Free NBA Picks Today for Tuesday, May 4th, 2021

Free NBA Picks Today for Tuesday, May 4th, 2021
Tue 4th May 2021

Another night, another incredible slate of action and our experts have pulled the five best games of the night for our NBA picks.

Milwaukee and Brooklyn will face off for the second time in three nights, with the Bucks looking for the mini-sweep of this two-game series. Will KD and Kyrie be able to turn things around for the Nets or will Giannis and the Bucks be too powerful yet again?

We have all of the answers and everything you need before placing your bets on tonight’s action, so don’t miss out on our NBA picks.

Phoenix Suns @ Cleveland Cavaliers – 7PM ET

The Cleveland Cavaliers have lost a league-worst six straight games and now host the red-hot Phoenix Suns, who have the best road record this season. This is a massive miss-match and it is hard to see how the Cavs can be competitive in this one.

The Cavs average margin over their losing streak is nearly 14 points per game with three of the last four being 17+. On top of that, there are fresh reports that Collin Sexton is causing serious frustration for teammates, with some of the Cleveland players unhappy with how he dominates the ball. It is unfortunate for Sexton as he has been the Cavs’ best player all season and a needed scoring punch for the lacklustre team.

Phoenix should be looking to capatilise on this as they aim for a fifth straight win. After playing the Knicks, Clippers and Jazz, Sunday’s game against the Thunder was actually the Suns’ closest, winning by just three points. Devin Booker had a game high 32 points while Chris Paul added 18 points and 11 assists but it was the Suns’ defense that was the issue. Giving up 120 points to the lowest ranked offense in the league isn’t a good sign for Phoenix, who are ranked sixth defensively. 

In saying that, we fully expect the Suns to come out hard from the jump and put this one on ice early. After such a poor showing on Sunday, Phoenix will come out with a heavy focus on the defensive end in this one and the Cavs just don’t have enough weapons or defensive effort to keep up.

NBA Pick – Phoenix Suns (-1000)
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Brooklyn Nets @ Milwaukee Bucks – 7:30PM ET

After Sunday afternoon’s spectacle, we can’t wait for this clash. The Milwaukee Bucks got the better of the Brooklyn Nets two days ago, winning 117-114 in the first game of this two game set. Both sides gave everything they had in the first clash, with the loss for Brooklyn meaning they have relinquished top spot in the conference while sitting just 2.5 games ahead of Milwaukee with two weeks to go.

Kevin Durant was exceptional for the Nets, scoring 42 points and adding 10 rebounds. The one criticism is that he needed 33 shots to get there and had three most turnovers than assists. Durant was hounded by Giannis Antetokounmpo, who ended with three blocks, all night with the Greek Freak’s length and athleticism giving KD issues with his shot and playmaking ability. 

Antetokounmpo wasn’t just a pest on defense, he was in an attack mindset on the other end. Giannis ended with 49 points for the game, his third highest scoring output of his career. He was far more efficient than Durant and that was a big reason why the Bucks ended up with the win.

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Another reason was the battle of the second fiddles. Kyrie Irving managed 20 points on just 38.1% shooting, adding seven boards, six assists and two steals too. Khris Middleton played much better though, scoring 26 points on 52.4% shooting, along with a game high 11 rebounds, six assists and two steals. 

You could even argue Jrue Holiday, whose defense on Irving was a big factor in all of this, played better than Irving, meaning Milwaukee had three of the top four players from the game. With James Harden still sidelined, the pressure is on Irving to deliver and Sunday showed that he can’t always do that, especially with a top flight defensive opponent. 

While Milwaukee won by three points, Brooklyn had some big wins in some key statistical categories that normally leads to wins. The Nets shot five more free throws but made nine more than the Bucks whilst also winning the rebound count and collecting six more offensive boards. The fact that Milwaukee still won despite losing those categories, shows that the Bucks are playing as a team, playing effectively and could win by even more if they turn those key areas around.

NBA Pick – Milwaukee Bucks (-132)
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Golden State Warriors @ New Orleans Pelicans – 8PM ET

The Golden State Warriors will look to make it two wins over the New Orleans Pelicans in two nights, and all but lock themselves into a play-in spot in the West. In the Marvel inspired ‘Arena of Heroes’ clash last night, Golden State ran away with the 123-108 win. 

Steph Curry had an insane 41 points on 53.8% shooting from the floor, making eight threes and adding eight assists. However, this performance wasn’t enough to see him crowned the Arena of Heroes Champion, with Draymond Green’s triple double getting him over the line. Green ended with 15 assists, 13 rebounds, 10 points, three steals and two blocks, good enough for 48 ‘Hero Points’ and the title of the first ever Marvel Arena of Heroes Champion.

On the other side of the ball, Zion Williamson had his usual efficient, big night, scoring 32 points on 50% shooting but his lack of help was the Pelicans’ downfall. Brandon Ingram had 19 points but Lonzo Ball managed just seven on 3/18 (16.7%) shooting. The trio combined for 10 turnovers, wasting opportunities to get back in the game.

Curry’s hot shooting helped the Warriors claim a 39-21 lead after the first quarter and that continued through the remainder of the game. It is hard to see how New Orleans can turn things around in just 24 hours, only hoping that Curry’s shooting cools off. The win, along with Memphis’ loss to the Knicks, saw Golden State climb to eighth in the West, a position they won’t want to give up down the stretch.

NBA Pick – Golden State Warriors (+104)
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Dallas Mavericks @ Miami Heat – 8PM ET

A battle of the two sixth placed sides in the league as the Miami Heat host the Dallas Mavericks tonight. When these teams first met, the Mavs won an ugly, low scoring game, 93-83. Both sides are much better offensively now and should have a bit more desperation on the court, given how close we are to the end of the regular season.

Dallas comes into this game going 6-2 over their last eight games, only losing to Sacramento, twice, over that span. It is some seriously good form but Sunday night’s home loss to the lowly Kings has to worry Rick Carlisle and the team. The Mavs managed just 99 points against the worst defense in the league, even with Luka Doncic putting up 30 points, six rebounds, six assists and two steals. 

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Another worrying aspect to come out of this game is Doncic’s technical foul problem. He now has 15 technicals for the season, one away from a one game suspension. Given how tight the race for fifth place is in the West, with just a singular game splitting three teams, the Mavs can’t afford to lose their superstar. 

Given what we know about Jimmy Butler, you better believe he will be doing everything he can to get under the skin of Doncic, doing whatever he can to ensure his side wins. Butler had a relatively easy going night on Sunday, playing just 28 minutes in the Heat’s 121-111 win in Charlotte. Bam Adebayo had an incredible all around game, considering he is a center, with 20 points, 10 assists and seven boards.

Kristaps Porzingis is listed as doubtful for the Mavs and after playing just one from their last five and a date with Brooklyn on Thursday, we are expecting him to be out for this game. While Dallas has still played good basketball without him, they are worse when he is on the sidelines and the Heat, with their top 10 defense, will be able to take advantage.

NBA Pick – Miami Heat (-146)
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Toronto Raptors @ Los Angeles Clippers – 10PM ET

We round out the night with the Toronto Raptors attempting to complete the Los Angeles sweep, aiming to take down the Clippers two nights after beating the Lakers. While the Clippers have been better than the Lakers this season, they have lost three straight games and need to turn things around sooner rather than later. 

After losses in Denver and Utah to start their road trip, the Raptors had some brilliance from Pascal Siakam and Kyle Lowry to get them over the line against the Lakers on Sunday. On the second night of a back to back, Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby and Gary Trent Jr were all OUT for Toronto but Siakam and Lowry combined for 76 points on 58.7% shooting from the field and 12/21 from deep. The other three starters combined for just four points but the Raptors didn’t even need them with their two stars leading the way.

VanVleet and Anunoby are expected back for this heavyweight clash while Trent Jr is just questionable to return. The Raptors will need all of the reinforcements they can get their hands on, as despite losing three straight games, the Clippers are still one of the better teams in the competition.

After playing just one of their previous 10 games, Kawhi Leonard returned to the court on Saturday, but it wasn’t enough as LA fell 104-110 to the Nuggets. Leonard managed just 16 points in the clash with Paul George’s usage and efficiency taking a hit with his return. George only had 20 points on a dismal 23.8% shooting from the field but the big stat was that he had just two assists, tied for his lowest output all season.

Toronto, at least in terms of overall record, is worse than the three teams that Los Angeles have lost to over their three game losing streak, indicating that they should be able to come out and dictate how they want to play. While the Lakers are just 18-15 at home this season, something Toronto took advantage of, the Clippers are 24-9, taking much more pride in defending home court. 

NBA Pick – Los Angeles Clippers (-400)
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*Odds and spreads correct at time of publication, courtesy of FanDuel

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Tim is a keen follower of all American sports, in particular the NBA and NFL. He has followed both sports for over a decade and would happily sit down and watch every game, regardless of who is playing! No matter the sport, whether it be NFL and NBA or even MLB, NHL, UFC and all sports, Tim covers it from every angle, staying in the loop to bring you the most up-to-date information and the best picks and predictions on the market.