NBA Best Bets: Basketball Picks, Predictions to Consider on DraftKings Sportsbook for May 2

Sunday features a larger NBA slate than usual. There are seven games to choose from starting at 7:30 p.m. ET or later. Let’s dive into some of my favorite wagers on DraftKings Sportsbook for Sunday’s NBA slate.

Place your NBA bets at DraftKings Sportsbook and bet online by downloading the DraftKings Sportsbook app.

Oklahoma City Thunder @ Phoenix Suns (-15.5):

Suns -15.5

This is an astronomical line for an NBA game, but it does make some sense. The Thunder are in full-on tank mode, and they’re coming off a 57-point drubbing at the hands of the Pacers yesterday. That wasn’t exactly an isolated incident either: They’ve been outscored by an average of 18.6 points per 100 possessions over their past 21 games.

My initial thought on this game was that this would an interesting buy-low spot for the Thunder. No one wants to bet on a team that just lost by 50 points, so it would make sense for those teams to fare well against the spread in their next contest. However, that’s not the case. Teams coming off a loss of at least 50 points are just 4-7-1 against the spread in their next game dating back to 2007.

It’s also in the Thunder’s best interest to continue losing. They’ve already shut down Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Al Horford for the rest of the year, and they also traded away George Hill before the deadline. They simply don’t have much NBA talent left on the roster, so the Suns should be able to take care of business.

Portland Trail Blazers (-1.5) @ Boston Celtics:

Trail Blazers -1.5

This game has seen some line movement on Sunday. The Blazers opened up as small underdogs, but they’ve moved to 1.5-point road favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook.

The big reason for the line movement is the Celtics’ injury report. They’ve ruled out Kemba Walker for this contest, and Jaylen Brown is currently listed as questionable. That means the team could be without two of their top offensive options.

They’ll still have Jayson Tatum, who tied a Celtics franchise record with 60 points in his last outing, but don’t forget that this team fell behind by more than 30 points in that contest. They’ll have their hands full vs. the Blazers, who are one of the best offensive teams in the league. I’m not sure if they can keep up if Walker and Brown are both out.

Miami Heat (-5) @ Charlotte Hornets:

Miles Bridges Under 16.5 points (-107)

Let’s finish things up with a player prop. Bridges has been a huge part of the Hornets’ offense recently, but they’ve dealt with a bunch of injuries. They got a bit healthier yesterday with LaMelo Ball and Malik Monk rejoining the rotation, and Devonte’ Graham could be back on Sunday as he’s listed as questionable after being a late scratch on Saturday. Bridges should still see plenty of minutes with Gordon Hayward out of the lineup, but his usage rate should take a hit. He’s also a candidate for some shooting regression after making 68.8% of his shot attempts in his last contest, so this feels like a nice opportunity to sell high.

Place your NBA bets at DraftKings Sportsbook and bet online by downloading the DraftKings Sportsbook app.

Put your knowledge to the test. Sign up for DraftKings and experience the game inside the game.

For sports betting, head over to DraftKings Sportsbook or download the DraftKings Sportsbook app.

I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is mlamarca) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL).

Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER(NJ/WV/PA/MI), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (NH/CO), 1-800-BETS OFF(IA), 1-888-532-3500 (VA) or call/text TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN).

21+ (18+ NH). CO/IL/IN/IA/NH/NJ/PA/TN/VA/WV/MI only. Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for full terms and conditions.