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 Tuesday, April 9th. 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 9
NBA Best Bets Today – April 9
Miami Heat at Atlanta Hawks – 7:30 pm ET
Los Angeles Clippers at Phoenix Suns – 10:00 pm ET
For the first leg in my Tuesday two-team parlay, I’m backing the Heat to beat the Hawks. This is a game in which Atlanta will have a rest advantage, with the team playing its first game since Saturday. But I’m not sure the Hawks have what it takes to score efficiently against the Heat. Miami is fifth in the NBA in adjusted defensive rating, and Atlanta is no longer an elite offensive team without Trae Young. Meanwhile, the Hawks are below average defensively, which means the Heat should be able to score somewhat efficiently here. That hasn’t been the case for most of the season, but Atlanta struggles to get stops and Miami suddenly has a relatively healthy rotation. So, not only will Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo be coming at the Hawks, but Tyler Herro will add his perimeter firepower. On top of that, this is a big game for Miami and that favors the team with Erik Spoelstra on the sidelines.
With the Suns, it’s just hard to envision this team losing to a Clippers group that continues to be without Kawhi Leonard. Phoenix just had a shaky performance against a shorthanded New Orleans Pelicans team, and the group has responded to bad losses all year. So, I’m keeping it simple and looking for the more talented and motivated team to win outright. And the reality is that this leg only matters if the first one gets home. But if it does, I’ll have Phoenix, a favorite of nearly -300, at plus-money odds.
Parlay: Heat ML/Suns ML (+114 – 2 units)
Orlando Magic at Houston Rockets – 8:00 pm ET
The Rockets were scorching hot in March, but they have lost five games in a row. And they now face a Magic team that will be very difficult to beat. Houston’s offense has stalled out a bit in recent weeks, and facing Orlando isn’t going to help. The Magic are third in the league in adjusted defensive rating this year, and they happen to have guys that can make life difficult on Jalen Green. And if Green struggles in any way here, Houston won’t score efficiently enough to win. That said, keep an eye on the perimeter defense of Jalen Suggs here. He’s the one that will likely defend Green, and he’ll be in his jersey all night.
Orlando also won by 30 when these teams met in October. Of course, the Rockets have gotten a lot better since then. But the team doesn’t have Alperen Sengun, so the group is easier to defend. And Orlando has arguably made more strides than Houston. I’m also not too worried about this being a road game. The Magic have been solid on the road as of late.
It’s also hard to overlook that Orlando is 25-9 against the spread as a favorite this year. I’m not even looking for the Magic to cover. But they have won those games by an average of 10.1 points per game anyway.
Bet: Magic ML (-138 – 1.5 units)
Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Lakers – 10:00 pm ET
I like the Warriors’ chances against a full-strength Lakers team, which is what I’m expecting to see tonight. LeBron James and Anthony Davis are both on the injury report, but it’d be surprising if either one missed this game. But Golden State earned a 128-121 road win over Los Angeles back on March 16th. And while the Lakers are 11-4 in their last 15 games, the Warriors have a better net rating in that span. Golden State also happened to rest Stephen Curry in Sunday’s win over the Utah Jazz, so the best offensive player in the world will be well rested here.
Golden State has also been very tough on the road this season, as the team is 23-16 when playing away from home. So, I trust the Warriors to show up in what will be an electric atmosphere tonight. And one of the things to keep an eye on here is the overall firepower in the Lakers backcourt. D’Angelo Russell is capable of getting very hot for the Lakers, but he’s also capable of being very cold. And the Warriors don’t exactly deal with that type of inconsistency at the guard position.
Golden State is also fifth in the league in defensive rating over the last 10 games, so the team will have a good plan of attack here.
Bet: Warriors ML (+124 – 1.5 units)
NBA Player Props Today – April 9
Dallas Mavericks at Charlotte Hornets – 7:00 pm ET
Brandon Miller has been tremendous for the Hornets this season, and he should be in for a good game against the Mavericks. While Dallas has improved defensively, the team still isn’t perfect on that end of the floor. And Miller is a guy that is hard to stay in front of, so he should have the Mavericks defense scrambling a little. With that in mind, Miller should do some damage as a scorer here. But I like him to go Over 2.5 assists at plus-money odds. Miller has gone Over that mark in four of his last eight games, and he is actively looking to make plays for teammates. That’s all you can ask for with a player with a high usage rate, especially in a game with the potential to be higher in scoring than expected.
Bet: Miller Over 2.5 Assists (+120)
Added Plays
Milwaukee Bucks ML (-146 – 1.5 units) vs. Boston Celtics
2023-24 Record: 311-329-2 (-19.64 units)
