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 Sunday, April 7th. 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 7
NBA Best Bets Today – April 7
Cleveland Cavaliers at Los Angeles Clippers – 3:30 pm ET
This season, Cleveland is 12-4 against the spread when coming off a road loss. And the Cavaliers have won those games by an average of 6.6 points per game. They’re also 13-3 ATS off a road loss by 10 or more points since the start of last season. So, I trust them to bounce back and turn in a competitive effort here. Also, while Cleveland has struggled with back-to-backs this season, this is a unique one in which the team got to stay in Los Angeles and will be playing in the same building. So, I’m not expecting fatigue to be much of an issue for the Cavaliers today.
Donovan Mitchell is going to be out for Cleveland today, which definitely makes this feel a little tougher. But Mitchell hasn’t looked right since having PRP injections in his knee. And it’s clear that the mask he’s wearing on his face is bothering him. So, it isn’t outrageous to think that the Cavaliers might be better off here. Darius Garland has shown that he can up his offensive production with Mitchell out. And the Clippers don’t really have anybody that can keep him from getting two feet in the paint. So, if Garland has it going with the jumper, he could have a big game here.
I also like the presence of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen in this game. Over the last 10 games, only four teams are hitting fewer 3s per game than Los Angeles. And if the Clippers are relying too much on shots at the rim, the Cavaliers will be in a great spot.
Los Angeles is also dealing with the biggest injury loss of anybody here. Kawhi Leonard remains out for the Clippers, and that’s a bigger deal than the Cavaliers losing Mitchell.
Bet: Cavaliers +5 (-110 – 1.5 units)
New Orleans Pelicans at Phoenix Suns – 6:00 pm ET
New York Knicks at Milwaukee Bucks – 7:00 pm ET
The Pelicans come into this game after having lost four straight and five of their last six. One of those losses was a 13-point home loss to this Suns team. Phoenix has now won three in a row in this head-to-head series, and Devin Booker has scored at least 50 in all of them. So, the Suns clearly like this matchup quite a bit. Phoenix has also won three games in a row and seven of its last nine. In that span, the Suns have a top-10 defensive rating in the league. This team is really figuring things out defensively, which is scary given the offensive talent the group has in place. And with these teams heading this far in opposite directions, I like the Suns as part of a two-team moneyline parlay.
The Bucks are the second team I’ll need in this parlay for my NBA best bets. Milwaukee has had a day to sit on a third consecutive embarrassing loss, and I expect the Bucks to come out with real focus and intensity against the Knicks. Milwaukee still has work to do in order to get the second seed in the Eastern Conference. So, this game absolutely matters to the Bucks, who are also hosting a Knicks team that they have already beaten three times this season. And New York is playing its third game in four nights, so fatigue can be a factor here.
PARLAY: Suns ML + Bucks ML (+130 – 2 units)
Philadelphia 76ers at San Antonio Spurs – 7:00 pm ET
The Sixers have won four games in a row and now have superstar Joel Embiid back. So, Philadelphia does have a bit of momentum coming into this game. But the Sixers did play against the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday. And even though Embiid only played 23 minutes in that game, he’s always a threat to rest on the second leg of a back-to-back. And even if he does end up playing here, he could be on a significant minutes restriction. That should open the door for the Spurs to be competitive here, and possibly even win.
San Antonio comes into this one after having gone 4-2 straight-up and a perfect 6-0 ATS in its last six games. The Spurs continue to be a feisty team to play against, and they’re extremely well-rested coming into this game. That’s all I need to know when deciding whether to take the points against a tired Sixers squad. And I’m also playing the moneyline here.
Bet: Spurs +6.5 (-110 – 2 units) & Spurs ML (+200)
NBA Player Props Today – April 7
Houston Rockets at Dallas Mavericks – 3:30 pm ET
When these teams played in Houston last week, Jabari Smith Jr. hit five triples. Smith has now made at least two 3s in six consecutive games. And perhaps more important than that is the fact that Smith has taken at least five 3s in six straight games. As long as Smith is shooting a ton of shots from behind the arch, it’s hard to lay off a 3-point total this low. Even with Smith being a much worse shooter on the road, I still think it’s more likely than not that he’ll hit a couple of 3-balls here. And that’s especially true considering how difficult it is to score against Dallas at the rim. Smith might feel a little better about relying on his jumper, so I’m going Over his 3-point total with my NBA player props.
Bet: Smith Over 1.5 Made 3s (-137 – 1.5 units)
Philadelphia 76ers at San Antonio Spurs – 7:00 pm ET
Not only do I like the Spurs to get give the Sixers a game, but I’m also playing Wembanyama to have at least five assists. Wembanyama has had at least five assists in each of his last five games, and he’s averaging 8.5 assists per game in his previous two. With Devin Vassell and Jeremy Sochan out, the Spurs are going to Wembanyama even more as their offensive hub. And the rookie is delivering in a big way. Wembanyama isn’t just racking up assists, but he’s also averaging 11.4 potential assists per game over the last five games. So, he’s consistently setting up good opportunities for his teammates. I don’t see that changing against the Sixers.
Bet: Wembanyama Over 4.5 Assists (-139)
Added Plays
Minnesota Timberwolves ML (-122 – 2 units) vs. Los Angeles Lakers
2023-24 Record: 307-327-2 (-20.64 units)
