NBA Best Bets Today: Expert Picks for Sunday (April 7)

There is just one week remaining in the NBA regular season, and teams are jockeying for playoff seeding down the home stretch. There is a loaded 13-game slate on Sunday, April 7th, and our Action Network NBA betting experts are ready with five best bets.

They have totals, moneylines, spread picks and player prop bets included in their best bets today, including a pick for Timberwolves vs. Lakers. Find our experts' NBA best bets for Sunday below.

NBA Best Bets Today

By Bryan Fonseca

I don't know what this Heat team is on a nightly basis, but I do know that this is essentially a playoff game, and if they treat it like such — unlike that effort against the 76ers earlier this week — I'd favor them to win.

The Heat are 1.5-point underdogs on the road, but if this game happened later this month, they might be favored. The Heat quietly have the second-best road record in the Eastern Conference at 23-16. As a road underdog, they're 15-9 against the spread, which ranks third in the NBA behind only the Pelicans and Kings.

I'm betting as if this is a playoff game because it essentially is. If the Pacers win, I'm off the Heat for the rest of the regular season from a betting perspective — the volatility would be too much at that point.

Pick: Heat Moneyline +106

By Joe Dellera

The Suns and the Pelicans face off on Sunday in a key game for each team’s chances of avoiding the Western Conference Play-In Tournament. The Suns currently sit a game ahead of the Pelicans for this sixth seed in the West.

Devin Booker is one player worth keeping an eye on.

Book has torched the Pelicans in his last three games against them by scoring 58, 52 and 52 points in those games. This has been a matchup he has relished while taking 35, 30 and 28 field goal attempts.

Despite their excellent defense, the Pelicans allow a high frequency of 3s and midrange jumpers, which are two areas of the floor where Booker excels.

Booker’s history against the Pelicans is incredible, and I see no reason why that can’t continue tonight after torching them just a few days ago.

Pick: Devin Booker Over 26.5 Points (-110)

By Michael Arinze

The Magic will try to sweep the season series against the Bulls when the two sides meet in Orlando on Sunday.

Orlando is currently a 7.5-point favorite to win its fourth game against Chicago this season, but the total at 211 caught my attention.

Chicago and Orlando are two teams that rank in the bottom half of the league in terms of pace, so it’s not too surprising to see a total in this range.

However, we shouldn’t be too averse to playing this game under the number, even with such a low total.

Orlando struggles offensively, ranking 23rd in Offensive Efficiency with 109.8 points per 100 possessions. On the other end, the Magic have a 107.7 Defensive Rating, ranking second in the league.

Both teams failed to combine for more than 200 points in three of the last four meetings, and the under would have been a perfect 3-0 in their games this season had the previous contest not gone into overtime.

After factoring in the potential slow pace of this game, Orlando’s offensive struggles and Orlando’s elite defensive capability, this under still has value even at 211 points.

Pick: Under 211 (-112)

By Bryan Fonseca

Unfortunately for my fellow New Yorkers — and I've enjoyed this Knicks team very much — the Milwaukee Bucks just have their number.

Milwaukee is 3-1 against New York this season with a +41 Point Differential. Last year, they swept the Knicks and were +21.

While the Knicks have a reputation for being a team of dogs, they're only 9-12-1 against the spread as a road underdog this year, which is better than only six NBA teams.

The injury reports aren't lengthy, but Giannis Antetokounmpo — who is kind of a Knick killer — is questionable, so this is out the window if he sits, though he sat against the tanking Raptors two nights ago.

Pick: Bucks -3.5 (-110)

By Joe Dellera

The Lakers host the Timberwolves tonight as the Lakers continue their climb out of the 9/10 seeds in order to avoid the Western Conference Play-In Tournament. Entering Sunday, the Lakers hold a 0.5-game lead over the Kings for the eighth seed, but both teams are tied in the loss column.

On the other end, the Timberwolves are fighting for the top overall seed in the Western Conference and sit a half game behind the Nuggets (who are tied with the Wolves in the loss column).

Rui Hachimura is one player who has taken on an expanded role as the Lakers have made this push. In 22 games after the All-Star Break, Hachimura has averaged 15.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 30.2 minutes per game as he’s provided well-rounded contributions for the team.

His rebounds plus assists line is set at 5.5 tonight, which is a number he has exceeded in 11 of 22 games after the All-Star Break. However, he’s been even better lately and has exceeded this line in seven of his last 10 games.

This is a tougher matchup for him to score with Rudy Gobert looming on the interior; however, Hachimura has been a solid contributor on the glass while being good for at least one assist in 16 of the 22 last games.

The line of 5.5 rebounds plus assists is a touch short, especially at even money.

Pick: Rui Hachimura Over 5.5 Rebounds + Assists (+100)