The NBA regular season continues with an excellent 8-game slate today — Thursday, March 19.
Our staff of betting experts dug into the latest NBA odds and identified the best bets for five of tonight's contests, including picks for Magic vs. Hornets, Lakers vs. Heat, 76ers vs. Kings, and more.
Continue below for our NBA best bets, expert picks, and predictions for Thursday.
NBA Best Bets for Thursday, March 19
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 7 p.m. | |
  | 8 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. | ||
Magic vs. Hornets Total Prediction
The Magic and Hornets are two of top defensive teams in the league since the All-Star Break — with Miami and Charlotte ranking sixth and seventh, respectively.
Both teams are coming off a day of rest entering tonight, so they should be able to lock in defensively without any sort of fatigue getting in the way.
Matchups between Miami and Charlotte have been tilted towards the Under recently. Four of the last five meetings have gone Under the total.
This game is in Charlotte, where the Hornets' offense struggles at times. Meanwhile, the Magic's offense has been their main struggle for years now.
Both teams still have a lot to play for here. I think this game is going to be a rock fight. I'll take the Under.
Pick: Under 225.5 (-110)
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Lakers vs. Heat Player Prop Pick
Action PRO is projecting 22.1 points for Bam Adebayo is the Heat's matchup against the Lakers tonight, showing an excellent 13.2% edge against his current prop line of over/under 20.5, which is strong enough to tag the Over with a B+ grade in our database.
Everybody knows that Bam scored 83 points against the Wizards in that one game last week. However, what else has he done lately aside from that one historical performance? Well, he's playing some of the best basketball of his career.
Adebayo has scored 20+ points in nine straight games entering tonight's contest, while reaching 23+ points in six of those outings; and getting all the way up to 24+ points in five of them.
Let's back Bam to keep the momentum going in the scoring department against the Lakers tonight.
Pick: Bam Adebayo Over 20.5 Points (-112)
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Clippers vs. Pelicans Over/Under Bet
Yesterday's matchup between these two teams closed with a total of 238.5, and that number proved too high, as the game went Under — and while the market total is only 233.5 tonight, that number still feels too high.
Historically, the Under (101-95-5) has been slightly more profitable when the same teams face one another in a back-to-back on short rest. There's an aspect of familiarity between the teams that we should account for, and perhaps a fatigue factor that could affect the pace of the game and the effectiveness of both offenses.
However, if we refine our parameters to include only games that went Under in the first meeting, our results improve to 54-42-3 or 56.2%. So, give me the Under in this spot.
Pick: Under 233.5 (-115)
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Suns vs. Spurs Spread Pick
By Bet Labs
Our NBA Bet Labs system titled, "Road 'Dogs Off ATS Loss" focuses on regular season situations where visiting underdogs are primed for a rebound after failing to cover the spread in their previous game — such as the Suns in tonight's matchup against the Spurs.
These teams often show stronger effort and tighter execution following a poor performance, particularly when facing opponents coming off strong ATS wins who may enter overconfident or slightly overvalued by the market.
The travel factor adds to the motivation, as underdogs on the road tend to play with urgency and discipline to stay competitive.
By isolating games where perception favors the home team and the spread is wide enough to allow value, this system captures bounce-back opportunities where public sentiment skews the line, rewarding disciplined bettors who back undervalued road dogs in resilient spots.
Action PRO projects the spread for this game at Spurs -5.8, showing a huge 11.2% edge against the current line of Spurs -10, which is strong enough to tag Suns +10 with an A+ grade in our model.
Pick: Suns +10 (-115)
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76ers vs. Kings Prop Bet
Action PRO is projecting 1.91 assists for Andre Drummond in the 76ers' matchup against the Kings tonight, presenting a solid 11.5% edge against his current prop line of over/under 1.5, which is good enough to tag the Over with a B grade in our database.
Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Kelly Oubre, and Paul George are all sidelined for the 76ers right now — and that won't change ahead of tonight's game against the Kings.
Naturally, that means more playing time and usage for Drummond.
Drummond has recorded 2+ assists in three straight outings, while tallying 3+ assists in two of those contests.
Despite the crowded injury report though, the Sixers' offense should still be able to get whatever they want against a Kings team that ranks 28th in both defensive rating and points allowed per game.
Pick: Andre Drummond Over 1.5 Assists (+122)
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