NBA Picks for Tuesday, March 31: Best Bets & Predictions

Danny Burke

Written by: Danny Burke

Last Update: Tue Mar 31, 2026, 12:15 pm ET

Read Time: 5 minutes

Lock in four NBA best bets for Tuesday, March 31, featuring player props and key matchups to target across tonight’s seven-game slate.

nba

What's happening everybody? Happy Tuesday to each and every one of you out there.

Tonight's NBA slate features a seven-game board, and I've got four best bets we can sweat throughout the evening, so let's go ahead and dive into my NBA best bets for Tuesday, March 31.

For additional information on picks, props, moneylines, and more on today's slate, take a look at our NBA Picks Page or our NBA Odds Page.

NBA Picks for Tuesday, March 31: Best Bets & Predictions

LaMelo Ball Charlotte Hornets

LaMelo Ball Over 3.5 3-Pointers (-125)

This price feels a bit cheap for a player like LaMelo Ball. Sure, there's a chance he doesn't log full minutes in a potential blowout against a team like the Brooklyn Nets, but the upside is he clears this number before halftime.

Ball has been letting it fly from deep against lower-tier teams with nothing to play for, and the volume has been hard to ignore. Over the past month, he's faced four such opponents – here's what that production has looked like:

Vs. Kings: 6-13
Vs. Grizzlies: 7-14
@ Kings: 6-13
Vs. Mavericks: 4-13

Brooklyn has been even worse than those teams at defending the three, ranking dead last in opponent three-point percentage allowed (38.1%).

No need to overthink it – Ball should be letting it fly again tonight.

James Harden Over 4.5 Rebounds (-105)

NBA Cleveland Cavaliers James Harden

I mean, at this point, if books are going to keep hanging a 4.5 rebound line on James Harden at a reasonable price, I'm going to keep betting it.

He came through for us on this number last night, and there's no reason he can't get there again.

Since being acquired by the Cleveland Cavaliers, Harden has averaged 5.6 rebounds per game and has collected five or more in 15 of 20 games.

This should be a solid matchup between the Cavs and Lakers, and could lead to a stronger defensive effort, more missed shots and more playing time for Harden to pad these stats once again.

Donovan Mitchell Over 2.5 3-Pointers (-115)

Donovan Mitchell Cleveland Cavaliers

Another intriguing line is Donovan Mitchell's three-point prop, sitting at just 2.5.

On the season, Mitchell is knocking down 3.3 threes on nine attempts per game, though he's cooled off since the beginning of February, averaging just 2.2 makes on 7.2 attempts.

Still, this is a strong look for Mitchell against a Lakers team that ranks 18th in points per possession allowed and 16th in three-point attempt rate allowed. Los Angeles has improved in that department over the past month, but all that's done is create a buy-low opportunity on Mitchell, which is exactly what I'll be doing.

Deni Avdija Under 6.5 Assists (-114)

Let's take it to the final game of the night, where the Los Angeles Clippers host the Portland Trail Blazers.

The Blazers' 25-year-old Deni Avdija has been fairly steady in the assists department this season, and normally I wouldn't look to fade him in this spot, but tonight presents a solid opportunity.

The Clippers rank 12th in assists allowed per game, and Avdija has stayed below this number in three of his last five contests.

I don't think he'll be able to facilitate as effectively against a respectable defense, so this sets up as a good spot to fade him.

Best Bets:

NBA Record: 180-142-1 (+21.35 units)

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Danny Burke
Danny Burke

Danny Burke is a betting analyst with a decade of sports media experience. He got his start at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, sharing picks on the local ESPN affiliate. After college, he hosted shows for VSiN in Las Vegas before returning to Chicago to launch 'Rush Hour', the first daily sports betting show from an Illinois casino. He also co-hosted 'Props and Locks' on Fox32’s Bears pregame show and ran 'Bet On, Chicago' on WLS-AM 890.

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