The Houston Rockets have won 12 of their last 13 games, but they are underdogs in their matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers during Monday’s NBA schedule. Houston is coming off a 148-109 win over Phoenix on Sunday, moving two games ahead of Denver for second place in the Western Conference standings. The Rockets are 5-point underdogs in the latest NBA odds from the SportsLine Consensus, as the Lakers try to build on their 134-127 win over Memphis. Seven of the eight NBA lines on Monday feature single-digit NBA spreads, so the top NBA sportsbooks are expecting close games. The action begins with four games at 7 p.m. ET, with the Lakers vs. Rockets (10 p.m. ET) standing alone in the nightcap.
SportsLine’s proven model has simulated every Monday NBA game and revealed its best NBA picks. Combining these three picks into an NBA parlay would result in a payout of nearly 6-1. The model simulates every game 10,000 times and is on a 153-113 roll on all top-rated NBA picks dating back to last season. Now, here are the best bets for NBA parlays at DraftKings Sportsbook on Monday, according to the model.
NBA best bets for Monday, March 31
Clippers (-2.5, 210.5) to cover vs. Magic (-108 at DraftKings)
Score prediction: Los Angeles 109, Orlando 102
The Clippers are battling with Minnesota and Golden State for sixth place in the Western Conference, which is the final spot that avoids the play-in tournament. They played without Kawhi Leonard (knee management) on Sunday, but he could return on Monday night. Leonard is averaging 24.6 points and 6.9 rebounds per game across his last 15 appearances, while Norman Powell is coming off a 34-point performance as his minutes restriction finally evaporated. The model says Leonard scores nearly 20 points on Monday, helping the Clippers cover the spread in 60% of simulations.
Celtics (-4, 236.5) to cover vs. Grizzlies (-115 at DraftKings)
Score prediction: Boston 116, Memphis 109
Boston is in top form right now, winning eight consecutive games and 13 of its last 14 overall. The Celtics have won seven straight road games and are coming off a 121-111 win over San Antonio on Saturday. They have the best road record in the league (31-7), and Memphis has lost five of its last six games. The Grizzlies fired head coach Taylor Jenkins last week, and they are coming off a loss to the Lakers in their first game since his firing. SportsLine’s model expects these teams to continue trending in opposite directions, with Boston covering in almost 60% of simulations.
Thunder (-15, 239.5) to cover vs. Bulls (-110 at DraftKings)
Score prediction: Oklahoma City 125, Chicago 105
Oklahoma City has a 27-1 record against Eastern Conference opponents this season, so a win on Monday would set an NBA record for wins against an opposing conference. The Thunder are riding a nine-game winning streak and can become the third team in NBA history to win 70 games in a season if they win their final eight games. They have not slowed down since clinching the Western Conference title, winning their last five games by an average of 19 points per game. The model has this being another blowout win for the Thunder, who are covering over 60% of the time.
Want more NBA picks for today?
You’ve seen some of the model’s NBA best bets for Monday. Now, get spread, total and money-line picks for every game here, all from the model that’s simulated every game 10,000 times.
