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NBA Daily Tip Sheet Picks and Predictions – Thursday’s Triple Threat

Michael Crosson
Michael Crosson Sports Betting Expert
5 minute read

There's several ways to bet on the NBA, and some of the most popular ones include taking a side, a full-game total, or a player prop. So, this is what we like to call our Daily Triple Threat. Our three best bets in the aforementioned categories for NBA matchups on Thursday, March 2nd. Best of luck!

NBA Best Bets for Thursday, March 2

  • Sixers-Mavericks Under 229 (-110)
  • Indiana Pacers -5 (-110) @ SAS
  • Draymond Green (GSW) Over 7.5 Rebounds (-150)
Updated on 04/25/2024
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Sixers-Mavericks Under 229 (-110)

The Mavericks slid all of their chips to the center of the table by bringing in Kyrie Irving in exchange for a generous haul of valuable assets at the trade deadline, and so far, things haven’t exactly turned out as planned, considering the Mavs have posted a lackluster record of 1-5 in their last six games, with their only win during that stretch coming at home against an awful Spurs’ squad.

Dallas ranks 6th in offensive rating and 23rd in defensive rating on the season (116.8 ORtg, 115.9 DRtg). So, in theory, it makes sense for the Mavs to gamble their fate on a move that could potentially allow them to double-down on their strong suit, because hey, sometimes the best defense truly is great offense.

At the moment, it’s far too early to jump to any conclusions, but at this rate, the current iteration of this Dallas’ squad might be in trouble. To be fair, the Mavs’ roster was already a mess prior to trading for Kyrie, however, as long as they had Luka Doncic on the floor to carry the offensive load, and a handful of solid defensive pieces in the rotation, Dallas usually managed to skate by, despite ranking 18th in scoring (113 PPG). So, in reality, it looks like the Mavs might just be losing a big game of Jenga.

Sooner or later, the Mavs will find that their offense isn’t quite good enough to warrant such a lazy level of defensive play, and for the sake of this squad (and my wallet), let’s hope that they figure it out as soon as tonight. Even if they don’t, though, this one still probably stays ‘under’ the number against a Sixers’ squad that’s combined with their opponents for just 214.3 PPG in their four contests since the All-Star break.

Take the Under!
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The Mavericks are 1-5 in their last six games. (Getty)

Indiana Pacers -5 (-110) @ SAS

The Pacers are a complicated bunch. In the weeks leading up to the All-Star Break, Indiana quickly fell apart at the seams due to some key injuries, highlighted by their miserable record of 5-17 since mid-January. Indiana’s recent slump certainly doesn’t reflect the growth of this team over the last few years, though, and neither do their overall numbers for the season, currently ranked Bottom 10 in the league in both offensive and defensive rating (113.8 ORtg, 116.1 DRtg). 

The Pacers carried a solid record of 23-18 all the way to the month of January prior to their collapse, and quite frankly, they still stand well within striking distance of a playoff spot in the aftermath of their 2-16 skid. So, there’s no reason to think Indy’s already dead in the water heading down the homestretch, especially after posting wins in three of their last four games, with their only loss during that span coming in overtime against a powerhouse Boston’ squad.

While on the other hand, San Antonio very well might be the worst team in the NBA. The Spurs currently rank dead-last in the league in net rating by a distant margin at -10.2, with the only squads hovering remotely close to that number being the Rockets (-9.1 NetRtg), Pistons (-7.3 NetRtg), and Hornets (-5.7 Net Rtg).

Last time out, the Spurs managed to escape with a 102-94 road win over Utah in a matchup that both teams shot less than 43% from the floor in, more than two whole percentage points south of the worst mark in the entire league. However, that victory was a long time coming after dropping 16 straight prior to their latest affair, and there's a good chance that the Spurs get back to their losing ways in Thursday’s matchup against an Indiana’ squad that ranks 3rd in the league in offensive rating since returning from the All-Star Break (125.6 ORtg).

Take Indiana!
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Draymond Green (GSW) Over 7.5 Rebounds

Draymond Green has been surprisingly quiet in the rebounding department for the Warriors as of late, considering he’s secured seven boards or less in four of his last six outings, which has been a bit jarring for a guy known for cranking out 8-10 rebounds per game with relative ease on a routine basis 

Prior to his recent string of lackluster efforts, though, Green had recorded 8+ rebounds in 15 of his last 19 outings, with 11 of those performances ringing in at double-digits, and now, he enters this one having secured 9+ rebounds in back-to-back contests. So, I’ll back that trend to continue for Green in Thursday’s matchup against a Clippers’ squad that ranks 2nd in scoring and 7th in field goal attempts per game since the addition of Russell Westbrook.

Bet On Draymond!
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Michael's Triple Threat Tracker: 56-35-2 (+1,511)

  • Sixers-Mavericks Under 229.5 (-110)
  • Indiana Pacers -4 (-110) @ SAS
  • Draymond Green (GSW) Over 7.5 Rebounds (-150)

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Michael Crosson

Michael Crosson

Michael Crosson began his time at VegasInsider as a freelance NBA writer back in 2019 while he continued to study Psychology and Biology at James Madison University. Following his graduation in 2021, Michael joined the team full-time, and he's been with VI ever since. Michael still writes NBA, NFL, and MLB for VI, as well as gambling industry news. He's also become a crucial part of our editorial production team. More from Michael Crosson
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