NBA Best Bets Today: Odds, predictions and picks for Sunday, March 5th

March 5, 2023

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Best Bets on Today’s 10-Game NBA Schedule

If Saturday’s six-game NBA slate wasn’t enough for you, we think you’ll be happy to learn that there are 10 games on the schedule for Sunday, March 5th. And if you’re looking for some picks on those games, VSiN has you covered with three NBA best bets. We did, however, avoid the national television matchups, as the value on this card lies elsewhere. Keep reading to find out how you can potentially turn a profit today.

MORE: Check out our Pro Picks page for everything our experts have on March 5

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Here are our favorite NBA bets for Sunday, March 5th (odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook):

Indiana Pacers at Chicago Bulls (-5.5, 225.5)

The Pacers looked like one of the most underrated offensive teams in the league earlier in the season, but they have taken multiple steps back since then. Indiana is now just 23rd in the league in offensive rating, and Chicago is right behind at 24th . Meanwhile, the Bulls happen to be tied for fifth in the NBA in defensive rating, making it hard to believe this game will be high scoring.

Not only is this a game in which two bad offenses will be clashing — with one having to face a very good defense — but the pace is also working in favor of Under bettors. Over the last 10 games, both of these teams are in the bottom third of the NBA when it comes to pace, with only four teams playing slower than Chicago in that span.

This simply should be a low-scoring game — and one you’ll probably want to bet and forget — and that’s why it’s an easy decision to back the Under. It doesn’t hurt that the Under is 18-9 in the games Indiana has played against teams with losing records this season.

Bet: Under 225.5

Utah Jazz at Oklahoma City Thunder (-6, 234.5)

This season, the Over is 18-5 when Oklahoma City is coming off back-to-back Overs, with the average total points scored in those games being 237.0 points per game. The Over is also 8-1 when Utah is playing against a team it lost to by 10 or more points in a previous meeting this season, with the average total points in those games being all the way up at 243.5 points per game. Those are two trends that have us liking the Over, but those aren’t the only reasons.

These teams are both in the Top 12 of the NBA when it comes to offensive rating, and the Thunder are third in the league when it comes to pace of play. That means this should be an up-and-down affair, much like the last couple of games Oklahoma City has played. The Over is 4-0-1 in the last five Thunder games, with four of those five contests seeing at least 235 points scored. That’s the number we’d need to hit this play tonight.

These two teams also played one another on Friday, when they went Over a total of 231.5. Look for this one to be even more free flowing, with this game having the potential to be played in the 120’s for both teams.

Bet: Over 234.5

San Antonio Spurs at Houston Rockets (-2.5, 230)

We had the Rockets to beat the Spurs in San Antonio last night, and now we’re rolling with the Spurs to cover against the Rockets in Houston. Confusing, right?

The thing about this matchup is that motivation was a big factor in us playing Houston on Saturday. The Rockets had been on an 11-game losing streak and got to face a Spurs team that isn’t playing for much of anything — and has a front office that would rather some losses so it can improve its chances of landing Victor Wembanyama. However, now that Houston got its win, the motivation is on the other side.

We said it yesterday and will reiterate it again here, but the players on the court don’t care about lottery picks. These are prideful players and San Antonio isn’t going to want to lose to the same team two nights in a row — especially considering it’s a very bad team. Also, Gregg Popovich can coach circles around Rockets head coach Stephen Silas, which means San Antonio should be able to make some sound adjustments and be ready to potentially win this game outright.

We should also mention that Houston hasn’t won back-to-back games since February 1st, so this isn’t exactly a comfortable situation for this young Rockets team.

Bet: Spurs +2.5

Did you know that you can parlay these three picks together at +612 odds? Try out our VSiN Parlay Calculator HERE!