Each day, one of our experts will offer up a best bet (or two or three) that mobile sportsbooks are offering. It might be a traditional spread bet, a player prop or one of the various odds boosts that books offer.
Here are our best bets for Sunday, April 16:
TOP PLAY
The play: NBA: Denver Nuggets -7.5 vs. Minnesota Timberwolves
The odds: -110
The book: FanDuel Sportsbook
Time/TV: 10:30 p.m. (TNT)
Our take: Oh, goody, we get to have the “rest vs. hot streak” debate to start the playoffs again. The Denver Nuggets are a mediocre 5-5 in their last 10 games, but they’re more well-rested having locked up their playoff seeding weeks ago. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Timberwolves emphatically beat the Oklahoma City Thunder to stake their claim to the last remaining playoff position.
The Timberwolves have been playing good basketball over the last couple of weeks. Minnesota managed to put the boneheaded scuffle between Kyle Anderson and Rudy Gobert last Sunday behind it, come together and play good basketball when it meant the most.
Denver has been dominant in the Western Conference this year. Despite this reality, the Nuggets don’t have much to show for it against the Timberwolves. These teams split the season series at two a piece with the home team winning each contest. Oddsmakers see the trend continuing this evening with the hosts favored by 7.5 points.
The Nuggets are well-rested and they beat Minnesota by 34 points the last time these two teams met in Ball Arena. Denver gets it done and covers in Game 1.
THE GREEK FREAK WILL GO OFF IN GAME 1
The play: NBA: Giannis Antetokounmpo to record a triple-double vs. Heat
The odds: +750
The book: FanDuel Sportsbook
Time/TV: 5:30 p.m. (TNT)
Our take: The Miami Heat earned the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference by the hair on their chinny chin chin. What is Miami’s reward for making it this far? A 7-game series against a juggernaut in the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Bucks’ superstar, Giannis Antetokounmpo, is enjoying perhaps the best season of his career to date. He’s tallied six triple-doubles this season, one of which came in his only full game against the Heat.
Antetokounmpo was also on pace to record another triple-double against Miami earlier in the season (four points, assists and rebounds) but he exited the game after just six minutes on the court. Antetokounmpo also has two postseason triple-doubles, so he’s proven he can perform at his best under the brightest lights.
Two of the Greek Freak’s triple-doubles this season have come in the last four games he’s played. Therefore, there’s simply too much value from FanDuel Sportsbook here to pass up with Antetokounmpo at +750 to record one in Game 1 against the Heat.
HOW WE’VE FARED
NBA: Golden State Warriors at Sacramento Kings UNDER 238.5 (LOST)
EPL: Manchester City to win, both teams to score (WON)
Saturday’s record: 1-1
Total for the week: 5-6, 1 pending
Total for April: 12-17, 1 pending
Total for 2023: 77-87, 1 pending
NOTE: If a line or odds are minus, it considers the juice one must lay to place the bet. Ex: Team A is -160 on the money line, one would have to bet $160 to win $100 (or $16 to win $10). OR Team B is a 5-point favorite at -110, one would have to bet $110 to win $100 (or $11 to win $10.)
Conversely, on positive lines, if Team C is +140 on the money line, $100 would bring in $140 (or $10 to win $14).
