Monday NBA Picks: How We’re Betting Pacers vs. Heat and Nuggets vs. Lakers

Monday NBA Picks: How We’re Betting Pacers vs. Heat and Nuggets vs. Lakers article feature image
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Photo credit: Justin Tafoya/Getty Images. Pictured: Nikola Jokic

  • Looking for betting picks for Monday's NBA slate? You've come to the right place.
  • Tonight's slate is highlighted by Pacers vs. Heat and Nuggets vs. Lakers, and both games are catching the eyes of our experts.
  • Below, you'll find betting odds, predictions and picks for our two favorite games of the night.

NBA action at the Orlando bubble is reaching the home stretch with five games today, headlined by games between the Toronto Raptors vs. Milwaukee Bucks and Denver Nuggets vs. Los Angeles Lakers.

Where's the value? Our staff is here to break down their favorite NBA bets for today's slate and has found angles in two games:

  • 8 p.m. ET: Indiana Pacers vs. Miami Heat
  • 9 p.m. ET: Denver Nuggets vs. LA Lakers

Monday NBA Betting Picks


Odds via DraftKings. Get up to a $1,000 sign-up bonus at DraftKings today or see more offers and reviews for the best online sportsbooks.


Brandon Anderson: Pacers vs. Heat

Pacers odds+4 [BET NOW]
Heat odds-4 [BET NOW]
Moneyline-175/+145 [BET NOW]
Over/Under220 [BET NOW]
Time8 p.m. ET
TVNBA League Pass

The Heat and Pacers are currently set to square off in a first-round matchup between the No. 4 and No. 5 seeds, and they also play twice this week. This game will go a long way toward seeing if that matchup actually happens, which helps both teams avoid the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics. Both should be motivated to win, as whoever wins here will almost certainly lock in their spot in the 4 vs. 5 series.

It looks like Jimmy Butler and Goran Dragic should be back, with both probable and rested now after sitting on the sidelines a few games. Kendrick Nunn is still out, but Butler and Dragic are far more important.

You know who else is important? Bubble MVP T.J. Warren, who is questionable with a sore foot and responsible for about half of Indiana’s offense at this point.

I like (mostly) full-strength Miami better than Indiana anyway, on both ends of the ball. But with Indiana missing their All-Star (that would be Domantas Sabonis) and possibly their bubble All-Star, this matchup tilts in Miami’s favor.

Pick: Heat -2.5

[Bet $20+ on the Heat at PointsBet and Win $125 if they make at least one 3-pointer]

Matt Moore: Nuggets vs. Lakers

Nuggets odds+5 [BET NOW]
Lakers odds-5 [BET NOW]
Moneyline-210/+175 [BET NOW]
Over/Under221 [BET NOW]
Time9 p.m. ET
TVTNT 

This matchup is a nightmare for Denver. Had the Lakers beaten the Pacers, I’d feel better about it, but I hate going against LeBron James championship-level teams after a loss. The Lakers are frustrated with their offense.

Good thing they face Denver. Outside of Michael Porter Jr., the Nuggets struggle at 3-point shooting, and are worse in the restart. That plays to the Lakers’ weakness, getting outscored from the 3-point line. It’s not as much of a concern vs. the Nuggets.

Meanwhile, Denver has been working on trying to solve the lob problem the Lakers present all season. Over the course of a potential playoff series, they may figure out how to mitigate it. But Nikola Jokic simply can’t recover fast enough or jump high enough to contest enough vs. JaVale McGee, Dwight Howard, and Anthony Davis.

The Nuggets are also undersized vs. Davis, particularly with Paul Millsap, which means higher foul rates. And Davis feasts most when he can get to the line. Expect a bit Davis game, and the Lakers to cover for a feel-good, get-right win.

I grabbed Lakers at open at -1.5 at FanDuel, but I like this all the way to -6.

The PICK: Lakers -5

[Bet now at DraftKings and get a $1,000 sign-up bonus.]

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