Contributing Writer

Best NBA props March 30: Picks on Jimmy Butler and Devin Booker

Jimmy Butler highlights Sunday’s NBA prop picks.

The pregame narrative: The newest member of the Golden State Warriors is playing his best basketball down the stretch and I want in. The other two players featured in today’s props are Devin Booker and Jalen Duren.

Check out the best NBA prop bets for March 30.

NBA prop bets

Best Bet: Booker over 6.5 assists (-143)

This has been an achievable number for Booker, who has taken his playmaking to a new level.

Over the past eight games, he’s averaged 9.4 assists per game. That’s a huge jump from his 7.1 season average.

This level isn’t limited to only the past several games, however. Since the all-star break, Booker has been averaging 8.2 assists per night. That’s a 20-game sample size.

The Houston Rockets are a good defensive team but this is a line I’m intrigued by, regardless of the matchup.

Key stat: Booker is 14-6 against this line since the all-star break.

Best NBA picks

Butler over 25.5 points/rebounds (-110): Butler has had a roller coaster of a season, but he’s settling in nicely with the Golden State Warriors.

He’s now played just over 20 games with his new team, but I want to focus on his stats over the last 12:

18.3 PPG
6.9 rebounds
8-4 against this line

Butler played 34.3 minutes per game during that time and everything seems to be falling in place for the Warriors.

Golden State has a 17-4 record with Butler in the lineup, showing how important it is for the forward to be involved early and often each night.

The San Antonio Spurs own the sixth-worst defensive rating in the NBA (117.8), so I wouldn’t be surprised if Butler tops this number with points alone.

Duren over 22.5 points/rebounds (-118): Cade Cunningham remains out for the Detroit Pistons so they’ve had to look elsewhere for production.

Dennis Schroder is filling in at point guard and is a formidable replacement in the pick and roll.

That allows Duren to stay active on offence, even without Cunningham in the lineup.

In the Pistons’ last game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Duren had 16 points and 13 rebounds in a winning effort.

Since the calendar flipped to 2025, the Pistons’ big man has taken his play to a new level:

42 games played
13.4 points/game
11.0 rebounds/game
28-14 against this line

The Minnesota Timberwolves provide a tough matchup for Duren but I view it as a reason to get in on his props at a discount.

NBA prop picks made at 12:40 p.m. ET on 03/30/2025.

Best NBA props March 30: Picks on Jimmy Butler and Devin Booker

Jimmy Butler highlights Sunday’s NBA prop picks.

The pregame narrative: The newest member of the Golden State Warriors is playing his best basketball down the stretch and I want in. The other two players featured in today’s props are Devin Booker and Jalen Duren.

Check out the best NBA prop bets for March 30.

NBA prop bets

Best Bet: Booker over 6.5 assists (-124)

Embed: #111899

This has been an achievable number for Booker, who has taken his playmaking to a new level.

Over the past eight games, he’s averaged 9.4 assists per game. That’s a huge jump from his 7.1 season average.

This level isn’t limited to only the past several games, however. Since the all-star break, Booker has been averaging 8.2 assists per night. That’s a 20-game sample size.

The Houston Rockets are a good defensive team but this is a line I’m intrigued by, regardless of the matchup.

Key stat: Booker is 14-6 against this line since the all-star break.

Best NBA picks

Butler over 23.5 points/rebounds (-125): Butler has had a roller coaster of a season, but he’s settling in nicely with the Golden State Warriors.

He’s now played just over 20 games with his new team, but I want to focus on his stats over the last 12:

18.3 PPG
6.9 rebounds
8-4 against this line

Butler played 34.3 minutes per game during that time and everything seems to be falling in place for the Warriors.

Golden State has a 17-4 record with Butler in the lineup, showing how important it is for the forward to be involved early and often each night.

The San Antonio Spurs own the sixth-worst defensive rating in the NBA (117.8), so I wouldn’t be surprised if Butler tops this number with points alone.

Duren over 22.5 points/rebounds (-127): Cade Cunningham remains out for the Detroit Pistons so they’ve had to look elsewhere for production.

Dennis Schroder is filling in at point guard and is a formidable replacement in the pick and roll.

That allows Duren to stay active on offence, even without Cunningham in the lineup.

In the Pistons’ last game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Duren had 16 points and 13 rebounds in a winning effort.

Since the calendar flipped to 2025, the Pistons’ big man has taken his play to a new level:

42 games played
13.4 points/game
11.0 rebounds/game
28-14 against this line

The Minnesota Timberwolves provide a tough matchup for Duren but I view it as a reason to get in on his props at a discount.

NBA prop picks made at 12:40 p.m. ET on 03/30/2025.

Michigan State vs. Auburn SGP Elite Eight predictions: Bet Broome in +310 ticket

The Michigan State Spartans and Auburn Tigers battle for a spot in the Final Four.

The pregame narrative: Johni Broome has been a force all year for Auburn and I predict another strong performance in the Elite Eight. Also, take Michigan State to cover an alternate spread and Spartans’ guard Jase Richardson to fill the basket.

Check out my Michigan State vs. Auburn SGP predictions for their Elite Eight matchup on March 30.

Michigan State vs. Auburn predictions

Parlay: Michigan State +7.5 | Broome over 18.5 points | Richardson 15+ points (+310)

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Michigan State +7.5 (-167): Firstly, I have to mention that Michigan State has only failed to cover this spread in two of their 36 games this season. That’s an incredible hit rate.

Both of those losses came in November, the first month of the season.

Auburn has covered this spread in all three March Madness games but fell short against some better competition leading into the tournament.

In the final four games, the Tigers lost to the Tennessee Volunteers, Alabama Crimson Tide and the Texas A&M Aggies. The other contest was a five-point win over the Ole Miss Rebels

Those teams are at a similar level to the Spartans. Michigan State ranks in the top-25 for offensive and top-five defensive for rating, per KenPom.com.

Auburn could win this game; I’m not denying that, but this is too many points.

NCAA SGP legs

Broome over 18.5 points (-177): The hulking senior has been Auburn’s engine on offence all season long.

He ranked 49th in the nation in scoring (18.5 points per game) on over 50% shooting from the field.

Broome fell short of this total in the first two games but took over for Auburn in its biggest game against the Michigan Wolverines.

The most promising part about the forward is his volume. He wasn’t very efficient against Michigan, going 9-for-21 from the field.

But that’s a hefty shot total, and a similar performance would significantly increase his chances of scoring 19 or more points.

Broome has performed better against good teams. He averaged 20.1 PPG in 22 games against Quad 1 opponents this season.

Richardson 15+ points (-180): I went with Richardson 16-plus points in my Elite Eight prop picks, so why not tease it down a notch and include it in this SGP?

The shoot-first guard shot 50.2% from the field and 42.0% from 3 this season. He scored 15-plus in nine of 11 games in which he played 30 or more minutes.

The freshman improved as the year went on, surpassing this mark in six of the Spartans’ final seven games before the tournament.

He’s coming off his best performance, too. Richardson scored 20 points while hitting four of six 3s against Ole Miss in the Sweet 16.

Michigan State vs. Auburn predictions made at 10:25 a.m. on 03/30/25

Orioles vs. Blue Jays SGP predictions March 30: Expect Chris Bassitt to be productive in season debut

The Toronto Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles end their four-game opening series at the Rogers Centre on Sunday.

The pregame narrative: I’ve got reason to believe the Blue Jays have the pitching advantage, giving them the edge in the series finale. Take the moneyline with prop picks on Chris Bassitt and Cedric Mullins.

Check out my +295 SGP Orioles vs. Blue Jays predictions for March 30.

Orioles vs. Blue Jays predictions

SGP: Jays ML | Bassitt over 4.5 Ks | Mullins 1+ hit (+295)

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Jays ML (-132): Little MLB data exists on Orioles starter Tomoyuki Sugano, but he seems to be the type of pitcher the Jays can mash.

He is a low-velocity arm with an arsenal of pitch types. Here’s how he used different pitches in the Japan Central League in 2024:

Fastball (34%)
Cutter (21%)
Slider (20%)
Splitter (16%)
Curveball (9%)

If we look at how Blue Jays top hitter Vladimir Guerrero Jr. fares against these pitches, it starts to paint a positive picture for Toronto.

In 2024, he hit .331 against fastballs, .435 against cutters and .318 against sliders, per FanGraphs.

Bo Bichette also hit above .330 against four-seam and cut fastballs two seasons ago when he was healthy.

If those two get on base early and often, there should be ample opportunity for the middle of Toronto’s order to cash some runs.

I have Chris Bassitt down for a big game, too, but more on him next.

MLB SGP legs

Bassitt 5+ Ks (-210): If anything, the Jays need Bassitt to eat some innings.

Max Scherzer had a tough first inning on Saturday but was starting to roll before being pulled because of an injury. He only lasted three innings, forcing Toronto to use five relievers.

Toronto will end this four-game set and immediately open another series tomorrow against the Washington Nationals.

Bassitt had back-to-back starts against the Orioles last season and had mixed results:

At Baltimore: 4.0 IP, 9 hits, 5 ER, 3 Ks
At home: 7.0 IP, 3 hits, 2 ER, 9 Ks

This contest will be in Toronto, so that’s the good news. The longer Bassitt can go, the better for this leg of the parlay — and the Jays.

Bassitt had a strong spring training, for what it’s worth, pitching 20.2 innings, recording a 1.74 ERA and 18 Ks.

Mullins 1+ hit (-210): The Orioles’ long-time outfielder started 2025 the right way.

Mullins has four hits in three games, including two home runs. His 1.262 OPS probably won’t hold up, but it’s elite while it lasts.

He has been successful against Bassitt in their few meetings. In five plate appearances, he’s collected two hits and a walk.

I don’t expect the Orioles’ offence to get much on Sunday, but a hit from Mullins isn’t a lot to ask for.

Orioles vs. Blue Jays predictions made at 8:31 a.m. ET on 03/30/2025.

Sunday’s best March Madness Elite Eight prop bets: Back guards Richardson and Cryer

There are two spots in the Final Four up for grabs on Sunday and I have a prop pick for each game.

The pregame narrative: Jase Richardson Jr. came into the tournament on a tear and I like the Michigan State Spartans guard to go over this points total. My other pick is on Houston Cougars guard L.J. Cryer.

Check out the best March Madness prop bets for March 30.

March Madness prop bets

Best Bet: Richardson Jr. over 15.5 points (-120)

Richardson came into the tournament off the back of some big performances against some good teams.

He cleared this line in four straight games prior, averaging 18.6 points per game.

The freshman then fell short in the first two games but showed up when it mattered against the Ole Miss Rebels. He dropped 20 points on 6-of-8 shooting and 4-of-6 from deep.

Six of the eight remaining teams rank inside the top 10 in the nation for defensive rating, per KenPom.com, so there are few easy matchups left.

It then becomes about finding an edge, and I think there’s one here with Richardson, who can light it up from deep on any given night.

Key stat: Richardson has 50.2/42.0/83.2 shooting splits and has scored 15-plus in nine of 11 games in which he played 30 or more minutes.

Best March Madness pick

Cryer over 15.5 points (-106): The senior guard has had mixed results at this tournament:

Round of 64: 15 points, 5-of-12 shooting
Round of 32: 30 points, 8-of-15 shooting
Sweet 16: 5 points, 2-of-13 shooting

He shot 1-for-5 from 3 in that last performance. However, I feel comfortable saying that’s an outlier performance for the 42.4% 3-point shooter.

The Tennessee Volunteers attempt 24.3 3s per game. I expect the Cougars to lean on the veteran leadership and 3-point shooting of Cryer to keep pace.

March Madness prop bets made at 3:36 p.m. ET on 03/29/2025.

Sunday’s best March Madness Elite Eight prop bets: Back guards Richardson and Cryer

There are two spots in the Final Four up for grabs on Sunday and I have a prop pick for each game.

The pregame narrative: Jase Richardson Jr. came into the tournament on a tear and I like the Michigan State Spartans guard to go over this points total. My other pick is on Houston Cougars guard L.J. Cryer.

Check out the best March Madness prop bets for March 30.

March Madness prop bets

Best Bet: Richardson Jr. over 15.5 points (-127)

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Richardson came into the tournament off the back of some big performances against some good teams.

He cleared this line in four straight games prior, averaging 18.6 points per game.

The freshman then fell short in the first two games but showed up when it mattered against the Ole Miss Rebels. He dropped 20 points on 6-of-8 shooting and 4-of-6 from deep.

Six of the eight remaining teams rank inside the top 10 in the nation for defensive rating, per KenPom.com, so there are few easy matchups left.

It then becomes about finding an edge, and I think there’s one here with Richardson, who can light it up from deep on any given night.

Key stat: Richardson has 50.2/42.0/83.2 shooting splits and has scored 15-plus in nine of 11 games in which he played 30 or more minutes.

Best March Madness pick

Cryer over 14.5 points (-122): The senior guard has had mixed results at this tournament:

Round of 64: 15 points, 5-of-12 shooting
Round of 32: 30 points, 8-of-15 shooting
Sweet 16: 5 points, 2-of-13 shooting

He shot 1-for-5 from 3 in that last performance. However, I feel comfortable saying that’s an outlier performance for the 42.4% 3-point shooter.

Cryer cleared this mark in 11 of the final 15 games before the tournament.

The Tennessee Volunteers attempt 24.3 3s per game. I expect the Cougars to lean on the veteran leadership and 3-point shooting of Cryer to keep pace.

March Madness prop bets made at 2:22 p.m. ET on 03/29/2025.

Best MLB prop bets March 29: Bet on big bats Alvarez and Guerrero Jr.

Yordan Alvarez’s power is highlighted in Saturday’s MLB prop bets.

The pregame narrative: I’m betting on the slugger to get his first hit of the season in style. I also have picks on Max Muncy and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Check out the best MLB prop bets for Saturday, March 29.

MLB prop bets

Best bet: Alvarez over 1.5 total bases (+105)

Alvarez is hitless in two games to start the season but it hasn’t been all that bad.

He has three walks, translating to a .375 OBP, which is above average. Walks don’t help us here but I think this is the perfect spot for Alvarez to break out with the bat.

In 13 at-bats against New York Mets starter Griffin Canning, he has seven hits (.539 batting average)

That includes one double, two home runs and more walks (3) than strikeouts (2).
Canning has a career ERA of 4.78 and is coming off his second-worst season in the majors (5.19 ERA).

The Astro’s top slugger sees Canning well and is in a great spot to have his first great game of the season.

Key stat: In 2024, Yordan Alvarez racked up a career-high 313 total bases.

Best MLB picks

Muncy 1+ RBI (+165): Muncy’s had a rough start to the season; there’s no denying that. He has one hit in 14 at-bats and is looking for his first RBI.

The good news is that he’ll be in a prime position to be productive tonight.

In three plate appearances against Detroit Tigers starter Reese Olson, Muncy has one single, one walk and one home run.

He batted .256 against right-handed pitching last season, with 41 RBI, per Fan Graphs. That’s much better than his .172 average against lefties.

With Olson on the mound, Muncy should continue hitting in the five-hole behind Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Teoscar Hernandez.

That’s a premium spot to be in to drive in some runs. I’ll gladly take a shot at this price.

Guerrero Jr. over 1.5 total bases (+100): There’s arguably no better matchup for a hitter on today’s slate.

Guerrero has seen Oriloes’ starter Dean Kremer 30 times, batting .357 with 5 home runs and two doubles.

And I know it’s only two games, but I’m convinced the slugger is in for a great season after his incredible second half of 2024.

He had two walks on opening night, scoring one of the Blue Jays’ two runs. He followed that up with a two-hit performance yesterday with one going for extra bases.

MLB prop picks made at 12:30 p.m. ET on 03/29/2025.

Best MLB prop bets March 29: Bet on big bats Alvarez and Guerrero Jr.

Yordan Alvarez’s power is highlighted in Saturday’s MLB prop bets.

The pregame narrative: I’m betting on the slugger to get his first hit of the season in style. I also have picks on Max Muncy and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Check out the best MLB prop bets for Saturday, March 29.

MLB prop bets

Best bet: Alvarez over 1.5 total bases (+112)

Alvarez is hitless in two games to start the season but it hasn’t been all that bad.

He has three walks, translating to a .375 OBP, which is above average. Walks don’t help us here but I think this is the perfect spot for Alvarez to break out with the bat.

In 13 at-bats against New York Mets starter Griffin Canning, he has seven hits (.539 batting average)

That includes one double, two home runs and more walks (3) than strikeouts (2).
Canning has a career ERA of 4.78 and is coming off his second-worst season in the majors (5.19 ERA).

The Astro’s top slugger sees Canning well and is in a great spot to have his first great game of the season.

Key stat: In 2024, Yordan Alvarez racked up a career-high 313 total bases.

Best MLB picks

Muncy 1+ RBI (+190): Muncy’s had a rough start to the season; there’s no denying that. He has one hit in 14 at-bats and is looking for his first RBI.

The good news is that he’ll be in a prime position to be productive tonight.

In three plate appearances against Detroit Tigers starter Reese Olson, Muncy has one single, one walk and one home run.

He batted .256 against right-handed pitching last season, with 41 RBI, per Fan Graphs. That’s much better than his .172 average against lefties.

With Olson on the mound, Muncy should continue hitting in the five-hole behind Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Teoscar Hernandez.

That’s a premium spot to be in to drive in some runs. I’ll gladly take a shot at this price.

Guerrero Jr. over 1.5 total bases (-106): There’s arguably no better matchup for a hitter on today’s slate.

Guerrero has seen Oriloes’ starter Dean Kremer 30 times, batting .357 with 5 home runs and two doubles.

And I know it’s only two games, but I’m convinced the slugger is in for a great season after his incredible second half of 2024.

He had two walks on opening night, scoring one of the Blue Jays’ two runs. He followed that up with a two-hit performance yesterday with one going for extra bases.

MLB prop picks made at 12:30 p.m. ET on 03/29/2025.

Best NBA prop bets March 29: Picks on guards Derrick White and Tyrese Haliburton

The NBA shows seven games on the schedule for Saturday and I have three prop bets for the action.

The pregame narrative: Derrick White is playing big minutes regularly for the Boston Celtics, giving him good value on his props vs. the San Antonio Spurs tonight. Elsewhere, I have picks on Tyrese Haliburton and Keegan Murray.

Check out the best NBA prop bets for March 29.

NBA prop bets

Best Bet: White over 19.5 points/assists (-115)

The biggest concern here is a blowout but White seems to be the guy who logs a lot of playing time, no matter the score.

He’s played 30-plus minutes in 15 of the last 16 games, averaging 34.7 per night. During that time, White averaged 27.7 points/rebounds/assists.

So, the blowout factor certainly seems to be weighing into White’s line, but I don’t see a reason to worry. If anything, I see it as a reason to jump in on a discount.

Earlier this season, White played 39 minutes in a win against the Spurs, recording 28 points/assists.

Key stat: He’s cleared this modest total in three of four games against San Antonio since being traded to the Celtics a few years ago.

Best NBA picks

Haliburton over 9.5 assists (-134): In the Indiana Pacers’ last game against the Washington Wizards, Haliburton had 29 points and six assists. He only played 24 minutes in a 51-point blowout win.

Before that, the point guard had double-digit assists in 12 straight games. That’s a nice floor to work with.

The Pacers are also playing well, going 8-2 over their last 10 games. They should be able to keep this contest close enough to keep the starters in for their normal workloads.

If that’s the case, Haliburton will not have it as easy as he did vs. the Wizards so expect him to get back to his strength, which is passing the ball.

Murray over 12.5 points (-118): How about a pick for the early game?

Murray, much like Haliburton, has a tough matchup, but this number is too low for me to pass on.

If we look at the past 16 games, Murray has been very reliable as a scorer:

14.8 PPG
12-4 against this line

The Orlando Magic are very good defensively, allowing the fewest points per game in the NBA (106.0).

But Murray recently had 28 points against the Thunder, arguably the best defensive team in the league, so I’m not worried about the matchup.

NBA prop picks made at 11:43 a.m. ET on 03/29/2025.

Alabama vs. Duke Elite Eight SGP predictions: Tail Mark Sears, Khaman Maluach in +310 wager

The Alabama Crimson Tide and Duke Blue Devils battle in the Elite Eight on Saturday.

The pregame narrative: Both teams have very good offences so I’ll back a teased-down over for this game. This +310 SGP also includes prop picks on Mark Sears and Khaman Maluach.

Check out my Alabama vs. Duke SGP predictions for their Elite Eight matchup on March 29.

Alabama vs. Duke predictions

Parlay: Over 170.5 points | Sears over 19.5 points | Maluach over 8.5 points (+310)

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Over 170.5 points (-167): These offensive units are capable of putting up NBA-type numbers.

We saw that with Alabama last time out. It scored 113 points against the BYU Cougars. Duke was just as good, scoring 100 points in a shootout with the Arizona Wildcats.

It’s not surprising considering Alabama ranks fourth in offensive rating (127.5), while Duke ranks first (130.2), per KenPom.com.

Both teams sit near the top in defensive rating, too, but I think the offence can shine through.

Alabama and Duke have each scored 80-plus in all their March Madness games so far.

NCAA SGP legs

Sears over 19.5 points (-157): The Crimson Tide will need Sears to show up if they want a shot at upsetting Duke.

He’s coming off his best game where he dropped 34 points, attempting 16 threes and making 10 of them. Overall, he’s 2-1 against this line at the tournament.

Sears didn’t play well at the SEC tournament, going under this total in all three games. But he cashed this wager in five straight games prior.

That included a 30-point performance over the Florida Gators, 24 points against the Tennessee Volunteers and 30 points against the Kentucky Wildcats.

All of those teams were in the Round of 16, and two were in the Elite Eight.

Sears had a down year but still averaged 19-plus points and did so in three of his five college seasons.

He’s proven to be capable against elite teams and I predict another strong showing when the lights are the brightest.

Maluach over 8.5 points (-124): The 7-foot-2 freshman doesn’t need a lot of volume to surpass this low total.

Round of 64: 11 points, 5-of-5 shooting
Round of 32: 8 points, 3-of-3 shooting
Round of 16: 13 points, 6-of-8 shooting

As the games have become more important, Maluach has received more playing time. Since I feel this game is going to have a ton of points, I also feel he will have above-average volume.

If he does see any sort of uptick in shot attempts, he should smash this total.

Texas Tech vs. Florida predictions made at 3:45 p.m. on 03/28/25