Here you will find the best NBA picks as well as parlays for all of today's games. All of our expert NBA predictions are against the spread. (ATS) This page will be updated daily so bookmark this page.

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Golden State Warriors vs Phoenix Suns Prediction, 3/4/2021 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds
by Parlay's Pundit - 3/3/2021

Backing a losing favorite. If you’re a loyal fan of the sport, you will have noticed favorites seldom. BET BASKETBALL BET BASEBALL BET HOCKEY. Over/Under Picks 1089 - 1199 - 0 (48%) Mar 4 Today Mar 6 Game Info. You see sports betting and basketball betting are not about making one or two bets a year and calling it a day. They are about a long term strategy that produces a consistent profit. Let’s say we make ten $100.

The Golden State Warriors are set to take on the Phoenix Suns at Phoenix Suns Arena on Thursday, March 4, 2021. Phoenix opens this matchup as 2.5-point favorites. The total has been set at 223.5. We have included an expert NBA pick and parlay for todays game ATS.

Detroit Pistons vs New York Knicks Prediction, 3/4/2021 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds
by Josh Schonwald - 3/3/2021

The Detroit Pistons are on the docket to meet the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Thursday, March 4, 2021. The spread on this contest has New York as 6-point favorites. The total opens at 223. This matchup report includes betting lines and our pick of the day for this game.

Sacramento Kings vs Portland Blazers Prediction, 3/4/2021 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds
by Tony Sink - 3/3/2021

The Sacramento Kings are scheduled to play the Portland Blazers at Moda Center on Thursday, March 4, 2021. The odds on this contest have Portland as 5-point favorites. The O/U opens at 237. This report has odds and your NBA predictions for todays game against the spread.

Miami Heat vs New Orleans Pelicans Prediction, 3/4/2021 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds
by Guy Bruhn - 3/3/2021

The Miami Heat are scheduled to meet the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center on Thursday, March 4, 2021. Miami opens this contest as 1.5-point dogs. The O/U has been set at 227. This games report has current odds, betting trends, and free picks against the spread.

Denver Nuggets vs Indiana Pacers Prediction, 3/4/2021 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds
by Parlay's Pundit - 3/3/2021

The Denver Nuggets are set to go head to head with the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Thursday, March 4, 2021. Denver opens this contest as 2.5-point favorites. The over/under opens at 225.5. We have included an expert pick and parlay for todays game against the spread.

Oklahoma City Thunder vs San Antonio Spurs Prediction, 3/4/2021 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds
by Josh Schonwald - 3/3/2021

The Oklahoma City Thunder are on the docket to meet the San Antonio Spurs at AT&T Center on Thursday, March 4, 2021. The odds on this matchup have San Antonio as 3.5-point favorites. The over/under has been set at 225.5. This matchup report has Vegas lines and an expert NBA basketball pick for your daily winner.

Milwaukee Bucks vs Memphis Grizzlies Prediction, 3/4/2021 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds
by Tony Sink - 3/3/2021

The Milwaukee Bucks are scheduled to meet the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum on Thursday, March 4, 2021. Milwaukee opens this matchup as 6-point favorites. The total opens at 237. This Matchup report includes Vegas odds and a free basketball pick for tonight.

Los Angeles Clippers vs Washington Wizards Prediction, 3/4/2021 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds
by Guy Bruhn - 3/3/2021

The Los Angeles Clippers are on the docket to play the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena on Thursday, March 4, 2021. The spread on this game has Los Angeles as 9.5-point favorites. The O/U opens at 231. This report includes betting odds and our expert NBA picks for todays game.

Toronto Raptors vs Boston Celtics Prediction, 3/4/2021 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds
by Tony Sink - 3/3/2021

The Toronto Raptors are scheduled to meet the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on Thursday, March 4, 2021. The odds on this contest have Boston as 8-point favorites. The over/under opens at 217. This matchup report includes odds, betting trends and a free pick against the spread.

Detroit Pistons vs Toronto Raptors Prediction, 3/3/2021 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds
by Tony Sink - 3/2/2021

The Detroit Pistons are on the docket to meet the Toronto Raptors at Amalie Arena on Wednesday, March 3, 2021. Detroit opens this game as 9.5-point underdogs. The O/U is set at 215. This matchup report includes odds, betting trends and a free pick against the spread.

Utah Jazz vs Philadelphia 76ers Prediction, 3/3/2021 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds
by Josh Schonwald - 3/2/2021

The Utah Jazz are set to take on the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center on Wednesday, March 3, 2021. Utah opens this matchup as 1.5-point favorites. The O/U is set at 223. This matchup report includes betting lines and our pick of the day for this game.

Charlotte Hornets vs Minnesota Timberwolves Prediction, 3/3/2021 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds
by Guy Bruhn - 3/2/2021

The Charlotte Hornets are scheduled to play the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center on Wednesday, March 3, 2021. The line on this contest has Charlotte as 2.5-point favorites. The O/U has been set at 227. This games report has current odds, betting trends, and free picks against the spread.

Chicago Bulls vs New Orleans Pelicans Prediction, 3/3/2021 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds
by Josh Schonwald - 3/2/2021

The Chicago Bulls are set to meet the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center on Wednesday, March 3, 2021. The spread on this contest has New Orleans as 5-point favorites. The O/U is set at 236. This matchup report has Vegas lines and an expert NBA basketball pick for your daily winner.

Atlanta Hawks vs Orlando Magic Prediction, 3/3/2021 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds
by Tony Sink - 3/2/2021

The Atlanta Hawks are on the docket to play the Orlando Magic at Amway Center on Wednesday, March 3, 2021. Atlanta opens this contest as 4.5-point favorites. The over/under has been set at 224. This Matchup report includes Vegas odds and a free basketball pick for tonight.

Los Angeles Lakers vs Sacramento Kings Prediction, 3/3/2021 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds
by Guy Bruhn - 3/2/2021

The Los Angeles Lakers are set to play the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center on Wednesday, March 3, 2021. The odds on this contest have Los Angeles as 6.5-point favorites. The over/under has been set at 231. This game report has an NBA basketball pick, betting odds, and trends for tonights key matchup.

Brooklyn Nets vs Houston Rockets Prediction, 3/3/2021 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds
by Parlay's Pundit - 3/2/2021

The Brooklyn Nets are on the docket to take on the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on Wednesday, March 3, 2021. Houston opens this matchup as 7.5-point underdogs. The total opens at 233. We have included an expert pick and parlay for todays game against the spread.

Golden State Warriors vs Portland Blazers Prediction, 3/3/2021 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds
by Tony Sink - 3/2/2021

The Golden State Warriors are on the docket to meet the Portland Blazers at Moda Center on Wednesday, March 3, 2021. Portland opens this game as 1-point dogs. The over/under is set at 235. This report has odds and your NBA predictions for todays game against the spread.

Oklahoma City Thunder vs Dallas Mavericks Prediction, 3/3/2021 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds
by Parlay's Pundit - 3/2/2021

The Oklahoma City Thunder are on the docket to go head to head with the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center on Wednesday, March 3, 2021. Dallas opens this contest as 8.5-point favorites. The O/U has been set at 222. We have included an expert NBA pick and parlay for todays game ATS.

Indiana Pacers vs Cleveland Cavaliers Prediction, 3/3/2021 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds
by Guy Bruhn - 3/2/2021

The Indiana Pacers are set to meet the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Wednesday, March 3, 2021. Cleveland opens this contest as 6.5-point underdogs. The O/U is set at 215.5. This report includes betting odds and our expert NBA picks for todays game.

Denver Nuggets vs Milwaukee Bucks Prediction, 3/2/2021 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds
by Guy Bruhn - 3/1/2021

The Denver Nuggets are on the docket to take on the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum on Tuesday, March 2, 2021. The odds on this game have Milwaukee as 7-point favorites. The O/U is set at 235.5. This games report has current odds, betting trends, and free picks against the spread.

Please note that the NBA picks above for tonight's games are not computer based picks. All of these articles are written by our talented staff. If you have any comments or suggestions please email service@docsports.com

NBA Picks

The NBA is considered by many to be the best league for sports betting. Yes, the NFL is king in terms of popularity and wagering volume per game but nothing beats NBA basketball over the course of a season. Why? There are many opportunities to make NBA picks every night. NBA lines move more often and are not as sharp as football lines which are under the microscope all week. NBA odds have a much shorter lifespan meaning there are greater opportunities to find value. That gives Doc's basketball handicappers exponentially more opportunities to offer daily free NBA picks and be even more selective when offering expert NBA picks.

Free NBA Picks and Expert Predictions

You can find Free NBA picks throughout the Doc's Sports network including this free NBA predictions page; on our Doc's NBA Experts page; and on the Youtube channels of our expert NBA handicappers. We now also have a very popular NBA video section that is updated daily with several videos during the NBA season. Check the video link on the top navigation. Those ready to take advantage of our Free $60 in member selections can click the button at the top of this page and start receiving free expert predictions.

Get your NBA Picks Today, and Everyday!

Doc's offers expert NBA picks today and every day of the NBA season! Sure, there are the days when the NBA card consists of only tanking teams competing for the right to draft the next Zion Williamson. These teams are bad and their competition for an audience is Seinfeld reruns or maybe getting an extra hour of sleep. At Doc's we don't see this as trash basketball, we see this as a huge opportunity to make money...on trash basketball. Each day during the basketball season is an opportunity to make valuable and profitable predictions

NBA Picks Against the Spread

Most NBA bettors are going to make NBA picks against the spread. This is also known as NBA picks ATS. Sportsbooks give each NBA team a handicap of X amount of points. That means if books think the Lakers are 4 points better than the Celtics they will offer a line of Lakers -4. If a Doc's handicapper has reason to believe the Lakers are much more than 4 points better, his pick against the spread would be to take the Lakers -4. This is how all bets on the spread work unless bookmakers consider both teams to be evenly matched, in which case the line is a pick, AKA pick'em. At Doc's the majority of our NBA selections are against the spread. However, there can be outstanding value on betting NBA totals.

NBA Over/Under Picks

The pace of the game, as well as which team dictates the pace, is a key factor when handicapping basketball games. When pace is an especially strong signal, it may dictate a pick on the over/under. An NBA over/under pick is another way of referring to a prediction on an NBA game point total. NBA total lines are usually well above 200 in today's NBA making them harder for the betting public to find value. For example, the 2004 Detroit Pistons team was very consistently within 5 points of the 90 they averaged. In today's NBA, greater scoring means greater variance. However, professional basketball handicappers can use this to their advantage as the sportsbooks also try to keep track of the higher scoring NBA totals. Doc's sports NBA total picks are some of the best in the business and our total prediction write-ups are insightful. Along with offering our NBA expert picks, we provide free selections that are intended to help bettors with their handicapping legwork.

NBA Parlay Picks

Parlay picks are sucker bets they say! Never bet and NBA parlay they say! Bettors that speak in these absolutes clearly haven't learned how to find value betting basketball. Sure, the payout on parlays at most sportsbooks have gone down to the point where putting two of your picks together for the sake of winning more is not a good investment. But what if your parlay picks could be made on the same game? That is called a correlated NBA parlay. Many sportsbooks offer the ability to make NBA bets against the spread and total in the same game. So if you have a great read on a game and expect one team to quit and fall behind, you may decide to make an NBA parlay prediction. At Doc's our experts will offer a free parlay pick in rare cases. It is not common because we need to find value for our customers on both lines before they move. If our parlay prediction is indeed on the same game, we need to confirm there is value regardless of the fact that you can't line shop the odds on a parlay. Both bets in a parlay must be made at the same sportsbook. If there is a free selection on the total over of -14 and under 200 it was offered knowing that those lines can be found at most Las Vegas sportsbooks and online.

NBA Playoff Predictions

Once the regular season is over the NBA tends to resemble the national football league in many ways. Bettors have much more time to make their NBA playoff picks as teams travel to each other's arenas and rest between series. Making successful NBA playoff predictions is as much about when you bet as it is who you bet on. A series might not start for days. That means an NBA spread may move quite a few points especially as the public bets closer to the action. If we see value in a playoff prediction it will rely heavily on getting the line we are quoting in said NBA pick. In the words of the great Tony George, 'We are betting numbers, not teams!' That may not be more relevant than when making picks on the NBA playoff games.

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Are you getting bored of simply betting on who will win the game each time? Change it up and bet on the total instead. Total betting is essentially a 50/50 proposition on whether the total points scored by both teams will go over or under the bookmaker’s posted total.

Also known as over/under betting, this type of wager is available on almost any sport you can think of: football, basketball, baseball, hockey and soccer to name a few. Hockey, as we explain in this article, is perhaps the best sport for profitable totals betting, as it’s the easiest one for handicapping totals. That doesn’t mean there isn’t money to be made by betting the total for the other sports mentioned though.

In this article we cover how to price betting totals, and provide a number of other strategies for using this type of wager effectively.

If you’re not yet familiar with how this type of wager works, please see our beginner’s guide to totals betting.

Pricing Betting Totals

Again, we’ll point out that it’s much easier to handicap totals betting in hockey than with any other sport. This simple formula should be enough to help you make a rough prediction for how many goals will be scored in a hockey game.

For baseball, all sorts of other factors come into play. The starting pitcher, how batters have performed against pitchers with similar stats, today’s lineup and the bullpen all have to be considered. Technically, when it comes to baseball there’s a lot more useful data to work with, which means making more precise predictions is a strong possibility. However, interpreting all of that data correctly in order to make valid judgments is easier said than done.

A challenge we face for football betting is that there are simply not enough games in the season to get an accurate figure using points scored and points allowed alone. For this, the first adjustment required is to use medians not averages. Looking to this set of numbers: 3, 7, 15, the median is 7 and the average is 8.33.

How do you apply this to betting football totals? When calculating points scored and points allowed, place each into a list in ascending order. The number in the middle is your median, and you can use that number in conjunction with the league average to find your estimated points scored in a game.

Here are the calculations required to do this.

The problem here is that this model is far too simplistic to yield long-term profits. No matter how simple the sport, you’ll need to make other adjustments.

Of course, if handicapping totals were easy then the market would dry up and there would be no profit left. So, if you’re ambitious, the fact that they are hard can be an advantage for you.

Alternative to Pricing Totals

Rather than learning how to price totals, a good strategy for the ambitious beginner is learning predictive modeling.

There’s a good article on this in the book shown here, Conquering Risk: Attacking Vegas and Wall Street by Elihu D. Feustel. This book can be purchased on Amazon. It’s the perfect read for those interested in advanced fundamentals.

Now for those who don’t want to wait for the book, we continue with more helpful advice on total betting.

Understanding Key Numbers

When projecting betting totals, it’s important to understand key numbers. For example, in NFL football, the most common total points scored, in order, are as follows.

• 41
• 43
• 37
• 44
• 51
• 33
• 47

Knowing this we’d be far more likely to bet over 41 when our model predicted 41.3 than we would be willing to bet under 41 when our model predicted 40.7. While 40 is still a rather common outcome, 39 and 38 are very low probability totals. Over 41 gives us a push on the most common outcome and a win on the second and fourth most common outcomes.

Off Market Prices & Bonuses

With the information just given, there’s a relatively straightforward way to profit from betting NFL totals. The goal is to take advantage of sports betting bonuses and off market prices simultaneously.

What you need to understand is, as mentioned in our article on how to handicap the market, there’s two distinct types of sports betting sites. Sharp books, which are betting sites friendly to professionals, and square books, which are betting sites that target recreational bettors.

It’s also important to understand fan bias. NFL fans typically prefer to bet in favor of something happening rather than against something happening. In other words, betting the over is a lot more fun than betting the under. This leads to recreational betting sites often padding the total an extra 0.5 points, thus making the line worse for bettors wagering on the over.

Recreational sites often have total disregard, or might even be unaware of, the implication of key numbers. Remember the most common total points scored in NFL games we mentioned earlier? If you were to shop a recreational site against a square book looking for spots, here’s what you’d probably find: the sharp book offering a 47.0 betting total and the recreational site offering a 47.5 betting total. You’d quickly see that the under bet at 47.5 is close to neutral expected value.

Over Under Betting Strategy

When you’re lucky enough to find a near neutral EV bet while also having a bonus, chances are high that you’ll be able to make considerable profits by betting totals.

Please see our article on sports betting bonuses and rewards for more information on the extra value you can get at online betting sites.

Making Correlated Wagers

One way to gain maximum value when total betting is to consider if there’s a correlation between the total bet you’re making and a game’s point spread. For instance, let’s say you’re betting the under based on the fact that Ben Roethlisberger is playing with less than 100% health, and you believe the Steelers will run the ball and eat the clock.

Now, if the Steelers are -7.5 favorites in the game, then maybe your opinion that the game will go under also means their opponent is more likely to cover the +7.5 point spread. When this is the case, we suggest betting the point spread and the total together in a parlay bet.

Odds or Evens

To state what to many is probably obvious, in certain sports, even and odd number totals make a huge difference. This relates to low scoring sports such as baseball, hockey, and in certain cases soccer. Keep in mind that in baseball and hockey, if a game ends in a tie, it keeps going until the tie is broken. Since ties always represent an even amount of points, it’s clear to see why an odd total outcome is more likely to occur than an even total outcome.

How does this relate to soccer? In some circumstance, like elimination tournaments for example, soccer games aren’t allowed to end in a tie. In such matches, a total betting line of 2.5 has only four ways for the under to win. These are 0-1, 1-0, 0-2, and 2-0.

Notice that the only way for the under bet to win is for a shutout to happen. We’ve actually found occasional arbitrage bets (bets where you can bet multiple sides of a game to guarantee a win) just from taking this into consideration.

Totals wagers placed on soccer matches where a tie must be broken often only take the first 90 minutes of normal time into account. In that case, there would actually be six possible scorelines for the under to win. 0-0 and 1-1 would also be possibilities.

Avoiding Suckers Bets

We can’t stress enough the importance of avoiding sucker bets. For example, making teaser bets on totals is a long-term losing proposition that is better off avoided. What else do suckers do? They forget to shop around for the best lines.

Remember, as mentioned earlier, recreational betting sites will often shade lines or adjust odds to make things worse for those wagering on the more popular selections. This is to trap “fish” – the bettors that tend to lose frequently because they DO make sucker bets.

Online Betting Over Under

Over Under Basketball Betting Strategy

If you don’t want to be a fish, please check out our article on sucker bets and how to avoid them.