NBA Best Bets Today | Expert Picks for Wednesday, March 20

Michael Crosson Sports Betting Expert

3 minute read

The NBA regular season continues with a deep eight-game slate this Wednesday -- headlined by a front-loaded nationally televised doubleheader on ESPN, as Bucks vs Celtics takes center stage in a heavyweight Eastern Conference clash at 7:30 p.m. ET, and then we'll close out the evening with Grizzlies vs Warriors at 10:00 p.m. ET.

Read on for our top three NBA best bets and expert picks for Wednesday, March 20.

Looking for more basketball? Check out our NBA odds and our guide to North Carolina sportsbooks.

NBA Best Bets | Expert Picks for Wednesday, March 20

76ers vs Suns

by Michael Crosson

Have the 76ers finally figured out how to win with Joel Embiid?

The Sixers enter tonight’s matchup in Phoenix following back to back home wins over the Hornets and Heat, and they’ve won three of their last five – which may not sound overly impressive, however, it’s a huge step in the right direction for the current iteration of this Philly team.

Embiid has been sidelined for 24 of the Sixers’ last 25 games – and during that span, Philadelphia has posted a miserable record of 9-16, with nine of those losses coming by double digits, and 11 coming by margins of eight points or more.

The 76ers rank 22nd in offensive rating and 23rd in defensive rating since February 1. 

Since March 10, however, they’ve fallen to 30th in offense rating and climbed to 5th in defensive rating – which has resulted in the Sixers averaging 94 points per game in their last five contests, yet still managing to squeak out wins in three of them.

Tobias Harris has missed the Sixers’ last two games due to an ankle issue, and remains on the injury report with a questionable tag for tonight’s affair. De’Anthony Melton and Embiid will also remain sidelined for Philly.

Whereas, the Suns’ injury report is about as clean as it can possibly be – with Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal all healthy and ready to go for tonight’s contest. However, with that in mind, Phoenix still has plenty of wrinkles to iron out at both ends of the floor, and I believe the scrappy defense displayed by Philly recently could give them some headaches.

The Suns have posted lackluster records of 6-7 SU and 3-10 ATS since the All-Star Break, while ranking 11th in offensive rating and 23rd in defensive rating during that span – which is a frustrating notion for a team that ranks 9th in offensive rating 13th in defensive rating on the season, as their numbers continue to decline despite their recent boost in health status.

Beal missed five games toward the end of February, and then Booker missed four games at the beginning of March. However, even with the bulk of their rotation back to full strength, it’s still been a roller coaster ride for Phoenix as of late. The Suns are 2-2 in their last four games, which includes two double-digit losses and a double-digit win. 

Phoenix has scored 113 points or less (in regulation) in nine of its last 13 games. But fortunately for the Suns, however, that type of offensive volume should still be enough to outlast a Sixers team that has scored 105 points or less in 10 of their last 15 contests – and fallen short of 110 points in 13 of their last 15.

The Sixers’ best chance of winning this game is to turn it into an ugly defensive battle, and that’s exactly what I believe they will try to do. Will it help them escape with a road win in Phoenix? Probably not, but it does create an edge in this matchup as this game will likely stay under the total due to a combination of Philly’s strong defense and poor offense.

Pick: Under 222.5 (-110)

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Bucks vs Celtics

by Alex Smart

For more daily expert predictions, check out our NBA Free Picks page and our NBA odds!

Pacers vs Pistons

VegasInsider NBA betting expert Bruce Marshall is on fire right now! Bruce is 9-4 in his last 13 NBA picks -- returning a profit of +448. Click here to purchase his top play for Pacers vs Pistons tonight.

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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