NBA Best Bets for Thursday 5/13

All odds in this article come from our partner, FanDuel Sportsbook. Right now, new FanDuel Sportsbook users can make their first bet risk-free up to $1,000. If the bet loses, the FanDuel Sportsbook will refund you in site credit.

A $1,000 parlay wager using the first two picks below would win $2,677 (+268). New users can lock in this offer NOW by clicking this link.

The NBA is always a tough league to bet on. You have millionaires who get to play a game and then decide not to show up on random nights. So, now, you're risking your hard-earned money on the hopes that a guy wants to show out. Tonight, I see one guy in particular who is worth taking the risk on.

Damian Lillard Over 28.5 Points -108

Seven out of the last eight games, Lillard has had 30+ points. Since May began, the man has been shooting a scorching 49% from three. He is an absolutely beast and in Dame Time mode right now. CP3 is no slouch on defense, but Lillard can stop and shoot from almost anywhere on the court. Neither the Portland Trail Blazers nor the Phoenix Suns have to win this game, but both can benefit from it in playoff positioning. Honestly, I’m comfortable playing on some of the juicy bonuses that FanDuel is offering of 30+ at +112 and 35+ points at +290. Considering this is a TNT game, I expect Dame to put on a show. 

Kings +8

If Sacramento wants to have any shot at the play-in tournament, they absolutely need to win this game against the Grizzlies. Memphis, for its part, wants to keep solid momentum and solidify the ninth seed. I fully expect the Kings to pull out all the stops in this game. Their only other matchup this season saw the Kings lose at home 124 – 110, though they’ve been playing much better lately. I’m not predicting the Kings to win outright in this game, but I do think that they can cover this spread. 

Giannis to record a double-double and Milwaukee to win -138

I wouldn’t call this a best bet, but I find some value in this as it really should be closer to -160. Milwaukee is currently a -350 favorite to beat Indiana. Giannis has 39 double-doubles in 59 games, including a triple-double in the only matchup against Indiana. The biggest risk to this bet, in my opinion, is that Giannis doesn’t play much of the game. He’s been logging about 30 minutes, and it really doesn’t make or break them if they win this game. They are likely to be the 3-seed, no matter what. Even with all of that, the Pacers are playing at a faster tempo, which leads to more possessions and opportunities for Giannis to cash this with the Milwaukee victory. 

Proceed with caution. It is still the NBA, where nothing can be easily predicted.