The NBA All-Star break is approaching, and that has led to a massive slate on Wednesday night.

All 30 teams are in action on Wednesday night, and there are some terrific matchups to consider betting on:

On Monday night, yours truly went 4-for-5 in these NBA Best Bets – pushing my 2024-25 season record closing into the green after a rather slow start. Could tonight, with so many teams in action, be yet another strong performance?

I have several bets that I’m eyeing for this slate, including a prop play for Milwaukee Bucks star Damian Lillard. 

Here’s a full breakdown of Wednesday’s best bets. 

Find Peter Dewey’s NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on  BetStamp here.

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Atlanta Hawks +8 (-110) vs. New York Knicks – 0.5 unit

Let’s start in New York, where the New York Knicks are coming off a big win over the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday night.

Now, the Knicks are playing the second night of a back-to-back against the Atlanta Hawks, a team that has given them issues this season. Atlanta is 2-1 against New York this season, although it did lose the last meeting between these teams by eight points in New York. 

Despite that, I like the Hawks to cover here.

Atlanta is on a three-game winning streak, moving into the No. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference in the process. The Hawks are also one of the better teams against the spread as road underdogs (13-9 against the spread) in the 2024-25 campaign.

Since the Knicks have such a short rotation – and may once again be without OG Anunoby – I’m concerned about them covering such a large number. New York is also one of the worst teams in the NBA on the second night of a back-to-back, covering in just two of seven games.

I’ll take the points in this rivalry matchup.  

Isaiah Hartenstein OVER 11.5 Rebounds (-125) – 0.5 unit

The Oklahoma City Thunder will not play Chet Holmgren on Wednesday against the Miami Heat, and that sets up Isaiah Hartenstein to play big minutes – and have a big game on the glass.

Miami is just 26th in the NBA in opponent rebounds per game, and Hartenstein enters this matchup averaging 12.1 rebounds per game. He’s cleared 11.5 boards in 20 of his 32 games this season, including an 18-rebound game against these Heat.

Hartenstein is a no-brainer at this number with Holmgren resting. 

Damian Lillard OVER 27.5 Points (-105) – 0.5 unit

With Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) out for Milwaukee, Damian Lillard has taken on an even bigger role scoring the ball.

Over his last two games, Dame has attempted 27 and 20 shots (20 free throws overall as well), scoring 43 and 38 points for the Bucks. 

Dame is now averaging 25.8 points per game while shooting 45.2 percent from the field and 38.2 percent from beyond the arc. While Minnesota is one of the 10 best defensive teams in the NBA, Lillard should be in line for another 20 or so shots, making him extremely hard to fade at this number. 

Walker Kessler to Record a Double-Double (-130) – 0.5 unit

Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler has 22 double-doubles in the 2024-25 season, including one against the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night. 

In that game, Kessler had 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field and 12 rebounds. Kessler is averaging a double-double (11.2 points, 11.9 rebounds) in the 2024-25 campaign, and he gets another crack at this weak Lakers frontcourt. 

While Kessler doesn’t get a ton of usage as a scorer, he should be able to get to 10 points against this LA defense. Kessler has three straight double-doubles, averaging 15.7 points and 17.3 rebounds per game during that stretch. 

3-Team Moneyline Parlay (-132) – 0.5 unit

Los Angeles Lakers Moneyline

The Lakers haven’t been one of the best teams in the NBA against the spread on the road, going 4-6-1 as a road favorite.

However, it’s taking on a Utah team that has struggled at home all season long, going 11-11 against the spread as a home underdog (with an average scoring margin of -7.9 points per game) while winning just five of 23 home games. 

The Lakers started the Luka Doncic era off with a bang, beating Utah by 19 points on Monday night, and I expect another dominant showing on Wednesday.

Over their last 10 games, the Lakers are 9-1 and they’ve won six straight. Plus, they’re No. 2 in the NBA in net rating (+14.1) over that stretch. 

Orlando Magic Moneyline

The Orlando Magic have been up and down this season, but they have a cupcake matchup at home on Wednesday night.

Orlando is 16-10 straight up at home, and it’s covered the spread in 12 of 19 games as a home favorite. Meanwhile, the Hornets are down LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Mark Williams and Tre Mann tonight, leaving them with very limited scoring options. 

The Hornets have lost eight of their last 10, but they are 11-7-1 against the spread as road underdogs. Still, without Ball, the Hornets have been terrible.

They have a 1-17 record in the 18 games that Ball has missed, and they average nearly nine points per game less than when he does play. For an Orlando team that struggles on offense, this should help it cover the double-digit spread – and certainly win – on Wednesday. 

Denver Nuggets Moneyline

The Denver Nuggets dominated the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night, scoring 146 points in a 29-point win.

Now, they’re heavily favored at home on Wednesday – where they’ve been elite against the spread this season.

Denver is 13-7-1 against the spread as a home favorite, including Monday’s win over the Blazers. Portland has been elite on defense during a recent surge (7-3 in its last 10 games), but it has lost two games in a row and won’t have several key players tonight.

Deandre Ayton and Scoot Henderson while Jerami Grant, Robert Williams III and Kris Murray are all questionable. 

I believe Denver is the team to back at home tonight. 

Jimmy Butler OVER 18.5 Points (-125) – 0.5 unit

Jimmy Butler has been terrific since making his Golden State Warriors debut, scoring 25 and 20 points while attempting 12 shots in each game.

The bigger key to Butler’s success? He’s getting to the line a ton – something we grew accustomed to when he was dominating in Miami. Butler has 28 free throw attempts in his first two games in Golden State, making him a great bet to clear this prop when it’s set at less than 20.5 points.

The Dallas Mavericks are ravaged by injuries right now, missing Dwight Powell, Daniel Gafford, Dereck Lively II and Anthony Davis in their frontcourt.  

Butler should have no problem getting to the rim on Wednesday night, and I think he’s in line for yet another 20-point game. 

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Are you new to DraftKings? Sign up today and place a $5 bet to earn a guaranteed $200 in bonus bets. Win or lose, DraftKings will issue eight $25 bonus bets instantly.