NBA Best Bets for March 1: Two Parlays Are Better Than One
Charlotte Hornets vs. Washington Wizards
Saturday, March 1, 2025 at 6 p.m. ET at Spectrum Center
The Spot
Charlotte looked unplayable for some time because it appeared to be withholding effort. Bad teams can get especially lazy on the road.
The Hornets did look competitive in their last road game, though, which was a seven-point loss to Dallas.
Now they return home to face Washington and to avoid the dreaded four-game sweep — the Wizards already won the first three meetings between these teams.
There is a historical precedent here, which includes an 18-58 Charlotte team last year ending its four-game losing streak to beat Orlando at home to avoid the four-game sweep.
This is a matter of pride for a team that has been embarrassed enough as it is.
The Matchup
Matchup considerations also do not justify the notion that Washington should beat the Hornets four times in one season.
Both teams love to shoot threes, but the Hornets rank 20 spots better than Washington at limiting opposing three-point efficiency. Charlotte allows open three-point attempts and wide-open ones with lower frequency than Washington and likewise does a better job at home of running teams off the three-point line.
Washington is also one of the NBA's worst teams at protecting the basket.
Charlotte's defensive edge and its stronger shooting at home will ensure that the Hornets avoid getting swept.
Parlay Leg 1: Hornets ML (-170) at BetOnline
San Antonio Spurs vs. Memphis Grizzlies
Saturday, March 1, 2025 at 8 p.m. ET at FedExForum
San Antonio's Defensive Struggles
On defense, San Antonio has struggled to limit the scoring of transition-heavy offenses, even if they are bad offenses overall.
Recently, they gave up 121 points to Washington, 125 to Detroit, and 125 to Atlanta. They also gave up 128 points to Memphis after they had allowed 140 and 129 points in their previous two respective games against this team.
Memphis relies more than any other team on scoring in transition and therefore matches up excellently against a San Antonio defense that allows the sixth-most PPP (points per possession) against plays in transition.
Memphis' Superior Defense
The Grizzlies rank ninth at limiting opposing field goal efficiency within five feet of the basket and eighth at limiting opposing three-point efficiency.
Their defense is too good for an already struggling San Antonio offense that has failed to exceed 110 points in any of its last four games.
Conversely, Memphis almost never finishes below 110 points, last doing so against Orlando's second-best defense with which San Antonio's struggling defense without its star rim protector does not remotely compare.
Parlay Leg 2: Grizzlies ML (-385) at BetOnline
Parlay: Hornets ML (-170) & Grizzlies ML (-385) at +100 with BetOnline
Milwaukee Bucks vs. Dallas Mavericks
Saturday, March 1, 2025 at 8:30 p.m. ET at American Airlines Center
Dallas Lacks Scoring Talent
Without the help of key scorer and defender Anthony Davis, Golden State is the only winning team that the Mavericks-minus Luka Doncic have beaten.
To beat Golden State, the Mavericks needed a 42-point game from Kyrie Irving to help them prevail in a close game.
They won't be able to score much today, though, against a Milwaukee defense that has been fantastic on the road where it held its last three opponents to 101 points or fewer. They held
Minnesota's star guard Anthony Edwards, for example, to a super inefficient performance.
Whereas Minnesota lacks scoring talent to help Irving, the Bucks have two stars in Damian Lillard and Giannis, the latter having an especially good outlook against a Dallas defense that acquired Davis to give it needed help in the interior and is now exceedingly thin inside without him.
Parlay Leg 1: Bucks ML (-155) with BetOnline
Golden State Warriors vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Saturday, March 1, 2025 at 8:30 p.m. ET at Wells Fargo Center
Tyrese Maxey's Outlook
With superstar center Joel Embiid injured, the 76ers need Tyrese Maxey to have a big game.
But the Warriors are doing a great job of defending against guards in general, and Maxey here is no exception. By a clear margin, he averages fewer points against the Warriors — 13.6 — than against any other team.
Philadelphia ranks 20th at limiting opposing three-pointers made, lacking the perimeter defense quality to contain an offense like Golden State's that primarily wants to shoot threes.
While the 76ers looked better in their last game against the Knicks than they did two games ago when they somehow gave up 142 points at home to Chicago, this is still a team that has lost nine straight games and lacks the quality on offense or defense to upset Golden State.
Parlay Leg 2: Warriors ML (-350) at BetOnline
Parlay: Bucks ML (-155) & Warriors ML (-350) at +112 with BetOnline
Brooklyn Nets vs. Detroit Pistons
Saturday, March 1, 2025 at 7 p.m. ET at Little Caesars Arena
Brooklyn's Improved Ball-Screen Defense
The Nets, having become more connected on defense over the year, have greatly improved their ball-screen defense.
They now allow 2.6 fewer points against the pick-and-roll for the ball-handler play type than any other team.
In their improved state, they have locked down guards who rely extensively on ball-screens.
For example, they held New York star Jalen Brunson to 17 points.
They also limited Detroit's star point guard to 13 points.
When Brooklyn's ball-screen defense wasn't as good in November, Cade Cunningham still only scored 19 points.
Cunningham runs the pick-and-roll for the ball-handler play type with the second-highest frequency and thus matches up poorly against Brooklyn's league-best defense against this play type.
Best Bet: Cade Cunningham under 25.5 points at -130 with Bovada
Charlotte Hornets vs. Washington Wizards
Saturday, March 1, 2025 at 6 p.m. ET at Spectrum Center
The Spot
Charlotte looked unplayable for some time because it appeared to be withholding effort. Bad teams can get especially lazy on the road.
The Hornets did look competitive in their last road game, though, which was a seven-point loss to Dallas.
Now they return home to face Washington and to avoid the dreaded four-game sweep — the Wizards already won the first three meetings between these teams.
There is a historical precedent here, which includes an 18-58 Charlotte team last year ending its four-game losing streak to beat Orlando at home to avoid the four-game sweep.
This is a matter of pride for a team that has been embarrassed enough as it is.
The Matchup
Matchup considerations also do not justify the notion that Washington should beat the Hornets four times in one season.
Both teams love to shoot threes, but the Hornets rank 20 spots better than Washington at limiting opposing three-point efficiency. Charlotte allows open three-point attempts and wide-open ones with lower frequency than Washington and likewise does a better job at home of running teams off the three-point line.
Washington is also one of the NBA's worst teams at protecting the basket.
Charlotte's defensive edge and its stronger shooting at home will ensure that the Hornets avoid getting swept.
Parlay Leg 1: Hornets ML (-170) at BetOnline
San Antonio Spurs vs. Memphis Grizzlies
Saturday, March 1, 2025 at 8 p.m. ET at FedExForum
San Antonio's Defensive Struggles
On defense, San Antonio has struggled to limit the scoring of transition-heavy offenses, even if they are bad offenses overall.
Recently, they gave up 121 points to Washington, 125 to Detroit, and 125 to Atlanta. They also gave up 128 points to Memphis after they had allowed 140 and 129 points in their previous two respective games against this team.
Memphis relies more than any other team on scoring in transition and therefore matches up excellently against a San Antonio defense that allows the sixth-most PPP (points per possession) against plays in transition.
Memphis' Superior Defense
The Grizzlies rank ninth at limiting opposing field goal efficiency within five feet of the basket and eighth at limiting opposing three-point efficiency.
Their defense is too good for an already struggling San Antonio offense that has failed to exceed 110 points in any of its last four games.
Conversely, Memphis almost never finishes below 110 points, last doing so against Orlando's second-best defense with which San Antonio's struggling defense without its star rim protector does not remotely compare.
Parlay Leg 2: Grizzlies ML (-385) at BetOnline
Parlay: Hornets ML (-170) & Grizzlies ML (-385) at +100 with BetOnline
Milwaukee Bucks vs. Dallas Mavericks
Saturday, March 1, 2025 at 8:30 p.m. ET at American Airlines Center
Dallas Lacks Scoring Talent
Without the help of key scorer and defender Anthony Davis, Golden State is the only winning team that the Mavericks-minus Luka Doncic have beaten.
To beat Golden State, the Mavericks needed a 42-point game from Kyrie Irving to help them prevail in a close game.
They won't be able to score much today, though, against a Milwaukee defense that has been fantastic on the road where it held its last three opponents to 101 points or fewer. They held
Minnesota's star guard Anthony Edwards, for example, to a super inefficient performance.
Whereas Minnesota lacks scoring talent to help Irving, the Bucks have two stars in Damian Lillard and Giannis, the latter having an especially good outlook against a Dallas defense that acquired Davis to give it needed help in the interior and is now exceedingly thin inside without him.
Parlay Leg 1: Bucks ML (-155) with BetOnline
Golden State Warriors vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Saturday, March 1, 2025 at 8:30 p.m. ET at Wells Fargo Center
Tyrese Maxey's Outlook
With superstar center Joel Embiid injured, the 76ers need Tyrese Maxey to have a big game.
But the Warriors are doing a great job of defending against guards in general, and Maxey here is no exception. By a clear margin, he averages fewer points against the Warriors — 13.6 — than against any other team.
Philadelphia ranks 20th at limiting opposing three-pointers made, lacking the perimeter defense quality to contain an offense like Golden State's that primarily wants to shoot threes.
While the 76ers looked better in their last game against the Knicks than they did two games ago when they somehow gave up 142 points at home to Chicago, this is still a team that has lost nine straight games and lacks the quality on offense or defense to upset Golden State.
Parlay Leg 2: Warriors ML (-350) at BetOnline
Parlay: Bucks ML (-155) & Warriors ML (-350) at +112 with BetOnline
Brooklyn Nets vs. Detroit Pistons
Saturday, March 1, 2025 at 7 p.m. ET at Little Caesars Arena
Brooklyn's Improved Ball-Screen Defense
The Nets, having become more connected on defense over the year, have greatly improved their ball-screen defense.
They now allow 2.6 fewer points against the pick-and-roll for the ball-handler play type than any other team.
In their improved state, they have locked down guards who rely extensively on ball-screens.
For example, they held New York star Jalen Brunson to 17 points.
They also limited Detroit's star point guard to 13 points.
When Brooklyn's ball-screen defense wasn't as good in November, Cade Cunningham still only scored 19 points.
Cunningham runs the pick-and-roll for the ball-handler play type with the second-highest frequency and thus matches up poorly against Brooklyn's league-best defense against this play type.
Best Bet: Cade Cunningham under 25.5 points at -130 with Bovada
