The NBA regular season is winding down, but there are still betting opportunities out there. Our analysts -- Doug Kezirian (24-14), Joe Fortenbaugh (13-14), Andre Snellings (57-38-1), Tyler Fulghum (24-29) and Anita Marks (20-12) -- are here to give their best bets from Wednesday's six-game slate.
Odds courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook by William Hill unless noted otherwise.
Wednesday's games
Washington Wizards at Atlanta Hawks (-6.5, 239.5)
Snellings: These teams lock horns for the second time this week, fresh off the Hawks eaking out a 125-124 victory in Atlanta on Monday. This game is vital to both squads, as the Hawks continue to battle with the Knicks and Heat for the fourth seed and the Wizards chase the Hornets and Pacers for the eighth seed. As such, expect maximum motivation on both sides. But also, unfortunately, expect the Wizards to be without Bradley Beal, who is out with a hamstring issue.
The Hawks have won four of their last five games and six of their last 10, with a scoring margin of -1.2 points per game. The Wizards have also won six of their last 10, but with a +5.7 point scoring margin. Russell Westbrook has been a dynamo of late, averaging 22.8 points, 15.3 assists and 14.0 rebounds during those 10 games. His relentless energy and explosiveness are particularly powerful against the Trae Young and the Hawks, who don't do well at defending opposing point guards.
According to ESPN BPI, the Hawks have a 56.9% chance to win a close game with a projected scoring margin of 2.4 points, well within the margin of the 6.5 point spread. The projected combined point total is 232 points.
Pick: Wizards +6.5, under 239.5
Fortenbaugh: I must be sick in the head, because I played the under when these two got together and scored 249 points Monday night and, having apparently not learned my lesson, I'm coming back for more. Monday's meeting closed with a total of 237 points just before the Wizards shot a ridiculous 51 percent from the floor (season average of 47.%) and an astounding 50% from deep (season average of 35.%). Do we honestly expect the Association's 24th-ranked 3-point shooting team to hit half their shots from downtown for the second game in a row? If that's the case, you're likely to find me laying on a soft leather couch talking about my relationship with my mother to a trained professional sometime early Thursday morning.
Pick: Under 239.5
Marks: These teams just faced each other a minute ago and put up a total of 249 points. I don't expect that combined offensive firepower changing anytime soon. Westbrook is making history and has only a few regular-season games remaining to continue changing the record books. Without Beal on the court, Westbrook's usage increases more than any Wizards player. Westbrook's triple-double play comes with some very high juice, therefore I will continue to ride the over in points/assists/rebounds (PAR), which has been delivering.
Pick: Wizards +6.5, over 239.5, Westbrook over 54.5 PAR (-115)
Kezirian: We all know Westbrook just set the all-time triple-double record. It's important to recognize he's easily meeting the standards lately. In his last five games, he is averaging 16.4 rebounds and 18.8 assists. That includes posting at least 15 assists in each game during this run. I realize Beal is out for this game, but Westbrook puts such enormous pressure on transition defenses that his teammates get open looks. Beal also missed Monday's meet with Atlanta and Westbrook finished with 21 assists. I think he will surpass 27.5 combined rebounds and assists for a sixth straight game. Other players are hitting the end-of-the-season wall while Westbrook only knows one speed.
Pick: Westbrook over 27.5 rebounds + assists (-110)
Portland Trail Blazers at Utah Jazz (-4.5)
Snellings: This is another game with strong postseason seeding consequences. The Jazz are in a tight race with the Suns for the top seed in the West, while the Trail Blazers are battling with the Mavericks and Lakers to stay out of the play-in.
The Jazz will be without Donovan Mitchell for the remainder of the regular season, but they have won nine of their last 13 games with a scoring margin of +8.2 points since his injury. The Trail Blazers, meanwhile, are quietly scorching down the stretch. They have won eight of their last nine games, with a +15.1 point scoring margin. I expect the Trail Blazers to continue their hot finish, as they seem to do every season. I'll take them with the points, on the road.
Pick: Trail Blazers +4.5
Marks: The Trailblazers are hot right now, winning four straight, averaging 127 points per game. Damian Lillard has been otherworldly, averaging over 30 points and six 3-pointers per game in his last five contests. CJ McCollum is delivering as well, putting up 27 points and seven assists his last game. The Jazz are still missing a number of key players. Lillard and McCollum will be too much to handle defensively for Utah.
Pick: Blazers +4.5, Lillard over 3.5 3-pointers (-130), McCollum over 27.5 points/assists (-105)
New Orleans Pelicans at Dallas Mavericks (-10, 224.5)
Snellings: Two more teams with some playoffs seeding motivation, as the Mavericks try to stay out of the play-in while the Pelicans attempt to work their way in. The Mavericks were surprisingly blown out on Tuesday, losing by 29 to the Grizzlies. The Pelicans are on their last legs, 2.5 games behind the Spurs for the 10th slot, and are without Zion Williamson for the rest of the season. But in the three games since he went down, the Pelicans have played three close games on the road against teams currently in the postseason.
According to ESPN BPI, the Mavericks should be favored to win a close game with a projected scoring margin of 2.7 points. The double-digit spread just seems too large for the way both teams are playing right now.
Pick: Pelicans +10
Marks: Williamson and Brandon Ingram are out, and Steven Adams is doubtful. I'm going to run it back with the Lonzo Ball over in 3-pointers at 2.5 this game. Prior to Monday night, Ball was averaging four 3-pointers a game in his previous five tilts. If the Pelicans have any chance at winning, Ball needs to deliver from downtown.
Pick: Ball over 2.5 3-pointers (-145)
Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers (-11, 222.5)
Fulghum: LeBron James sat out again on Tuesday against the Knicks and is targeting this game against the Rockets for his return. After all, it's probably smart to start with a "G-League tuneup." Anthony Davis is again playing assertively on both ends. LeBron can ease his way back into the rigors of NBA competition. The Rockets have a -10.6 net rating over their last 10 games. Only three teams have been worse in the NBA.
Pick: Lakers -6.5 first half
Kezirian: The main storyline is the expected return of LeBron, but I am more focused on the Rockets. They have been a punchline for most of the season, but we are not asking them to win the game. We just want them to continue their recent play on offense. Houston has scored at least 50 points in the first half in eight of its last 10 games, with most of those performances in the neighborhood of 60 points. The Rockets actually rank in the top half in offensive efficiency during this recent run. Against a more respectable defense, the Lakers might look disjointed on offense trying to incorporate James back into the lineup. He's such a large focal point that role players might need to relearn how to play alongside him. However, Houston is among the league's worst. I expect this first half to have a high pace with several open looks.
Pick: First quarter over 57 (-115), first half over 113 (-110)