The NBA regular season continues with an excellent 9-game slate on Thursday, March 5.
Our staff of basketball betting experts dug into the latest NBA odds and identified NBA best bets for six of today's contests.
Continue below for our NBA best bets, expert picks, and predictions for tonight.
NBA Best Bets for Thursday, March 5
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 7:30 p.m. | |
  | 7 p.m. | |
  | 7:30 p.m. | |
  | 8 p.m. | |
  | 8 p.m. | |
  | 10 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. | ||
Nets vs. Heat Player Prop Pick
By Joe Dellera
The Heat face off against the Nets tonight in the second game of a "baseball set" for these two teams.
The Heat dominated the first game — and I expect the same result in this one, more-or-less.
This leaves me targeting Jaime Jaquez.
He has faired well against the Nets this season with 24 and 25 Points & Rebounds in two matchups against them — and both were double-digit wins for Miami.
That’s notable because he does not see a downturn in his minutes in blowouts; his role in the rotation generally remain consistent.
Jaquez is excellent in transition. He is able to generate great looks for himself.
His ability to get to the rack is one that Brooklyn has struggled with, as the Nets allow the fifth-most points in the paint this season.
With a matchup against the Hornets tomorrow that has some key playoff implications, I can see Miami letting Jaquez handle business and letting the starters get a bit of a limited rotation.
Pick: Jaime Jaquez Over 19.5 Points & Rebounds (-105)
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Mavericks vs. Magic Prop Bet
If Cooper Flagg does return for the Mavericks tonight, I would expect a pretty heavy minutes restriction for him in this game.
Plus, there's a chance that the Mavs could get blown out by the Magic in this spot, with a spread tilting closer to double digits in favor of Orlando.
There's no good reason for the Mavericks to push their young star down the stretch here, currently trailing the Blazers by eight games for the final Play-In spot in the West.
Pick: Cooper Flagg Under 18.5 Points (-105)
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Warriors vs. Rockets Spread Prediction
By Matt Moore
This matchup is quite simply a disaster for the Warriors.
The Warriors own a -3.1 spread differential against teams that are top-10 in both offense and defense per CleaningTheGlass.com.
Even after losing Steven Adams for the season, the Rockets are still No. 1 in offensive rebound rate. The Warriors are 24th in defensive rebound rate.
This projects as a game where the Warriors are pretty helpless against Houston.
Pick: Rockets -8.5 (-115)
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Raptors vs. Timberwolves Moneyline Pick
By Bet Labs
This NBA moneyline betting system captures regular season games where visiting teams show renewed energy and focus after a disappointing home loss such as the Raptors in this spot.
When a team transitions from playing at home to the road following a poor result, motivation and effort tend to rise, particularly in non-conference matchups where travel can reset rhythm and concentration.
Teams with a solid overall record often channel frustration from a narrow defeat into improved play away from home, benefiting from reduced pressure and sharper preparation.
By targeting quality teams coming off home losses in unfamiliar settings, this approach leverages the psychological edge of redemption and the tendency for capable squads to perform better when seeking to rebound on the road.
Pick: Raptors Moneyline (+195)
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Pistons vs. Spurs Total Prediction
By Matt Moore
I love the Under here, as I project this total down at 220.
The first matchup between these teams went Under by 15.5 points.
Pistons' games are 6-3 to the Under when they are on the road after losing to a team in their last matchup.
In particular, the Pistons are the top-ranked team in forcing opponent turnovers this season, and while San Antonio is good at avoiding them, there are sure to be some in tonight's contest.
That said, the Spurs have the 5th-best transition defense in the league.
The Pistons will disrupt San Antonio, and the Spurs will get back and force misses. We saw that several times in the first matchup.
Pick: Under 228.5 (-110)
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Lakers vs. Nuggets Player Prop Bet
Action PRO is projecting 7.19 points for Jaxson Hayes in the Lakers' matchup against the Nuggets tonight, showing a massive 30.9% edge against his current prop line of over/under 4.5, which is strong enough to tag the Over with an A+ grade in our database.
This line simply appears to be too low.
Hayes enters tonight's matchup having scored 6+ points in three of the Lakers' last four games.
He's also hit 6+ points in 15 of his last 18 games overall, while reaching 8+ points in nine of those contests, and breaking double-digits on four occasions during that span.
The Nuggets play slow, currently ranked 22nd in pace.
However, Hayes should still be able to get Over this number in a matchup against a Denver squad that ranks 22nd in defensive rating and 19th in points allowed.
Pick: Jaxson Hayes Over 4.5 Points (-115)
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