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After losing the first two games of the series in Cleveland, the Orlando Magic will look to tie up their Eastern Conference first-round matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers when they meet in Game 4 of their best-of-seven series on Saturday. The 4-seed Cavaliers (48-34) are 22-20 on the road this season, including in the 2024 NBA playoffs. The Magic (47-35), the No. 5 seed, have dominated on their home floor, posting a 30-12 mark this year, including postseason. Orlando defeated Cleveland 121-83 on Thursday in Game 3.

The game from Kia Center in Orlando, Fla., will tip off at 1 p.m. ET. Cleveland averaged 112.6 points per game during the regular season, 20th-best, while Orlando averaged 110.5, 24th-best. Orlando is a 2.5-point favorite in the latest Cavaliers vs. Magic odds from SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 202. Before making any Magic vs. Cavaliers picks, you’ll want to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from the proven computer model at SportsLine.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters the second week of the 2024 NBA playoffs on a sizzling 90-58 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning more than $2,800. Anyone following the model has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on Cavs vs. Magic and just locked in its picks and Game 4 predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are several NBA betting lines and trends for Magic vs. Cavs:

Cavaliers vs. Magic spread: Orlando -2.5
Cavaliers vs. Magic over/under: 202 points
Cavaliers vs. Magic money line: Cleveland +113, Orlando -134
CLE: Has hit the 4Q game total under in 47 of its last 76 games (+15.90 units)
ORL: Has won 30 of its last 42 games at home (+17.35 units on ML)
Cavaliers vs. Magic picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the Magic can cover
Shooting guard Jalen Suggs found his rhythm in Game 3, scoring a career playoff-high 24 points, while adding four rebounds, three assists and two steals. He had nine points, six rebounds and five assists in Game 2, after opening the series with 13 points, four rebounds and four assists. Suggs has come on of late as over the past 10 games, he is averaging 14.2 points, 3.5 assists and 2.4 rebounds. During that stretch, he connected on 53.8% of his field goals, including 41.9% from 3-point range.

Second-year player Paolo Banchero continues his steady improvement. After averaging 20 points in 70 starts in 2022-23, he has upped his game further and finished this past regular season with a 22.6-point average in 80 starts. In the postseason, he has been dominant, averaging 25.3 points, eight rebounds and 4.3 assists. In the three playoff games, he has led or tied the team in scoring three times. See which team to pick here.

Why the Cavaliers can cover
Shooting guard Donovan Mitchell will look to get back in the groove, after scoring 30 points in the opener and just missing a double-double with 23 points and eight rebounds in Game 2. During the regular season, Mitchell dominated the Magic, averaging 27.3 points, 7.3 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 2.7 steals in 34.7 minutes. He was held to 13 points in Game 3, but still managed seven assists and five rebounds. In 55 regular season games, all starts, Mitchell averaged a team-high 26.6 points, 6.1 assists, 5.1 rebounds and 1.8 steals in 35.3 minutes.

Also helping power Cleveland is center Jarrett Allen. In three postseason starts, he is averaging 15.7 points, 15.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.3 blocks in 32.7 minutes. Allen is coming off respectable numbers in Game 3, with 15 points and eight boards. But he was a big reason for the Cavaliers’ 96-86 Game 2 victory. Not only did he score 16 points, but he dominated the boards, registering 20 rebounds. He had 16 points and 18 rebounds in Game 1. See which team to pick here.

How to make Magic vs. Cavaliers picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning Over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 205 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in well over 60% of simulations. You can see the picks only at SportsLine.

So who wins Cavaliers vs. Magic, and which side of the spread hits well over 60% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Magic vs. Cavaliers spread you need to jump on, all from the model on a 90-58 roll on top-rated NBA picks this season, and find out.

In the most stunning result of the playoffs so far, the Miami Heat went into Boston and made a franchise-record 23 3-pointers to steal Game 2 from the Celtics and even their first-round series at 1-1. Now, the action will shift to Miami for a pivotal Game 3 on Saturday night.

The Celtics remain heavy favorites in this series, but the Heat showed in Game 2 that it may not be as easy for the No. 1 seed as everyone expected. Can the Celtics regain control and homecourt advantage? Or will Erik Spoelstra and Co. have another trick up their sleeve?

Ahead of Game 3, here’s everything you need to know:

Celtics vs. Heat Game 3
Date: Saturday, April 27 | Time: 6 p.m. ET
Location: Kaseya Center — Miami, Florida
TV channel: TNT | Live stream: TNT app
Odds: Celtics -9.5 | O/U 204.5
Storylines
Celtics: The Celtics had the second-best defense in the league this season, but they didn’t show it in Game 2. The Heat were able to have such an incredible night from behind the arc in large part because the Celtics’ perimeter pressure and closeouts simply weren’t good enough. A team with the likes of Jrue Holiday, Derrick White and Jayson Tatum can, and should, be much better than they were the other night.

Heat: Jimmy Butler (knee) and Terry Rozier (neck) remain out for the Heat, which means they’ll once again need to lean on their defense and 3-point shooting to pull off another upset. The latter seems much more replicable, given that they were a top-five defensive unit this season. It will not be an easy task, however, as the Celtics had a historically great offense this season and will have extra motivation after their loss.

Prediction
The Heat had one of the best 3-point shooting games in playoff history in Game 2 and the Celtics were still right there within five points in the closing minutes. Barring another historic shooting night, it’s just hard to see how the Heat keep up without Butler and Rozier. Pick: Celtics -9.5

The Denver Nuggets have taken a 3-0 lead in their first-round series with the Los Angeles Lakers, and are one win away from sweeping them for a second consecutive season. They’ll try to complete that task on Saturday night in Game 4, while the Lakers will hope to keep their season alive.

In all of the first three contests, the Lakers have jumped out to an early lead, only for the Nuggets to surge back into the game in the second half and eventually come away with the win. Will Game 4 follow a similar pattern? If it does, that would be a particularly frustrating way for the Lakers to bow out in the first round again.

Ahead of Game 4, here’s everything you need to know:

Nuggets vs. Lakers Game 4
Date: Saturday, April 27 | Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
Location: Crypto.com Arena — Los Angeles, California
TV channel: ABC | Live stream: fubo (try for free)
Odds: Nuggets -3.5 | O/U 218.5
Storylines
Nuggets: The Nuggets’ splits between the first and second half in this series are staggering. They have a minus-15.1 net rating in the first half, which is the second-worst of all playoff teams, and a plus-8.2 net rating in the second half, which is third among all playoff teams. They’re going to win this series, but they won’t be able to get away with that kind of hot and cold play against better competition. It would be nice to see them put together a full game.

Lakers: No team in NBA history has come back from a 3-0 deficit, and the Lakers are not going to be the first. D’Angelo Russell was disengaged on the bench during Game 3 and LeBron James was talking about how “it’s just basketball” at the end of the day. They seem to know that this series is over. If they couldn’t win any of the first three games, what do they have to do to beat the Nuggets?

Prediction
The Nuggets have an opportunity to finish this series early and earn some extra rest ahead of what could be a grueling second-round series versus the Timberwolves. They won’t pass up that chance. Pick: Nuggets -3.5

The New Orleans Pelicans (33-22) will aim for their fourth straight victory when they host the Houston Rockets (24-30) on Thursday night. New Orleans won seven of its final eight games before the All-Star break, including a 133-126 win against Washington last Wednesday. Houston has lost five of its last six games, falling to Memphis on the road its last time out. The Pelicans picked up a 110-99 win against the Rockets when these teams met at the end of January.

Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. ET on Thursday at the Smoothie King Center. The Pelicans are favored by 7 points in the latest Pelicans vs. Rockets odds, while the over/under is 229 points via SportsLine consensus. Before entering any Rockets vs. Pelicans picks, you’ll want to see the NBA predictions from the model at SportsLine.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters Week 18 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a sizzling 60-36 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning nearly $2,300. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.

The model has set its sights on Houston-New Orleans. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA betting lines for the game:

Pelicans vs. Rockets spread: Pelicans -7
Pelicans vs. Rockets over/under: 229 points
Pelicans vs. Rockets money line: Pelicans: -281, Rockets: +230
Pelicans vs. Rockets picks: See picks here
Why the Pelicans can cover
New Orleans is in excellent form right now, having won seven of its last eight games to move into sixth place in the Western Conference. The Pelicans picked up road wins against the Clippers, Trail Blazers and Grizzlies during that stretch before beating Washington at home last Wednesday. Zion Williamson scored a team-high 36 points on 15 of 21 shooting, while CJ McCollum had 26 points.

They started their current hot streak with a 110-99 win at Houston on Jan. 31, which also started Houston’s current rough patch. Jonas Valanciunas had 25 points and 14 rebounds in that game, while Brandon Ingram also posted a double-double with 24 points and 10 rebounds. New Orleans has covered the spread in five of its last six home games against Houston.

Why the Rockets can cover
Houston lost to New Orleans in the most recent meeting, but it won two matchups against the Pelicans earlier this season. The Rockets were 3-point home favorites in their 104-101 win in November and were 7.5-point road underdogs in their 106-104 win in December. They are only 3.5 games back of the final play-in tournament spot, so motivation should not be an issue in this game.

The All-Star break was well timed for Houston, as it gave third-leading scorer Fred VanVleet time to recover from an adductor strain. He is averaging 16.5 points per game, and he is going to be back on the court after missing five games. Cam Whitmore, who is also in double figures with 11.9 points per game, is going to return from a three-game injury absence of his own. See which team to pick here.

How to make Pelicans vs. Rockets picks
The model has simulated Rockets vs. Pelicans 10,000 times and the results are in. We can tell you that the model is leaning Under, and it’s also generated a point-spread pick that is hitting in well over 60% of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.

The Oklahoma City Thunder will host the Los Angeles Clippers in a Western Conference clash on Thursday’s NBA schedule. Oklahoma City is 37-17 overall and 21-6 at home, while Los Angeles is 36-17 overall and 16-11 on the road. The teams have split their two matchups this season, with the home team winning each time. OKC is 33-20-1 against the spread in the 2023-24 NBA season, while Los Angeles is 29-24 versus the line. Tip-off is at 8 p.m. ET at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Okla. The Thunder are favored by 1 point in the latest Clippers vs. Thunder odds, per SportsLine consensus, and the over/under is 235.5 points. Before entering any Thunder vs. Clippers picks, you’ll want to see the NBA predictions from the model at SportsLine. The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters Week 18 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a sizzling 60-36 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning nearly $2,300. Anyone following it has seen huge returns. The model has set its sights on Los Angeles vs. Oklahoma City. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Clippers vs. Thunder: Thunder vs. Clippers spread: Thunder -1 Thunder vs. Clippers over/under: 235.5 points Thunder vs. Clippers money line: Thunder: -115, Clippers: -105 Thunder vs. Clippers picks: See picks at SportsLine What you need to know about the Thunder The Orlando Magic typically have all the answers at home, but last Tuesday the Thunder proved too difficult a challenge. They beat the Magic by the very same score they won with last week: 127-113. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Thunder. OKC’s success was spearheaded by the efforts of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored 32 points to go along with five assists and two steals, while Jalen Williams dropped 33 points. OKC is arguably the best-shooting team in the NBA, leading the league in free throw percentage while ranking second in both field goal percentage and 3-point percentage. It also brings it defensively, leading the league with 6.7 blocks per game and ranking third with 8.1 steals per night. The Thunder have the second-best cover percentage in the NBA, but they are just 3-6 ATS over their last nine games. See which team to pick here. What you need to know about the Clippers Meanwhile, Los Angeles didn’t have too much breathing room in its matchup against the Golden State Warriors last Wednesday, but it still walked away with a 130-125 win. The Clippers were down 59-44 with 1:21 left in the second quarter but they still came back for the handy five-point victory. Among those leading the charge was James Harden, who scored 26 points to go along with eight rebounds and seven assists, while Norman Powell had 21 points off the bench. Kawhi Leonard did not play in that game, but L.A. has no injuries to report for Thursday’s contest. In his 12th NBA season, Leonard is shooting career-bests from the field (52.7%), from the 3-point line (45.3%) and from the free throw line (89.1%). Los Angeles owns a 27-8 straight-up record this season when it has Leonard, Harden and Paul George in the starting lineup, and when Russell Westbrook is not in the starting lineup. See which team to pick here. Key Betting Info Gilgeous-Alexander will likely loom large in the final result, win or lose. For the season, he has averaged 31.1 points, 2.2 steals, and 6.5 assists. Some of the betting trends to consider are: The Clippers are 2-5 against the spread in their last 7 games when the spread was between +1 to +3.5. The Thunder are 15-7 against the spread in their last 22 games when favored at home. The Clippers are 3-6 against the spread in their last 9 games as the road underdog. How to make Thunder vs. Clippers picks The model has simulated Clippers vs. Thunder 10,000 times and the results are in. We can tell you that the model is leaning Over, and it’s also generated a point-spread pick that hits well over 50% of the time. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.

Golden State Warriors guard Chris Paul will be back soon. The 38-year-old future Hall of Famer, who broke his hand during a game against the Detroit Pistons on Jan. 5 and had surgery three days later, fully participated in Wednesday’s practice, according to coach Steve Kerr. Paul will miss Golden State’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday, but won’t be out for much longer.

“He’s doing great,” Kerr told reporters. “Just played 5-on-5, took part in our whole practice. He’s getting close. He won’t play tomorrow, but he’s feeling really good. He played a lot over the All-Star break, he told me, so the next step is for the training staff to get a feel for where he is conditioning-wise and just make sure everything is set for him to be out there.”

Heading into Friday’s game against the Lakers, the Warriors are 27-26 and 10th in the Western Conference. They’ve won eight of their past 10 games, and during that span, they’ve scored 120.9 points per 100 possessions (which is one percentage point better than the Boston Celtics’ league-best mark this season) and allowed 111.2 per 100 (which is point better than the Oklahoma City Thunder’s fourth-ranked defense).

All of this is to say that Paul will return to a team that has changed in many meaningful ways during his absence. When he fractured his second metacarpal, Draymond Green was suspended, Andrew Wiggins was coming off the bench, Kevon Looney was (sometimes) starting, Gary Payton II was injured, and both Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody were frustrated with their respective roles. Now Golden State appears to have found something with a new starting lineup of Stephen Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Wiggins, Kuminga, and Green, which has outscored opponents by 27.1 points per 100 possessions in 106 minutes since Green’s return. Just before the break, Klay Thompson came off the bench for the first time since he was a rookie and played his best game of the season.

At practice on Thursday, Kerr showed the Warriors the standings. The point was to “make sure they know what’s at stake,” Kerr said.

“We’re in 10th, we’ve been on a good run, but we’ve gotta carry that forward,” Kerr said. “And there’s no reason why we can’t keep winning and do what we did a year ago, which was climb up the standings and put ourselves in a favorable position for the playoffs.”

Last season, Golden State was 29-30 and 10th in the West after losing its first game coming out of the All-Star break. Then it won 15 of its final 23 games and finished sixth, avoiding the play-in by the skin of its teeth.

When Paul returns, his presence could complicate how the Warriors close games, but he should also stabilize a second unit that now features two former All-Stars. He and Podziemski have worked well together, and having too many players who clearly deserve significant minutes is surely a welcome problem for Kerr, who has dealt with the opposite issue for most of the season.

After the Lakers game, Golden State will host the Charlotte Hornets on Friday and the Denver Nuggets on Sunday.

The San Antonio Spurs will visit the Boston Celtics in a cross-conference matchup on Wednesday’s NBA schedule. Boston is 31-9 overall and 19-0 at home, while San Antonio is 7-32 overall and 4-16 on the road. The Celtics have won three straight versus the Spurs, including a 33-point victory on New Year’s Eve. Boston is 19-19-2 against the spread in the 2023-24 NBA season, while the Spurs are 17-21-1 versus the line.

Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m. ET at TD Garden in Boston. The Celtics are favored by 16 points in the latest Spurs vs. Celtics odds, per SportsLine consensus, and the over/under is 237.5 points. Before entering any Celtics vs. Spurs picks, you’ll want to see the NBA predictions from the model at SportsLine.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters Week 13 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a sizzling 42-23 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning nearly $2,000. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.

The model has set its sights on San Antonio vs. Boston. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Spurs vs. Celtics:

Celtics vs. Spurs spread: Celtics -16
Celtics vs. Spurs over/under: 237.5 points
Celtics vs. Spurs money line: Celtics: -1482, Spurs: +867
Celtics vs. Spurs picks: See picks at SportsLine
What you need to know about the Spurs
We saw a pretty high 246-over/under line for the Spurs’ previous matchup, but the actual score was more down to earth. They fell 109-99 to the Atlanta Hawks on Monday. Victor Wembanyama put forth a good effort for the losing side as he dropped a double-double on 26 points and 13 rebounds. Less helpful for the Spurs was Devin Vassell’s abysmal 0-for-5 three-point shooting.

Outside shooting has been an issue for San Antonio all year as it ranks 27th in 3-point percentage despite attempting the ninth most shots per game. The Spurs’ strength is their ball movement as they rank fourth in assists despite ranking 23rd in scoring. Each of the team’s top six scorers also average at least 3.0 assists per game as Gregg Popovich is getting this young Spurs squad to see the importance of getting everyone involved in an offensive attack. Center Zach Collins (ankle) is out for Wednesday. See which team to pick here.

What you need to know about the Celtics
Meanwhile, winning is just a little bit easier when you drain 12 more threes than your opponent, a fact the Celtics proved on Monday. They walked away with a 105-96 victory over the Toronto Raptors. Jayson Tatum and Jrue Holiday were among the main playmakers for the Celtics as the former dropped a double-double on 19 points and 14 rebounds, while the latter scored 22 points with seven assists and six rebounds.

Holiday (elbow), Kristaps Porzingis (knee) and Derrick White (ankle) are all questionable for Wednesday, so Boston may have to dip more into its bench. However, the duo of Tatum and Jaylen Brown are both healthy, and they are combining to average over 50 points per game. Boston leads the NBA in made 3-pointers, total rebounds, defensive rebounds and blocked shots. See which team to pick here.

Key Betting Info
The Celtics will be relying on another big game from Tatum to pull off a win. For the season, Tatum has averaged 27.1 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists.

Some of the betting trends to consider are:

The Spurs are 14-21-1 against the spread in their last 36 games when not the favorite.
The Spurs are 8-11 against the spread in their last 19 games as the road underdog.
The Celtics are 11-8 against the spread in their last 19 games when at home.
How to make Celtics vs. Spurs picks
The model has simulated Celtics vs. Spurs 10,000 times and the results are in. We can tell you that the model is leaning Under, and it’s also generated a point-spread pick that hits in nearly 70% of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.

The New York Knicks will host the Houston Rockets in a cross-conference matchup on Wednesday’s NBA schedule. New York is 23-17 overall and 11-5 at home, while Houston is 19-20 overall and 4-14 on the road. The Knicks have won seven straight games versus the Rockets. Houston is 20-17-2 against the spread in the 2023-24 NBA season, while New York is 22-17-1 versus the line.

Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m. ET from Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, N.Y. The Knicks are favored by 5 points in the latest Rockets vs. Knicks odds, per SportsLine consensus, and the over/under is 220.5 points. Before entering any Knicks vs. Rockets picks, you’ll want to see the NBA predictions from the model at SportsLine.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters Week 13 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a sizzling 42-23 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning nearly $2,000. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.

The model has set its sights on New York vs. Houston. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Rockets vs. Knicks:

Knicks vs. Rockets spread: Knicks -5
Knicks vs. Rockets over/under: 220.5 points
Knicks vs. Rockets money line: Knicks: -202, Rockets: +168
Knicks vs. Rockets picks: See picks at SportsLine
What you need to know about the Knicks
Neither the point spread nor the final result favored the Knicks on Monday as they took a 98-94 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Orlando Magic. The defeat unfortunately continues a disappointing trend for the Knicks in their matchups with the Magic: they’ve now lost three in a row. Miles McBride led the Knicks in the defeat with 20 points.

Jalen Brunson (calf) did not play in that loss, and he’s listed as questionable for Wednesday, as is Josh Hart (knee). If one or both are out, then New York will have to rely more on new acquisition OG Anunoby. The former Raptor is averaging 14.5 points since the trade on 50.6% shooting. The Knicks are both 6-2 SU and ATS in their eight games with Anunoby in the lineup. See which team to pick here.

What you need to know about the Rockets
Meanwhile, it’s hard to win when your 3-point shooting is a whole 18.8% worse than the opposition, a fact the Rockets found out the hard way on Monday. They fell 124-115 to the Philadelphia 76ers. Even though they lost, the Rockets were smashing the offensive glass and finished the game with 16 offensive rebounds. That’s the most offensive rebounds they’ve managed all season.

Houston is one of the league’s best rebounding teams, ranking sixth in rebounds per game, but it struggles in other defensive areas. The Rockets are 20th in steals per game and 26th in blocks per game. Even with those shortcomings, Houston is holding opponents to 45.6% shooting, which is the fourth-lowest mark in the NBA. Tari Eason (leg) is out for Wednesday. See which team to pick here.

How to make Knicks vs. Rockets picks
The model has simulated Knicks vs. Rockets 10,000 times and the results are in. We can tell you that the model is leaning Over, and it’s also generated a point-spread pick that hits almost 70% of the time. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.

The Phoenix Suns had their 2024 puppy races on Tuesday night, and one of the contestants added a little color to the court. One puppy was either a little too excited, nervous, hydrated or some combination of all three and had to relieve himself on the playing surface.

As the dog was being baited to run across the court with toys, he just fired away and started peeing right on the hardwood. When nature calls, you have to answer.

brief delay here in phoenix. pic.twitter.com/mdgYlvsvLv

— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) January 17, 2024
On an unrelated note, the Suns went on to win a thriller over the Sacramento Kings after the incident. Kevin Durant hit a pair of free throws with one second remaining to secure the victory.

The next time the Suns do have their puppy races, they may want to consider putting down some fake grass or a plastic sheet in order to avoid potential slick spots during play.

The Brooklyn Nets will face off against the Portland Trail Blazers in an interconference matchup on Wednesday. Portland is 10-29 overall and 5-12 at home, while Brooklyn is 16-23 overall and 6-13 on the road. The Trail Blazers defeated the Nets, 134-127, in overtime in Brooklyn on January 7 in their first meeting this season.

Tip-off is set for 10 p.m. ET at the Rose Quarter in Portland, Ore. Brooklyn is a 6.5-point favorite in the latest Nets vs. Trail Blazers odds, according to the SportsLine consensus, and the over/under is 222 points. Before entering any Trail Blazers vs. Nets picks, you need to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s advanced computer simulation model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters Week 13 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a sizzling 42-23 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning nearly $2,000. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.

The model has set its sights on Brooklyn vs. Portland. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Nets vs. Blazers:

Trail Blazers vs. Nets spread: Nets -6.5
Trail Blazers vs. Nets over/under: 222 points
Trail Blazers vs. Nets money line: Trail Blazers: +205, Nets: -253
BRK: The Nets are 9-5 ATS as a favorite this season
POR: The Trail Blazers are 7-2 ATS with 2-3 days of rest as they enter Wednesday off two days of rest
Trail Blazers vs. Nets picks: See picks at SportsLine
What to know about the Nets
The Nets are coming off a loss, but they gave the defending Eastern Conference champions all they could handle in a 96-95 overtime defeat to the Miami Heat on Monday. Brooklyn led 45-31 at halftime before a poor second half allowed the Heat to come back and force overtime. Forward Mikal Bridges had 26 points for his third straight game with at least 26 points and he’s averaging 21.4 points per game this season.

The Nets have lost three straight and eight of their last nine, resulting in some playing time re-shuffling. Dennis Smith Jr., the No. 9 overall pick in the 2017 draft, is playing an increased role in averaging 25.8 minutes over five January games, nearly five more minutes than he was averaging in December. Smith has contributed in a variety of different ways over those five contests, including a game with 12 rebounds and another with 10 assists. He’s averaging 8.4 points, 4.8 rebounds and 6.2 assists in January as scores like Cameron Thomas and Cameron Johnson are averaging fewer points this month than they did to begin the season. Ben Simmons (back) remains out. See which team to pick here.

What to know about the Trail Blazers
The Trail Blazers haven’t been playing much better, entering with 1-7 record over their last eight games. Portland’s one victory over that stretch came in the overtime victory over the Nets. Anfernee Simons had 38 points and 11 assists in the win, shooting 13 of 25 (52%), including 5 of 10 on 3-pointers. Simons is questionable with an illness, so that’s a situation to monitor closer to tip-off.

Scoot Henderson, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, has made an immediate impact in Portland. Henderson is averaging 12.7 points and five assists per contest and is coming off a career-high 33 points in a 127-116 loss to the Suns on Sunday. Henderson added seven rebounds, nine assists and three steals in the victory. Portland is 6-5 ATS against the Eastern Conference this season, including 4-2 ATS over its last six matchups against the East. Malcolm Brogdon (adductor) is questionable for Wednesday, while Shaedon Sharpe (abdominal) is out. See which team to pick here.

How to make Trail Blazers vs. Nets picks
The model has simulated Nets vs. Trail Blazers 10,000 times and the results are in. We can tell you that the model is leaning Over, and it also says one side of the spread hits almost 60% of the time. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.