The 2023-24 NBA regular season is coming to an end and we’re continuing to tackle it hard at VSiN. As always, Jonathan Von Tobel continues to provide you with his exceptional coverage of the greatest league in the world. Just click here for all of his content. However, all of my picks will be featured in this daily column, which will combine my NBA best bets and NBA player props. So, keep reading to find out how I’m playing the NBA slate on Friday, April 5th. Also, check out our NBA Odds page for the latest line movement.
MORE: Check out our Pro Picks page for everything our experts have on April 5
2023 Record: 303-320-2 (-16.86 units)
NBA Best Bets Today – April 5
Portland Trail Blazers at Washington Wizards – 7:00 pm ET
I got burned fading the Blazers with my Wednesday NBA best bets. However, I still like the idea of going to the Wizards tonight. This Washington team has actually won four of its last eight games, and the Wizards are 5-2-1 against the spread in those contests. So, even though I’m going to Washington to win outright, the spread record tells the story of a competitive basketball team. The same can’t be said about Portland, even with that win over the Charlotte Hornets the other day.
The reality in a game like this is that Jordan Poole should torch the Blazers. Poole is coming off a game in which he had 29 points and five dimes against the Lakers. He also averaged 19.3 points and 5.3 assists per game in March. Poole has just completely figured things out lately, and Portland doesn’t have anybody that can stay in front of him. The Blazers are just 26th in the league in defensive rating over the last 10 games, making this is a juicy matchup for everybody on the Wizards. And it’s worth noting that Washington is up to 17th in the league in defensive rating in that span. So, the Wizards are in a better position to get stops in this game.
Overall, this is going to be a pretty ugly game to watch, but Washington is just playing a lot better than Portland lately. So, I’m willing to do some damage to my eyeballs to see through a victory.
Bet: Wizards ML (-135 – 2 units)
New York Knicks at Chicago Bulls – 8:00 pm ET
I absolutely hate betting against the Knicks because they never make it easy. This team fights like hell on a nightly basis. But this is the third game in four nights for New York, and the Knicks are also about to play their fifth game in eight nights. So, New York should be fatigued from its rough schedule. And the Knicks also had to work extremely hard in a comeback win over the Sacramento Kings last night, which only adds to the tired legs. With that in mind, I think it’d be irresponsible not to bet on Chicago with the team coming off three full days of rest — and being a solid group, in general.
Look for Alex Caruso to hound Jalen Brunson on the perimeter in this game, and don’t be surprised if Chicago is flying around trying to defend the 3-point line. The Bulls will need to do that against this Knicks team, as New York has some lethal shooters. But fatigue could cause some misses, too.
It’s also worth noting that Chicago is 69-49 ATS when coming off losses in two of its last three games under Billy Donovan. And I’m not playing the Bulls to cover, I just need them to win. So, I trust Donovan to right the ship for Chicago. This is also a big game for the Bulls, who are trying to hold off the Atlanta Hawks for the ninth seed. Chicago is going to want to host the 9 vs. 10 Play-In Tournament game.
Bet: Bulls ML (-115 – 2 units)
NBA Player Props Today – April 5
Toronto Raptors at Milwaukee Bucks – 8:00 pm ET
Since being traded to Toronto, RJ Barrett is averaging 21.1 points per game. And the sample is pretty large now, with Barrett having played 28 games for the Raptors. Of course, Barrett is coming off an injury and just played his first game since March 11th. But Barrett scored 28 points in that game, and he did it against a surging Los Angeles Lakers team. And Barrett also played 26 minutes in that one, so he should flirt with 30 here. And this Milwaukee defense is still an absolute nightmare, so I like Barrett to get his. He’s actually averaging 19.0 points per game in three games against the Bucks this year. So, I’m taking him to hit that 19-point mark, but I’m also sprinkling a little on 25+. He has had six games with at least 25 since arriving in Toronto. And this is as good of a matchup as any.
Bet: Barrett Over 18.5 Points (-105 – 1.5 units) & Barrett Over 24.5 Points (+350 – 0.5 units)
Added Plays
PARLAY: Pacers ML vs. Thunder + Suns ML vs. Timberwolves (+126 – 1.5 units)
