The NBA is back on Tuesday with three more Game 2’s on the schedule. The home teams have been dominating over the past two days, going 7-0 straight up. Miami, Memphis and Phoenix will look to continue the home team win streak tonight and move to 2-0 apiece. Let’s dive into the best NBA bets today, picks and NBA betting tips for Tuesday, April 19.
Best NBA Bets Today: Game Tips & Betting Predictions
Hawks vs. Heat Best Bet
The Hawks and Heat will face off for a second night in Miami after a Game 1 stomping by the Heat on Sunday. Miami moves to 4-1 on the season vs. Atlanta and the Hawks are in trouble heading into Game 2 with Clint Capela (knee) sidelined for the next week or so. Game 2 tips off tonight at FTX Arena in Miami at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Hawk’s All-Star Trae Young was completely shut down by the Heat’s defense on Sunday, finishing with just 8 points on 1-for-12 shooting from the floor. The Hawks shot 38.7% from the floor as a team and went 10-for-36 from 3-point land. If Young is unable to have a bounce-back performance, Atlanta could be in for another long night. The return of John Collins is huge for the Hawks, as Capela just went down with a non-structural knee injury and will be unavailable for at least the next week. Atlanta’s defense got lit up in Game 1 behind eight 3-pointers from Duncan Robinson, which set the franchise playoff record for 3-pointers made in a game. As a team, the Hawks’ defense allowed Miami to shoot 52.4% from the field and 47.4% from deep. Miami’s offense thrives off the deep shot and Atlanta’s defense has struggled all year defending the perimeter, as it allowed the fourth-highest 3-point percentage to opponents. If the Hawks want to have any chance at avoiding the series sweep, they will need to adjust their defensive scheme to better defend the perimeter and find players to step up and relieve some of the offensive pressure off of Young.
Miami has much confidence heading into Tuesday’s matchup after a 24-point victory over the Hawks in Game 1. Their defense was dominant from start to finish and the Hawks had no answer, failing to reach the 100-point mark. Miami was able to cruise to victory despite Bam Adebayo having an off game with 6 points and six rebounds. Their offense was led by Robinson’s 27-point performance off the bench, along with 21 points from Jimmy Butler. Much of Miami’s success comes from the depth of their roster. They can rely on their entire starting five alongside several sharpshooters off the bench to provide offensive production night in and night out. Meanwhile, the Heat’s defense is nothing to sleep on, as they finished the season ranked fourth in the league in defensive rating. Expect Erik Spoelstra to have a game plan in order to exploit the Hawks in the paint as Atlanta will look to adjust their defense schemes to better defend the perimeter in Game 2.
The total went well under the closing line on Sunday with the game ending at 206 points. In five games this year, the total is averaging 216.4 points. Anticipate a similar tempo to Game 1 with Miami dictating the pace and bringing the same defensive intensity. Miami is holding opponents to the third-fewest points per game on the season. The historical trend favors the under with the total cashing the under in 23 of their last 31 matchups. Even if Atlanta is able to improve their shooting in Game 2, too much of their offensive productivity relies on Young. Expect this game to be a closer battle than Game 1, but roll with the under as Miami’s defense should have no issues containing Atlanta’s offense once again.
Best NBA Bet for Today’s Game: Total Under 219.5 Points
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Pelicans vs. Suns Best Bet
New Orleans will be looking to bounce back from a Game 1 loss when they face the Suns in Phoenix on Tuesday night. The Pelicans’ offense got off to a horrendous start on Sunday, scoring just 34 points in the first half. They were unable to recover from the slow start, losing the game 110-99 on Sunday. Chris Paul, Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton combined for 76 points in Game 1. Phoenix has dominated the Pelicans on the season, winning four of their five matchups, with all four wins coming by double-digits. The Suns are a 9.5-point favorite ahead of tonight’s matchup.
The Pelicans did not hold a lead at any point in Game 1, but they were able to cut a 23-point deficit down to eight points in the third quarter. New Orleans showed fight and will look to carry over the offensive success they found in the second half of Game 1 into today’s showdown. One positive note for the Pelicans was their performance on the offensive glass, outrebounding Phoenix 25-5. New Orleans could not take advantage of the second-chance opportunities though, finishing 37.9% from the field and 69.2% from the free-throw line. C.J. McCollum led the Pelicans with 25 points despite struggling with his shooting, going 9-for-25 from the field. McCollum leads New Orleans with 25.7 points and 6.1 assists per game, while Brandon Ingram is second with 22.7 points per game. Ingram will continue to have a tough matchup all series going up against Defensive Player of the Year finalist Mikal Bridges.
The Suns are a phenomenal 32-9 at home this season. Paul proved to haters that he can do more than be a dominant passer with his Game 1 performance. Paul finished with 30 points on 12-for-16 shooting from the field on Sunday. Nineteen of his 30 points came down the stretch in the fourth quarter after a second-half push by New Orleans. The Pelicans will have a tough time containing Paul without a true point guard in their starting lineup. Phoenix shot 53% from the field and 10-for-28 from 3-point range en route to an early 23-point lead, before turning to Paul to deliver clutch shooting to close out the game. Phoenix averages the fifth-most points on offense with 114.7 points per game.
In their five matchups this season, the total is averaging 221.8 points. Expect the Pelicans to put up a better first-half performance and score more than 34 points, which could easily push this total over. The visitors will take a different approach in Game 2 but anticipate the Suns to come out victorious. The over has hit in nine of their last 13 matchups. The Suns should have more focus on securing boards knowing they got dominated in Game 1, so expect Monty Williams to get into the team about crashing the glass. If New Orleans can continue to dominate on the boards and close out more second-chance opportunities, this game should easily finish in the high 220s. Ride the over with confidence on Tuesday.
Best NBA Bet for Today’s Game: Total Over 221.5 Points
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