NBA Best Bets for April 13: Suns Are Shining in Sacramento
Washington Wizards vs. Miami Heat
Saturday, April 12, 2025 at 1 p.m. ET at Kaseya Center
Background Info
Washington's key absence in this game will be that of Jordan Poole, who leads the team with 20.5 points per game.
Pretty much the rest of the team will play, although this isn't such a good thing because of how bad it is. Alex Sarr is the next-leading scorer with 13 points per game.
Miami will miss four starters: Tyler Herro, Alec Burks, Andrew Wiggins, and Bam Adebayo.
Washington Can't Score Enough
Especially without Poole, the Wizards lack the firepower to keep pace in this game.
They have scored fewer than 99 points in four of their last five games. In the one exception, they scored 103 points in a 19-point loss to the 76ers.
Miami will still have strong guard play in the form of developing Davion Mitchell, who is averaging 14 points per game in this month, Terry Rozier with his 10.7 points per game, and sharpshooter Duncan Robinson who is good for five or six threes in a given game.
Kel'el Ware has frequently stepped up in games where he receives more minutes to approach 20 points while forward Haywood Highsmith just scored ten points in 20 minutes against New Orleans.
These are players who are able to use their uptick in minutes to blow past their respective scoring averages especially against low-quality defenses.
Against Washington's defense, which ranks third-to-last in defensive rating, Miami easily has the firepower to reach 115 points, which will be good for a cover against a team that won't reach 100.
Best Bet: Heat -9 at -110 with BetOnline
Phoenix Suns vs. Sacramento Kings
Saturday, April 12, 2025 at 3:30 p.m. ET at Golden 1 Center
Motivation
Folks will want to bet on the Kings because they have something to play for, whereas the Suns supposedly don't.
In reality, the Suns don't have something to play for but only in Sacramento's sense.
With the Suns to sideline Bradley Beal, Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and Nick Richards, the Suns do now have something to play for albeit in a different sense.
Young guys and bench players who normally don't play much get a chance to flex their muscles against a motivated team.
A motivated Suns team is being dogged by way too many points against Sacramento — and this would still be true if the Kings didn't miss valued injured shooting guard Malik Monk with his 17.2 points per game.
Phoenix's Firepower
When Phoenix beat Sacramento last month 122-106, Ryan Dunn scored 16 points for the Suns and provided characteristically strong defense. Tyus Jones scored 20 points in 24 minutes.
Fellow guard Collin Gillespie showed promise with five points in eleven minutes. He has been particularly strong lately, showing his development, as he enters today's game having scored 13 and 17 points in his last two respective games.
Grayson Allen, who is a high-volume efficient shooter averaging 10.5 points per game, did not play in that game but is now also healthy.
With Oso Ighodaro and Royce O'Neale primed to combine for more than the 20 points that they scored in that game where they had less responsibility, the Suns have plenty of weapons to keep this game competitive.
Best Bet: Suns +15 at -110 with BetOnline
Los Angeles Clippers vs. Golden State Warriors
Sunday, April 13, 2025 at 3:30 p.m. ET at Chase Center
Series History
Both teams will want to win this game, so the series history between these teams is relevant because this game is just as meaningful as their previous meetings.
For good reasons, the Clippers own a 3-0 advantage against the Warriors this year.
Los Angeles, in those three wins, held the Warriors to 104 points, 99 points, and 92 points, respectively.
Matchup Edge
The Clippers own the Warriors in accordance with the matchup details.
Golden State wants to shoot threes, but the Clippers are the ninth-best team at limiting three-point makes.
Los Angeles wants to score in the midrange and will easily do so against a Golden State team that allows the third-most field goal makes 5-9 feet from the basket and the fifth-most ones 10-14 feet from the basket.
With the matchup favoring the Clippers, one must expect them to win.
If the Clippers move to +2, then I would play the money-line because it then becomes statistically extremely unlikely that the spread would come into play — the Warriors would have to win by exactly one point.
Best Bet: Clippers +2.5 at -105 with BetOnline.
Toronto Raptors vs. San Antonio Spurs
Sunday, April 13, 2025 at 3:30 p.m. ET at Frost Bank Center
Absences
For this game, the Raptors will be down Immanuel Quickley, Ja'Kobe Walter, RJ Barrett, and Jakob Poeltl
San Antonio will miss half as many starters: Devin Vassell and Jeremy Sochan.
Toronto's Matchup Edge
Obviously, teams aren't just going to cover the spread because they have more starters available. Capping games can't just be simple math. We have to look at which players are available to exploit potential matchup opportunities.
The key for Toronto is that the Spurs have lacked quality rim protection since star center Victor Wembanyama became unfit to play.
Toronto attempts the third-most field goals within five feet of the basket and will thrive at attacking the basket against a San Antonio defense that now ranks fourth-to-last at limiting field goal makes in this space. The Spurs have, because of Wembanyama's absence, regressed to this ranking.
Starter Scottie Barnes with his 19 points per game will play a large role for the Raptors. Ochai Agbaji will take advantage of his uptick in minutes to compensate for the absence of his teammates. He is averaging 18 points per game in this month. Jamal Shead is a very respectable playmaker with his 10.2 points and 6.8 assists per game in April.
Including Wembanyama and fellow injured key player De'Aaron Fox, the Spurs miss their three-best scorers. They lack the inside scoring talent and the shooting ability to be favored in this game.
Best Bet: Raptors +6 at -110 with BetOnline
Washington Wizards vs. Miami Heat
Saturday, April 12, 2025 at 1 p.m. ET at Kaseya Center
Background Info
Washington's key absence in this game will be that of Jordan Poole, who leads the team with 20.5 points per game.
Pretty much the rest of the team will play, although this isn't such a good thing because of how bad it is. Alex Sarr is the next-leading scorer with 13 points per game.
Miami will miss four starters: Tyler Herro, Alec Burks, Andrew Wiggins, and Bam Adebayo.
Washington Can't Score Enough
Especially without Poole, the Wizards lack the firepower to keep pace in this game.
They have scored fewer than 99 points in four of their last five games. In the one exception, they scored 103 points in a 19-point loss to the 76ers.
Miami will still have strong guard play in the form of developing Davion Mitchell, who is averaging 14 points per game in this month, Terry Rozier with his 10.7 points per game, and sharpshooter Duncan Robinson who is good for five or six threes in a given game.
Kel'el Ware has frequently stepped up in games where he receives more minutes to approach 20 points while forward Haywood Highsmith just scored ten points in 20 minutes against New Orleans.
These are players who are able to use their uptick in minutes to blow past their respective scoring averages especially against low-quality defenses.
Against Washington's defense, which ranks third-to-last in defensive rating, Miami easily has the firepower to reach 115 points, which will be good for a cover against a team that won't reach 100.
Best Bet: Heat -9 at -110 with BetOnline
Phoenix Suns vs. Sacramento Kings
Saturday, April 12, 2025 at 3:30 p.m. ET at Golden 1 Center
Motivation
Folks will want to bet on the Kings because they have something to play for, whereas the Suns supposedly don't.
In reality, the Suns don't have something to play for but only in Sacramento's sense.
With the Suns to sideline Bradley Beal, Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and Nick Richards, the Suns do now have something to play for albeit in a different sense.
Young guys and bench players who normally don't play much get a chance to flex their muscles against a motivated team.
A motivated Suns team is being dogged by way too many points against Sacramento — and this would still be true if the Kings didn't miss valued injured shooting guard Malik Monk with his 17.2 points per game.
Phoenix's Firepower
When Phoenix beat Sacramento last month 122-106, Ryan Dunn scored 16 points for the Suns and provided characteristically strong defense. Tyus Jones scored 20 points in 24 minutes.
Fellow guard Collin Gillespie showed promise with five points in eleven minutes. He has been particularly strong lately, showing his development, as he enters today's game having scored 13 and 17 points in his last two respective games.
Grayson Allen, who is a high-volume efficient shooter averaging 10.5 points per game, did not play in that game but is now also healthy.
With Oso Ighodaro and Royce O'Neale primed to combine for more than the 20 points that they scored in that game where they had less responsibility, the Suns have plenty of weapons to keep this game competitive.
Best Bet: Suns +15 at -110 with BetOnline
Los Angeles Clippers vs. Golden State Warriors
Sunday, April 13, 2025 at 3:30 p.m. ET at Chase Center
Series History
Both teams will want to win this game, so the series history between these teams is relevant because this game is just as meaningful as their previous meetings.
For good reasons, the Clippers own a 3-0 advantage against the Warriors this year.
Los Angeles, in those three wins, held the Warriors to 104 points, 99 points, and 92 points, respectively.
Matchup Edge
The Clippers own the Warriors in accordance with the matchup details.
Golden State wants to shoot threes, but the Clippers are the ninth-best team at limiting three-point makes.
Los Angeles wants to score in the midrange and will easily do so against a Golden State team that allows the third-most field goal makes 5-9 feet from the basket and the fifth-most ones 10-14 feet from the basket.
With the matchup favoring the Clippers, one must expect them to win.
If the Clippers move to +2, then I would play the money-line because it then becomes statistically extremely unlikely that the spread would come into play — the Warriors would have to win by exactly one point.
Best Bet: Clippers +2.5 at -105 with BetOnline.
Toronto Raptors vs. San Antonio Spurs
Sunday, April 13, 2025 at 3:30 p.m. ET at Frost Bank Center
Absences
For this game, the Raptors will be down Immanuel Quickley, Ja'Kobe Walter, RJ Barrett, and Jakob Poeltl
San Antonio will miss half as many starters: Devin Vassell and Jeremy Sochan.
Toronto's Matchup Edge
Obviously, teams aren't just going to cover the spread because they have more starters available. Capping games can't just be simple math. We have to look at which players are available to exploit potential matchup opportunities.
The key for Toronto is that the Spurs have lacked quality rim protection since star center Victor Wembanyama became unfit to play.
Toronto attempts the third-most field goals within five feet of the basket and will thrive at attacking the basket against a San Antonio defense that now ranks fourth-to-last at limiting field goal makes in this space. The Spurs have, because of Wembanyama's absence, regressed to this ranking.
Starter Scottie Barnes with his 19 points per game will play a large role for the Raptors. Ochai Agbaji will take advantage of his uptick in minutes to compensate for the absence of his teammates. He is averaging 18 points per game in this month. Jamal Shead is a very respectable playmaker with his 10.2 points and 6.8 assists per game in April.
Including Wembanyama and fellow injured key player De'Aaron Fox, the Spurs miss their three-best scorers. They lack the inside scoring talent and the shooting ability to be favored in this game.
Best Bet: Raptors +6 at -110 with BetOnline
