Best NBA Bets Today | NBA Picks March 1

The NBA is kicking off March with nine exciting matchups from across the league!

Opening the night is an exciting rematch between Eastern Conference powerhouses, the Philadelphia 76ers, and the Miami Heat. In the Western Conference, the Memphis Grizzlies look to get back on the winning trend when they face the bottom-feeding Houston Rockets.

Let's check out the bets!

Philadelphia 76ers @ Miami Heat

When: 7:30 PM EST

Spread: Philadelphia 76ers -1.0 (-110) @ bet365

After an intense matchup on Monday night, the Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers will face off again as they wrestle for the position in the Eastern Conference. With a 39-21 overall record, the Philadelphia 76ers are currently third in the Eastern Conference table. The Miami Heat aren't far behind with a 33-29 overall record while sitting seventh in the Eastern Conference.

The Philadelphia 76ers are a classic three-and-D team, allowing 110.2 points per game (3rd in the NBA) while hitting 38.3% from three-point range (4th in the NBA) themselves. They lost narrowly to the Miami Heat in their last game, mostly due to their 18 turnovers and 35.7% shooting from deep on just 10 made threes. The Miami Heat have proven themselves to be one of the league's most aggressive defensive teams, allowing just 108.5 points per game (2nd in the NBA) while forcing 16.2 turnovers per game (3rd in the NBA). They showed off their two-way ability when they took down the Sixers in their last match, holding Philadelphia to just 43.8% shooting while hitting 15 threes on 40.5% efficiency themselves.

Even though the Heat found victory in their last meeting with the Sixers, we're taking Philadelphia to get revenge. It was a low-scoring affair that relied on the performance of Jimmy Butler from Miami's end, and the Sixers' defense is too refined to make the same mistake in back-to-back games. Expect Philadelphia's shooting to improve and Miami's to be less accurate when they face off on Wednesday night.

Memphis Grizzlies @ Houston Rockets

When: 8:00 PM EST

Spread: Memphis Grizzlies -9.5 (-110) @ Caesars Sportsbook

On opposite ends of the Western Conference, the Memphis Grizzlies face off against the Houston Rockets. The Memphis Grizzlies currently rank second in the West with a 36-23 overall record, but a disappointing 11-18 road record. The Houston Rockets are last in the Western Conference, owning a 13-47 overall record and an 8-20 home record.

The Memphis Grizzlies are one of the league's strongest two-way teams, averaging 115.9 points per game (9th in the NBA) while allowing just 111.9 points per game (6th in the NBA). Memphis has improved their play as of late, winning by a 6.0-point margin while forcing 15.0 turnovers and holding teams to 43.6% shooting. The Houston Rockets are one of the least refined teams in the NBA, but they hold their own on the glass, where they collect 13.2 offensive rebounds per game (1st in the NBA) while holding teams to just 41.7 rebounds per game (4th in the NBA). Houston's defense over their last five games has been dreadful, allowing 120.0 points per game on 49.6% shooting from the field and 41.2% from three-point range.

It's a simple choice in this matchup as the Memphis Grizzlies are the superior team, even if they are on the second leg of a back-to-back. It was a tightly contested affair the last time that these two teams met, but the Rockets still don't project to have the defense or firepower to keep up with Memphis. Expect the Grizzlies to take another step toward the top of the conference.

New Orleans Pelicans @ Portland Trail Blazers

When: 10:00 PM EST

Moneyline: New Orleans Pelicans (+110) @ DraftKings Sportsbook

In a matchup that will alter the Play-In Tournament position, the New Orleans Pelicans face off against the Portland Trail Blazers. The New Orleans Pelicans are currently 10th in the Western Conference with a 30-32 overall record and a 10-21 road record. The Portland Trail Blazers are right behind them at 11th, owning a 29-31 overall record and a 17-14 home record.

The New Orleans Pelicans are a gritty team on both ends of the court, scoring 31.4 two-point field goals per game (7th in the NBA) while collecting 8.5 steals (2nd in the NBA) and forcing 15.2 turnovers per game (7th in the NBA). The Pelicans' defence has let them down during their recent 1-4 streak, as they've allowed 112.8 points per game on 47.7% shooting from the field. The Portland Trail Blazers will challenge them with their shot efficiency, as they score 115.2 points per game (11th in the NBA) on 48.3% shooting from the field (8th in the NBA) and 37.8% from deep (6th in the NBA). While the Trail Blazers' offence has been impressive as of late, their defence has allowed 125.2 points per game, on 51.1% shooting from the field and 40.3% from deep.

Both teams are on a downward run of form and will be looking at each other as a means of getting back on track. We're banking on the Pelicans in this matchup, as the Trail Blazers' defence has left much to be desired over their recent run. While New Orleans hasn't been excellent on the defensive end, their matchups and interior grit should propel them to victory.