NBA Predictions, Picks, and Odds: 05/03/24
Calendar icon Updated 05 Apr 09:35

NBA Predictions, Picks, and Odds: 05/03/24

Kaleb Vanderhorst

Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Boston Celtics. Prediction, Odds

The Cleveland Cavaliers play the nigh-unbeatable Boston Celtics at home on Tuesday, and it’ll be an uphill battle for the Cavs, to say the least. Boston has been absolutely steam-rolling teams as of late, playing some of the best defence in the league while consistently outscoring even the most offensively gifted NBA rosters.

Even with Kristaps Porziņģis and Jaylen Brown listed as questionable for Tuesday’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston is the overwhelming favourite.

However, Boston isn’t the only team bitten by the injury bug. The Cavaliers are missing not only Donovan Mitchell but also Max Strus, Caris LeVert, and Isaac Okoro. Losing three solid roleplayers and your franchise star is a recipe for disaster.

Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen are all solid players, but they don’t have it in them to topple a quasi-healthy Boston roster. Jayson Tatum is averaging a solid 26.4 points, 7 rebounds, and 5.4 assists in his last five games, while Jrue Holiday and Derrick White both provide plenty of scoring and defensive intensity from the point guard position. 

The only advantage Cleveland may have is if Porziņģis is truly injured and sitting out, as Boston may not have an answer for him inside. Al Horford is still a solid body on the court, but he’s nowhere near enough to stop Jarrett Allen. The only issue with that is that Allen isn’t a prolific scorer by any stretch of the imagination, averaging just 11 points per game this season.

With all of that being said, we have to agree with the bookmakers on this one and give a heavy advantage to the Boston Celtics. The Cavs definitely have a shot, but it’s just hard for us to see a future where they will be able to stop the Celtic’s 11-game winning streak.

Denver Nuggets vs Phoenix Suns Prediction and Betting Tip

Phoenix continues to struggle with a litany of serious injuries across its roster, leaving the team in a tough spot against the Denver Nuggets at home. Without Devin Booker’s scoring, it’ll all fall on Kevin Durant’s shoulders, and even if he drops a 40 points double-double, it may not mean much at the end of the fourth quarter.

Phoenix simply hasn’t been playing well at the best of times, taking two L’s from the terrible Houston Rockets and narrowly beating a dilapidated Los Angeles Lakers team in the last five games. Their decision to go all in on the offensive side of the ball really isn’t panning out, it seems.

Denver, on the other hand, has been flourishing with a healthy roster and solid scoring all the way down the bench. Nikola Jokić continues to play at an MVP level, dropping dimes and dazzling with his signature Sombor Shuffle while his partner in crime, Jamal Murray, lights it up.

If you overcommit on the big guy, you get burned on a quick dump to a cutting Aaron Gordon, or even simpler, Jokić may just take it to the bucket. Unfortunately for the NBA, when the Denver Nuggets are healthy, there’s really no way to slow down their scoring, let alone stop it.

But the worst part is, even with a solid double, you really can’t even stop Jokić alone – at the bare minimum, you need a defensive-minded seven-footer.

Due to the conditions of both teams and the Nugget’s recent success, we have to lean towards the Denver Nuggets quite heavily in this one. Phoenix simply doesn’t have the team or the health to take down a Nuggets roster with this much momentum.

In the playoffs, this matchup could be interesting, especially with healthy teams, but that’s not what we are seeing on Tuesday.

Dallas Mavericks vs Indiana Pacers Prediction and Betting Tip

The Dallas Mavericks return home to the American Airlines Center to host the Indiana Pacers in what should be one of the best games of the night. Luka Dončić may be currently listed as questionable with a minor ankle sprain, but most expect him to suit up.

Despite the injury, though, Dallas is still the favourite, and for good reason. 

The potent offensive duo of Dončić and Kyrie Irving is honestly terrifying when healthy, and should be able to outscore even the most offensively gifted teams. When healthy, they’re a matchup nightmare for any defence. Dončić averages a near triple-double with 34.5 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 9.7 assists, while Irving adds 27.1 points per game.

Even if you manage to corral him into an unfortunate situation, he can simply dump it to Irving, and the weak side defence will have no options to stop him. Whether it’s an acrobatic double clutch or a simple three-pointer, he can burn you.

However, the Indiana Pacers shouldn’t be overlooked, as they do have a chance at taking the game. Their roster boasts a young and athletic group that thrives in transition, even more so with the addition of Pascal Siakam. 

Tyrese Haliburton leads the way with his playmaking ability, averaging 20.8 points and 11.3 assists, while Pascal Siakam matches him in scoring and pulls down 6.9 boards a night. Myles Turner patrols the paint, providing rim protection and spacing with his outside shooting.

Nonetheless, Indiana’s chances are still not the greatest, as they will have to rely heavily on transition buckets to keep them in the game.

While there’s a good chance the game stays close, at least until the third, we are siding with Dallas on this one. With Maverick’s dynamic duo firing on all cylinders, it’ll take more than two 20-point scorers and a handful of decent roleplayers to take home a dub against them.

Disclaimer: Odds are accurate at the time of posting and subject to change. Please verify the latest odds on our platform before betting. 

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