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Tides’ Takes: Free NHL & NBA Betting Picks For Today (4/5/22)

Timothy Buell Tue 4/5 12:48pm PT
Image Credit: Imagn

ScoresAndOdds analyst Timothy Buell gives free expert advice and betting picks for Tuesday’s NHL and NBA slates.

Happy Tuesday everyone! Welcome to this new article for ScoresAndOdds, where we will offer betting picks and advice for multiple sports that are happening on a given day.

Now that the NFL season has unfortunately come to an end, we will be focusing on NHL odds and NBA odds and props. We will also be throwing in some traditional parlays and some same game parlays as we see fit.  

Make sure to use our tools at ScoresAndOdds to find the best lines at your favorite legal sportsbook.  

Today we have twelve NBA games and ten NHL games. Let’s get started with the betting picks!  

Given that we are getting towards the end of the NBA season, I will be focusing on primarily player props, unless there is spread/total for a game that I feel is optimal.

Free NBA Picks For Today

NBA Player Prop – Aleksej Pokusevkski

Pokusevski has gone over this total in three-straight games. He has averaged over 10 assists per game through that stretch. He has taken on the role as the primary backup point guard and at times has simply been the primary ball handler even with the first unit.  He projects for well over 30 minutes and our RotoGrinders projections team has him projected for slightly over 8 assists. Even with this line juiced to -140 I think this is worth a one unit play. Another reason to like this bet is that the Thunder are so bad that the spread is within 4 points. So even with both teams tanking the game should be relatively competitive.   

 NBA Player Prop – Jalen Green

Just like most of the NBA, the Rockets are in tank mode and have absolutely no incentive to win. That being said, they have really let Jalen Green get some really increased run and usage as of late.  He has gone over this total in five straight games and had 23 points the game prior to this. Although this game should be a blowout, we have seen the Nets time and time again really struggle to put inferior competition.

With all the attention that Kyrie and Durant receive, because of their all-star caliber talent, sometimes we forget that the Nets as a whole are a bottom-third team when it comes to defensive rating. They will give up points to this second fastest paced Rockets team. Even if this game does blowout I expect Green to play minutes in the lower 30’s and if he keeps attempting 20 plus shots from the floor he should go over this prop easily. 

NBA Player Prop – Will Barton

This is a really nice pace-up spot for the Nuggets as a whole. I wouldn’t mind taking the over on some Jokic, or even some Aaron Gordon props today, but my favorite for this game and the one my money is going on is Barton over PRA’s. The Spurs, although without their best player Dejounte Murray, still play at a much faster pace than the Nuggets and struggle to defend the shooting guard position. 

Barton has gone over this total in five of his last six games and should see another game with minutes in the mid to upper to 30’s which should allow him plenty of opportunity to make this a winning wager. 

Free NHL Betting Picks For Today

New York Rangers @ New Jersey Devils

The Rangers are coming off two bad losses against the Islanders and the Flyers.  They will not be taking this game lightly as they gear up for the playoffs and are currently fighting for seeding that will have huge implications whether they are on home ice or not.  This is a rivalry game on the road but there will be plenty of Ranger fans in the crowd.  The Devils seem to be defeated as a whole and are not playing with a lot of spunk. They have lost three straight games and could be without Jack Hughes for tonight’s game due to injury. 

He is their best two way center and would be a huge loss for them in any game moving forward. Igor Shesterkin has looked pretty bad in net as of late and could be getting fatigued towards the end of the season but I still have a lot of faith in him moving forward for the rest of the season.  He is a truly an elite goaltender who should far outclass the Devils net minders. I think that this value has a lot of value in it and I have the Rangers at closer to -200 even on the road. 

Colorado Avalanche @ Pittsburgh Penguins

This is probably the best matchup of the night and as a fan I am excited to watch this one.  We could be seeing a preview of the Stanley Cup Finals when it’s all said and done.  This teams just played in Colorado with the Avalanche coming out on top 3-2.  Now they go to Pittsburgh which should be another tight checking low scoring affair.

Despite the fact that there is so much offensive talent on both of these teams they are both tremendous at keeping the puck out of their own net. Both of these teams rank in the top 10 in goals allowed and play really good team defense. I am still surprised at the season that Tristan Jarry has had and still think that he is due for some regression but even it does tonight I don’t see this game getting out of hand from a total goal perspective.

NHL Player Prop – Brady Tkachuk

The Canadiens have gotten a lot of attention due to the fact that they started winning some games after their coaching change.  That is all fine and dandy but they are still one of, if not the worst defensive teams in the NHL. Even playing on the road Tkachuk should get plenty of chances in his own zone and he has the highest shot rate on his line. He will get run on the power play as well and the Canadians have taken the second highest amount of penalties in the NHL. We have seen Tkachuk’s minutes go down a little bit he did get to 20 minutes last game which I like to see when putting my money on an over.  

NHL Player Prop – Kevin Hayes

The Blue Jackets are not a good defensive team and have to go on the road against an awful Flyers team.  Kevin Hayes however is getting top line minutes and has been fairly good for them as of late despite a difficult start of the season for him.  He has gone over this total in three of his last four games and I don’t think this is the game to hop off of this prop.  I really like that this line is still at plus money and if you can get it at plus money at the time of reading then jump on it.