The NBA regular season continues with a loaded 11-game slate this Easter Sunday — April 5.
Our staff of betting experts dug into the latest NBA odds and identified best bets for five of Sunday's matchups — including picks for Lakers vs. Mavericks, Rockets vs. Warriors and more.
Continue below for our NBA picks and predictions for Sunday, April 5.
NBA Picks, Predictions for Sunday, April 5
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Raptors vs. Celtics Moneyline Pick
By Bet Labs
The Celtics are clearly the superior team in this matchup, but our Bet Labs system titled "Target Big Road 'Dogs" isn't about who should win — it’s about identifying price inefficiencies.
This system looks to fade elite home teams on win streaks when facing large road underdogs. Market overconfidence often inflates the favorite's line, creating outsized value on the visitor.
Boston just clinched a high seed and may be prone to sleepwalking through this game. With Nikola Vucevic questionable and Jaylen Brown potentially limited, the Celtics' depth might be tested here.
Toronto is coming off a 32-point road thrashing of Memphis.
While an outright win might be an uphill battle, the +360 price offers a huge risk-to-reward ratio for a Raptors team that has already proven it can compete with top shelf squads on the road (22-17 ATS).
So, we'll take a shot with the Raptors moneyline in Boston this afternoon.
Pick: Raptors Moneyline (+375)
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Lakers vs. Mavericks Prop Bet
By Jim Turvey
With Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves out, there's going to be plenty of minutes and usage up for grabs in the Lakers' rotation, especially against a poor defensive team in Dallas.
Luke Kennard has been the fourth option for the Lakers at times this season — and as a result, he should see plenty of opportunities on Sunday.
In 128 minutes with Luka and Reaves off the court, Kennard has a usage rate over 20 percent, making this prop very attainable.
Pick: Luke Kennard Over 12.5 Points (-112)
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Jazz vs. Thunder Spread Prediction
By Bet Labs
This system targets visiting underdogs who failed to cover in their previous game, such as the Jazz in this spot.
The psychological "bounce-back" factor is real; teams often respond to a poor ATS showing with tighter execution and a higher floor, while the home favorite may enter slightly overvalued or complacent — in this case, the 61-win Thunder appear to be the overvalued squad.
The Jazz are coming off a massive 34-point blowout loss to Houston where they failed to cover by nearly 30 points. While Utah is missing Lauri Markkanen and Walker Kessler, a 22.5-point spread is a historic outlier.
Oklahoma City has the talent to win big, but they are facing a Jazz squad featuring high-energy young pieces like Cody Williams and Ace Bailey who are playing for future rotation spots.
With the public heavily backing the elite Thunder, we’re taking the inflated points in a classic resilient road-dog spot.
Pick: Jazz +22.5 (-110)
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Clippers vs. Kings Player Prop Pick
By Joe Dellera
The Clippers face off against the Kings as double-digit favorites on Easter. Let’s have our Eggs Bennedict today.
Mathurin has been solid for the Clippers since he was acquired and is thriving in his role alongside of Kawhi Leonard and Darius Garland.
He is averaging 20.5 points per game with Kawhi and Garland both in the lineup, and he gets the opportunity to stagger as the clear scoring option without one of them on the floor. He also gets more chances against bench units in big wins (or losses).
His points line today is set at 16.5 — a number he's cleared in 10-of-11 games with both Kawhi and Garland in the lineup.
This matchup is great for him. The Kings are very soft defensively. They struggle in the paint, in isolation, and they allow free throws at a high clip — all areas where Mathurin excels.
So, let's back Mathurin to perform on Easter Sunday.
Pick: Bennedict Mathurin Over 16.5 Points (-125)
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Rockets vs. Warriors Prop Prediction
Even with Stephen Curry upgraded to questionable for his first game in over two months, we aren’t fading Gui Santos.
Santos has been on a tear, scoring 25+ points in three of his last four games, including a 31-point explosion against Brooklyn and a 27-point night against Washington.
Santos has transitioned from a deep-bench piece to a focal point of Steve Kerr’s rotation, averaging 21.6 points over his last five games.
While Curry’s return will naturally cut into the rest of the team's recent usage rate, it also likely comes with a strict minutes limit after a 27-game absence.
Santos’ versatile scoring and 40% clip from deep over his recent stretch make this 12.5-point line feel like a number that he should be able to clear regardless of whether or not Curry is in the lineup.
Facing a Rockets defense that allows the 3rd-most threes to opposing small forwards, Santos is in the perfect spot to keep the momentum going.
Our Action PRO models are projecting Santos to finish with 13.8 points tonight, providing a comfortable cushion over the current market total.
Pick: Gui Santos Over 12.5 Points (-110)
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