SU in their last four road games. The Bulls are 5-5 SU in their last 10 games played. Chicago is 2-3 SU in their last five home games. Head to head, these teams have split their last 10 meetings at 5 games apiece. The Lakers though are 3-0 in their last three head to head meetings.

Injuries will be the big factor in this game between two struggling teams. We know that the Lakers have shut down both Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball and that they are also without Tyson Chandler. Los Angeles also has Kyle Kuzma and Lance Stephenson listed as day to day.

The Bulls played without Zach LaVine in their last game with a knee injury and he is listed as day to day for this game. But a report from the Chicago Sun Times said that the Bulls’ guard could sit out the remainder of the season. If LaVine is a no-go here, the advantage should go to the Lakers who despite playing without several key players, will still have their best player on the court.

Los Angeles is most probably out of the playoffs already but don’t expect LeBron James to just lay down and die. The King won’t go down without a fight. Without LaVine, the Lakers take this road win with LeBron doing just enough to give Los Angeles a win on the road.

I’m picking the Los Angeles Lakers to beat the LaVine-less Chicago Bulls.

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Los Angeles is 1-9 ATS in their last 10 games played. The Lakers are 0-4 ATS in their last four road games. Chicago is 5-5 ATS in their last 10 games played. The Bulls ae 2-3 ATS in their last five home games. Head to head, the Lakers are 2-0-1 ATS in their last three meetings against the Bulls.

The Lakers are 1-4 ATS in their last five games against opponents with a losing record, 0-5 ATS in their last five road games and 0-5 ATS in their last five games overall. The Bulls are 4-1 ATS in their last five games against teams with a losing record, 8-20 ATS in their last 28 games at home and 1-4 ATS in their last five games overall. The Lakers are a mess but the Bulls have struggled ATS at home and recently. With Zach LaVine doubtful, that is the game changer here.

If LaVine plays, pick the Bulls. If he doesn’t go for the team with LeBron.

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The under is 6-4 in the Lakers’ last 10 games played. The total has gone under in three out of the last four road games played by Los Angeles. The under is 3-1 in Chicago’s last four games played. The total has gone under in three out of the last five games played by the Bulls. Head to head, the under is 4-0 in the last four games between the Lakers and Bulls.

The Lakers are short-handed and some of the key players that aren’t on the injured list are playing hurt. They have averaged just 105.0 points per game in their last four games played, all losses. The Bulls meanwhile could be without top scorer Zach LaVine. Historically, these teams have played to the under in 21 out of their last 29 meetings. The injuries only help the under in this game.

Prediction: Under 226.5

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Quick Predictions and Picks

• Portland Trail Blazers -135 vs LA Clippers +115, Prediction: LA Clippers
• Milwaukee Bucks -465 vs New Orleans Pelicans +390, Prediction: Milwaukee Bucks
• San Antonio Spurs vs Dallas Mavericks, Prediction: Dallas Mavericks
• Minnesota Timberwolves vs Denver Nuggets, Prediction: Denver Nuggets

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