NBA Expert Picks and Best Bets | March 19

Before March Madness takes over the world on Thursday, the NBA still has a few days left in the spotlight. Fortunately, there are plenty of great matchups scheduled on Tuesday that should capture the attention of fans. That’s why we decided to highlight our three favorite picks for Tuesday. If you have any questions about whether you can legally bet where you live, USA Legal Betting is a great resource that has the answers to your questions.

Magic -13 | -110 at FanDuel

With North Carolina sports betting finally legal, this is one of Charlotte’s first games in which fans in the Tar Heel State can bet on the Hornets. However, even fans of the Hornets may want to get behind Orlando on Tuesday night. In their last 11 games, the Hornets are just 2-9 straight-up and 4-7 against the spread. Against the 76ers on Saturday, the Hornets failed to cover a 10.5-point spread, which doesn’t fill us with confidence, especially for a team that’s 12-22 against the spread as a road underdog.

In fairness, Orlando’s current hot streak is also a good reason to get behind the Magic in this game. They’ve won three in a row and are 8-2 in their last 10 games. Equally importantly, the Magic has covered the spread in all eight of those wins. That includes a 15-point win as an 11-point favorite against the Raptors on Sunday. Things are going great for Orlando at the moment, and it doesn’t seem likely the Hornets will be the team that gets in the way.

Pelicans -6.5 | -110 at BetMGM

Even more than usual, the Nets look like a team that’s going nowhere at the moment. They’ve lost five of their last six games, a stretch that has included losses to the Pistons, Hornets, and Spurs. It doesn’t get much lower than that. Even as a home underdog, folks in Brooklyn using New York sportsbooks may want to think twice before backing the Nets in this game.

Of course, it’s worth noting that the Pelicans have won six of their last seven games, going 5-1-1 against the spread in those games. Not only are they covering spreads, but all six New Orleans wins during that stretch were decided by at least eight points. The Pelicans have their trio of CJ McCollum, Brandon Ingram, and Zion Williamson clicking right now. If those three are playing well, the Nets don’t have the personnel to keep up, which should allow the Pelicans to stay hot and cover this spread with ease.

Mavericks -7.5 | -112 at BetRivers

This might be hard to believe, but the Mavericks are an astounding 14-3 against the spread as road favorites this season. That trend alone is enough to bet on Dallas in this game. It doesn’t hurt that Dallas has won six in a row against the spread, covering all four games in which they’ve been favored. Even if the Mavs could be poised for a letdown after a huge win over the Nuggets on Sunday, facing a rival like the Spurs should be enough for the Mavs to bring their best effort.

It’s not as if San Antonio San Antonio has played particularly well lately. The Spurs have lost five of their last seven games. They are just 12-15 against the spread as home underdogs, so this hasn’t been a strength of theirs this season. Even with Victor Wembanyama playing well, the Spurs shouldn’t keep up with Dallas for four quarters. Plus, this spread isn’t big enough to doubt the red-hot Mavericks.