NBA Best Bets: Wednesday, April 13th

The play-in tournament is well underway, and the Brooklyn Nets have already secured a spot in the playoffs. But tonight we have the Atlanta Hawks taking on the Charlotte Hornets, as well as the Pelicans welcoming the Spurs to Smoothie King Center for the 5th time this season.

NBA Best Bets Wednesday, April 13th

• Atlanta Hawks vs Charlotte Hornets: Hornets +5.5 & Under 235.5 at 3.61
• New Orleans Pelicans vs San Antonio Spurs: Spurs +5.5 at 1.93

Odds as at 3 pm 13th  April 2022. Odds may now differ.

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Atlanta Hawks vs Charlotte Hornets Best Bet

Thu, Apr 13. 00:00 (UK)

The Atlanta Hawks have had a very disappointing season, finishing 9th in the eastern conference with 43 wins and 39 losses. They won 7 of their last 10 games of the season and finished with a 130-114 victory over the Houston Rockets. Traer Young is having another phenomenal season for the Hawks, averaging 28.4 points and 9.7 assists per game, but their second scorer John Collins is still out with a finger injury. The Hawks are heavy favourites in this game, available at 1.47 odds to win and I see some solid value in betting against them.

The Hawks have had one of the best offences in the league this year, ranking 2nd in offensive rating and averaging 113.9 points per game. However, their defence has been atrocious all season, preventing them from earning key wins and securing a playoff spot. The Haws have ranked 26th in defensive rating this season, allowing 112.4 points per game and allowing opponents to drain 36.4% of their 3-pointers – good for 25th in the NBA. Nate McMillan’s team is definitely not built for the playoffs, and I don’t expect them to fare very well this year. I am, however, expecting more effort from them this time around because this is an elimination game, which will likely cause a lower number of points than expected.

The Charlotte Hornets finished 10th in the east this season with 43 wins and 39 losses, having won 6 of their last 10 games and riding a 3-game winning streak. The Hornets finished the season in style, blowing out the Washington Wizards by 124-108, and Terry Rozier and Lamelo Ball went off for 25 and 24 points respectively. Apart from Gordon Hayward’s lingering issues, the Hornets are fit to play tonight. They are solid underdogs in this game at 2.75 odds to win, and whilst I would gladly back them otherwise, I have a slightly better idea.

The Hornets are also a solid offensive team, averaging 115.3 points per game with 28.1 assists (1st in NBA), and a 3-point percentage of 36.5%. Miles Bridges, Terry Rozier and Lamelo Ball have had amazing seasons so far for the Hornets, and having 3 reliable scorers will mean a lot when facing the Hawks. Let’s face it, Trae Young will be the focal point of this defence tonight, and despite ranking 23rd in defensive rating, they are more than capable of containing the Hawks. Only 1 of their 4 encounters against the Hawks has seen more than 235 points, and I expect a tight and contested game in this one as well. I’m going to shake things up for this game, and I’m backing the Hornets to cover the spread, as well as Under 236.5 points in the same bet. It’s available as a bet builder at Bet365 at 3.57 odds, and I see some solid value in this selection.

• Selection: Hornets +5.5 & Under 235.5
• Best Odds: 3.61 (Bet365)
• Stakes: 4/10

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New Orleans Pelicans vs San Antonio Spurs Best Bet

Thu, Apr 13. 02:30 (UK)

The New Orleans Pelicans will enjoy home advantage in this game after finishing 9th in the western conference with 36 wins and 46 losses. They finished the regular season on a 2-game losing streak following a 128-107 loss to the Golden State Warriors. Both Brandon Ingram and Jonas Valenciunas missed Sunday’s game against the Warriors, and BI is still listed as ‘Game Time Decision’. I expect him to make an appearance tonight, but the soreness in his right hamstring could continue to be an issue.

The Pelicans have played some very entertaining basketball in the final stretch of the season, averaging 114.7 points per game and ranking 10th in offensive rating. But their percentages were below average, shooting just 33.3% from beyond the arc and 47.0% from the field. Their defence was terrible, allowing 113.3 points per game, and ranking 20th in defensive rating over the last 10 games. Willie Green’s squad has done a good job keeping the boat afloat in the absence of Zion Williamson, but their lacklustre defence simply isn’t good enough for the playoffs. They will be facing a no-nonsense team in the San Antonio Spurs, and I don’t expect them to come out on top.

Meanwhile, the Spurs finished the regular season 10th in the west with 34 wins and 48 losses. Hardly a successful season for coach Popovich and the Spurs, but they have a chance to make the playoffs for the first time since 2018-2019. The Spurs finished the season on a 3-game losing streak, falling to the Wolves, Warriors and Mavericks and dishing out more than respectable performances against elite teams.

The Spurs were a fairly average team during the entire season, ranking 18th in offensive and 16th in defensive rating all year, whilst averaging and allowing an average of around 113 points per game. But their form improved dramatically in the last 10 games where they ranked 11th in offensive rating and 3rd in defensive. Their defensive effort and teamwork allowed the Spurs to cover the spread in 9 of their last 10 games. They don’t have any major injury problems at the moment, and they are coming into this game as heavy underdogs. Just 26% of bettors are backing the Spurs to win tonight, and having already beaten the Pelicans in 3 of their 4 encounters this season, backing them is definitely a value bet.

• Selection: Spurs +5.5 
• Best Odds: 1.93 (Marathonbet)
• Stakes: 7/10

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