NBA Odds, Best Bets and Expert Tips | April 11

I’m tipping three Saturday NBA games for punters on NZ betting sites, all kicking off between 11:00 AM and noon. Charlotte’s form has me interested against a Detroit team managing minutes ahead of the playoffs. Atlanta get a second crack at Cleveland after losing by six on Thursday, and the Spurs are laying a big number against a gutted Dallas side.

Spurs -11.5 | $1.85 @ VipLuck

I like San Antonio here even without knowing whether Victor Wembanyama plays. He’s been day-to-day with a rib contusion since colliding with Paul George last week, and he sat out Thursday’s win over Portland. Stephon Castle missed that game too with knee soreness but is expected back.

The Spurs are 61-19 and have won 10 of their last 11. De’Aaron Fox has been running the offence when Wembanyama isn’t available, and San Antonio still beat Portland by 11 without those two on Thursday. Dallas are 25-55 with Kyrie Irving done for the season after knee surgery.

Hornets +5.5 | $2.05 @ Betandplay

This is the pick I’m most confident about. Charlotte are 43-37 and before losing to Boston on Wednesday, they’d rattled off four straight wins including a 20-point thumping of Phoenix and a road victory in Minnesota.

Detroit are 58-22 and locked into the No. 1 seed. Cade Cunningham just came back from an 11-game absence after a collapsed lung and played 26 minutes against Milwaukee on Thursday - but the Pistons are clearly easing him in before the postseason. I don’t see them going all out on the road with their playoff opener days away.

For online NBA betting, $2.05 on Charlotte covering 5.5 at home is where I’m putting my money.

Hawks +3.5 | $1.95 @ Betista

Atlanta lost the first game of this two-game series 116-122 in Cleveland on Thursday. Jalen Johnson couldn’t get his shot to fall - four of 16 from the field - and he fouled out alongside Dyson Daniels in the fourth quarter.

The rest angle is what interests me. Cleveland’s coach Kenny Atkinson said he’d alternate days off for his core four across this back-to-back. Donovan Mitchell scored 31 on Thursday and could sit or see reduced minutes on Saturday. Atlanta are 45-35 and only a game clear of Toronto for a top-six finish - they need this one more than Cleveland do. 

I’m expecting a better performance from Johnson at home, and I’ve got this one circled on the best betting apps I use.