Free NBA Expert and Computer Picks For Every Game May 1, 2026
DET
@
ORL
Fri, May 1 • 7:00 PM ET
Jalen Duren u13.5 Points Scored (-112)
Jalen Duren led the Pistons on the offensive glass in Game 5, grabbing five offensive rebounds that yielded four points for the center. And yet, he still scored just 12 points. In fact, Duren has not cleared this points prop in any of the five games of this series.
If Detroit had not so thrived on the offensive glass in Game 5, it likely would have been the fourth game out of five in this series to cash its Under. Betting against Duren because those offensive rebounds should not be as available also coincides with a bet on the Under as well as a bet on Orlando winning this series at home.
CLE
@
TOR
Fri, May 1 • 7:30 PM ET
Evan Mobley o16.5 Points Scored (-110)
The Cavs made an effort to feed Evan Mobley the ball in the second half of Game 5 and he scored 16 of his 23 points in those final two quarters. Toronto's frontcourt is limping into Game 6 with Barnes and Ingram hobbled. The Raptors frontcourt is running out of options against the versatile Mobley, who is projected for as many as 18 points. I believe his ceiling is much high considering the focused effort to feed the bigs and the injuries to Toronto's defenders.
The Cavaliers came out feeding their big men in the second half of Game 5. Toronto doesn’t have the bodies to battle that halfcourt attack, which will slow the pace of this game. The Raptors offense will also be disjointed with Brandon Ingram potentially out and Scottie Barnes limping around the court, unable to create his own shot.
Sharp NBA bets and market edges - available only to subscribers.
LAL
@
HOU
Fri, May 1 • 9:30 PM ET
LeBron James o7.5 Total Assists (-130)
In games with Reaves in and Luka Doncic out, James becomes the primary ball handler. And if we look across the Lakers’ season, we see LeBron dishing out around 10 assists per contest in those Luka-less spots. He had only seven assists on 13 potential dimes in Game 5 and his projections for Friday lean toward eight assists. With improved shooting fueled by Reaves shaking off the rust and tightening the belt on turnovers, I don’t see L.A. pissing away James’ passes and have a higher assist ceiling for “The King”.
LeBron might be too old to play games with the press, but he’s more than spry enough to put the Lakers on his back. On top of his passing prowess, James is projected to score 23+ points and grab 7+ rebounds — essentially his average stat line for this series. LeBron is preaching offense heading back to Houston. He’s a man of his word.
Covers’ NBA analysts have over 25 years of experience making smart basketball picks from the season’s opening tip to the NBA Finals.
We find the best NBA odds and share our picks and NBA best bets for the biggest games of the basketball season — right here on this page.
Our picks are researched and analyzed by experienced sports bettors looking for an edge to get the best value from their NBA betting
Making smart NBA picks means looking beyond the favorites. Our free expert NBA picks will include a wide variety of bet types and markets.
NBA point spreads even the odds between two teams, offering bettors as close to an even pick as possible. Our analysts research stats, matchups, injuries, and more to give you the best edge possible before making your NBA point spread bet.
Covers’ analysts make NBA Over/Under picks throughout the basketball season. Betting on NBA Over/Unders means choosing whether you think the combined total score of a game will be Over or Under a specific total set by oddsmakers.
Betting on the NBA moneyline means picking which team will win a game outright. While less common than picking the spread, or a prop, our analysts will always look for high-value NBA moneyline picks if they feel it’s the best bet.
There’s always value in NBA props. Our team scours through game, team, and player props to try and find opportunity and value. From player points to total threes made, expect well-researched NBA prop picks from Covers.
Covers’ consensus NBA picks highlight the odds and predictions that our vibrant community of bettors and players are making. Try our picks on with our free NBA contests for a chance at prizes and more.
If you’re ready to bet on NBA picks, you first need to find the right sportsbook. The best NBA betting sites offer secure banking, best odds, bonuses, and reliable customer service.
Covers’ staff of sports betting fans also offers a wide array of free picks for the NBA, MLB, NHL, NCAA basketball, and NCAA football.
Covers NBA picks generally release on game day. Some significant matchups like playoff games release in the days leading up to the game.
Covers provides free NBA picks covering many markets, including point spreads, totals, moneylines, player props, and more.
Established in 1995,
All Picks
NFL
NCAAF
MLB
NBA
NCAAB
NHL
CFL
WNBA
Golf
World Cup
