We’re nearing the end of the 2024-25 NBA season. I’ll continue giving out NBA best bets and player props here as often as possible, and I’ll also occasionally write up features on big news that shakes up the league. So, make sure you check out my work throughout the season. With that out of the way, let’s get into some NBA best bets and NBA player props for Monday, March 24th. Also, make sure you check out the picks page (linked right below) before games tip off. I occasionally add picks throughout the day.
MORE: Check out our Pro Picks page for everything our experts have on March 24th
NBA Best Bets Today – March 24th
Milwaukee Bucks at Phoenix Suns – 10:00 pm ET
The Suns are quietly playing some incredible basketball. Phoenix has won four of its last five games coming into this one. Some of those wins came against weak competition. However, the Suns hosted the East-leading Cavaliers on Friday and came away with a 123-112 win. Phoenix was in control from the start of that one, and the team now has some energy and confidence to carry into the final stretch of the regular season.
The reason the Suns are playing so well is that they are back to playing rookies Ryan Dunn and Oso Ighodaro. Those two have their flaws, but they also bring a defensive tenacity and overall boost in athleticism that the team needs around Devin Booker and Kevin Durant. Phoenix has a defensive rating of 111.2 during this recent hot streak, and that would be good for seventh in the NBA over the course of the entire season. Also, the improved defense is contributing to even better offense, as the Suns are able to get out and run. They’re getting much better looks than they were a few weeks ago, so everything is humming.
Perhaps the return of Bradley Beal will complicate things. Phoenix is 12-3 when Booker and Durant play without him this season, but Beal is out this evening. So, that’s not something to worry about right now.
The Suns are also coming off two full days of rest, so they’re going to have their legs when they face this struggling Bucks squad. And Milwaukee, which has been up and down over the last few weeks, is playing without Damian Lillard tonight. That’s a big loss in firepower on the perimeter, which is what you need against this Phoenix team right now. This is also a fifth game in eight nights for the Bucks, so they could be pretty fatigued when they arrive at PHX Arena.
Bet: Suns ML (-140 – 2 units)
NBA Player Props Today – March 24th
Minnesota Timberwolves at Indiana Pacers – 7:00 pm ET
I have had a lot of success playing Jaden McDaniels to go over his PRA totals this year, but I’m actually taking a small shot on him to have at least three assists tonight. McDaniels is averaging 3.1 assists per game since the start of March, and he has had six games in which he has had at least three dimes. Well, one of those games featured McDaniels having four assists against this same Pacers team. That was just three games ago, on March 17th. McDaniels is just in a very nice groove for a hot Minnesota team, and tonight’s game could be higher in scoring than normal Timberwolves games. Indiana is just 16th in the league in adjusted defensive rating (114.2) this season, and the team also plays at the fifth-fastest pace (100.8) in basketball. This Pacers team doesn’t mind a good shootout. If one breaks out, McDaniels should put up some decent numbers. He just needs to avoid foul trouble.
Bet: McDaniels Over 2.5 Assists (+155 – 0.5 units)
Philadelphia 76ers at New Orleans Pelicans – 8:00 pm ET
Our NBA Prop Bet Analyzer shows that Quentin Grimes has gone Over his PRA total in 11 of his last 14 starts. Of course, his totals continue to get higher and higher. That’s what happens when you’re putting up James Harden numbers out of absolutely nowhere. However, with Grimes having the league’s seventh-highest usage rate (32.3%) over the last 10 games — and mostly playing at least 35 minutes each night — there’s no reason to expect him to slow down. Grimes is also playing a Pelicans team that is tied with the Sixers for the worst defensive rating in basketball over the last 15 games. So, as far as matchups go, it doesn’t get much better. Grimes also played well against New Orleans in three games with Dallas this year, averaging 14.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game on 60.7% shooting from the floor and 50.0% shooting from 3. Now, in a much bigger role, with less offensive contributors around him, that should scale up nicely.
Bet: Grimes Over 35.5 Points + Rebounds + Assists (-114)
Additional Plays
This is where I’ll include any late added plays, teasers/parlays or in-season futures. Come back before tip if you don’t want to miss anything. It’s always possible I’ll add something to my card.
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2024-25 NBA Record: 327-325-3 (+4.88 units)
