The NBA playoffs are almost upon us. With several teams eliminated from the playoff hunt, bettors can use game theory to cook up some sharp NBA parlay picks. Since not every team still has a reason to win — and several have an active reason to lose — thinking about team incentives when building parlays can help you make some money. Here are my top NBA parlay picks for Monday, March 20 at FanDuel Sportsbook.
Best NBA Parlay Picks | March 20
Golden State Warriors Moneyline (-620)
Let’s start with the safest leg. The Golden State Warriors will square off with the tanking Houston Rockets this evening. Unlike Houston, Golden State has plenty to lose — the Warriors rank only seventh in the Western Conference and need to string some wins together to avoid the play-in tournament. More importantly, they are just one game ahead of the 11th-ranked Utah Jazz.
The Warriors may not be at full strength, as Kevon Looney is questionable and Andrew Wiggins remains out, but they are the one team with an incentive to win this game. At 18-53, the Rockets have long since been eliminated from the playoffs. They need to keep losing to ensure they have one of the NBA’s three worst records — the 22-50 Charlotte Hornets could realistically displace Houston.
Sacramento Kings Moneyline (-250)
The Sacramento Kings are slightly favored to beat the Utah Jazz. Surprisingly, we can still get them at -250 (71.4%) on FanDuel despite Pinnacle, a sharp book, listing Sacramento at -256 (71.9%). While the Jazz still technically have a shot at the play-in tournament, their front office’s decision to ship off pieces like Mike Conley and Malik Beasley at the trade deadline proves the team isn’t worried about this season.
The Jazz will also play tonight’s game shorthanded. Utah won’t have Jordan Clarkson, Collin Sexton or Lauri Markkanen. That leaves the Jazz with just two of their regular starters, Kelly Olynyk and Walker Kessler, and thrusts wing Talen Horton-Tucker into a massive role that he probably can’t handle. Several of the players Utah will have to trust, like Simone Fontecchio, Ochai Agbaji and Johnny Juzang, all have negative value over replacement player (VORP) grades.
Indiana Pacers +8.5 (-410)
I usually don’t advise teasing NBA lines, but I make an exception once we enter the endgame of a season. The Charlotte Hornets are now officially out of the playoff race, and, at 22-50, also aren’t one of the NBA’s worst three teams. That leaves them at a disadvantage in the draft lottery. However, with a few weeks to go, look for the Hornets to try and close that gap.
The Indiana Pacers are almost out of the playoff hunt, but at 32-39, they find themselves just a game and a half behind the Chicago Bulls for the final play-in spot. While not having Tyrese Haliburton hurts, this squad hasn’t stopped trying. The Pacers beat the Milwaukee Bucks last Thursday and have a winning record since the All-Star Break. Indiana is up 2-0 on Charlotte in the season series and should at least keep Monday night’s game close.
Final NBA Parlay Picks for March 20
Warriors ML & Kings ML & Pacers +8.5: +102 for 0.5 Unit at FanDuel
With a price of +102, this parlay has implied odds of 49.5%. However, I believe this play hits more than half the time because not every team is invested in winning this season. We’re placing this NBA parlay at FanDuel Sportsbook. If you don’t already have a FanDuel account, you can register using this link to score $200 in bonus bets after you place a $20 wager! That’s a great way to build your bankroll, especially in advance of the NBA playoffs.
