Betting Tips
NBA Midweek Betting Tips As Jimmy Butler Returns To Miami
by Chike Nwoye
25 Mar 2025
All eyes will be on Miami as Jimmy Butler and the Warriors come to town for his first game back since his messy fallout with team president Pat Riley led to a trade. Safe to say, he won’t get a tribute video… at least not today. With that showdown and a full slate of matchups ahead, here are our basketball predictions for the day.
Our Picks:
- Golden State Warriors Win @1.52
- Detroit Pistons To Win @1.20
- New York Knicks to Win @1.20
- Houston Rockets to Win @1.30
- Memphis Grizzlies To Win @1.18
- Oklahoma City Thunder -7.5 Handicap @1.60
- Portland Trail Blazers To Win @2.97
- Orlando Magic to Win @1.49
- Total Odds: 23.38
- Booking Code: XR1E14
All eyes will be on Miami as Jimmy Butler and the Warriors come to town for his first game back since his messy fallout with team president Pat Riley led to a trade. Safe to say, he won’t get a tribute video… at least not today. With that showdown and a full slate of matchups ahead, here are our basketball predictions for the day.
Our Picks:
- Golden State Warriors Win @1.52
- Detroit Pistons To Win @1.20
- New York Knicks to Win @1.20
- Houston Rockets to Win @1.30
- Memphis Grizzlies To Win @1.18
- Oklahoma City Thunder -7.5 Handicap @1.60
- Portland Trail Blazers To Win @2.97
- Orlando Magic to Win @1.49
- Total Odds: 23.38
- Booking Code: XR1E14
Miami Heat vs. Golden State Warriors
“You can’t control grown men in this line of work. You can try, but I’m going to do what I want to do. I’m going to show up. I’m going to compete and I’m going to help us win. You got to paint somebody to be the bad guy. I’ll take being a bad guy. I’m here now. I’m competing at a high level and I’m helping the Golden State Warriors win. They want me here. Hell, I’m cool with being a bad guy over there.” - Jimmy Butler.
It’s not often you get drama-driven must-watch basketball games this late in the season, but Jimmy Butler’s messy Miami exit and blockbuster trade to the Warriors have set the stage for that. Thankfully, Jimmy is all for it - just look at the quote above.
Unfortunately for the Heat, the timing couldn’t be worse. Their win over the Hornets on Sunday finally ended a brutal 10-game losing streak, but they’re still slipping fast. Over their last 11 games, they’ve had the second-worst offense in the league and a middle-of-the-pack defense at best.
Meanwhile, Jimmy’s new squad is rolling in the West and boasts a 9-2 record in that same stretch along with having the second-best defense in the league.
Steph Curry sat out two of their last three games with an injury, but he’s making the trip, hoping to clear a late fitness test. Expect tension, expect boos, expect hard fouls, expect drama. However, there’s just so much disparity in the quality between both sides that the Warriors should win, regardless.
Betting Tip:
Detroit Pistons vs. San Antonio Spurs
I fully expect the Pistons to take this one, especially with the way they’ve been rolling—three wins in their last four, including two on the road.
A victory would push them past the Bucks into 5th place, which is pretty wild considering they set an NBA record for the longest losing streak (28 games) just last season. Talk about a turnaround. They’ve also had the league’s best defense in March and posted a solid 7-5 record.
That said, it won’t be a walk in the park. Even without Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox, the Spurs have been shockingly good on offense this month, ranking ahead of OKC with the #1 offensive rating. They’re riding a three-game winning streak, but their weakness has been defense—they rank 27th out of 30 teams in that department in March.
Detroit’s biggest concern is Cade Cunningham’s availability. He’s questionable with a calf injury that already sidelined him in Saturday’s win over New Orleans. If he’s out again, it’s a big loss, considering he’s been having a breakout season that’s put him in pole position for Most Improved Player.
Tim Hardaway Jr. is also questionable with an ankle injury, meaning the Pistons might have to lean on Dennis Schroder and Malik Beasley in the starting five, while Marcus Sasser and Ron Holland II take on bigger roles off the bench.
The Spurs could also be without another young talent, as Rookie of the Year frontrunner, Stephon Castle is questionable with a knee issue. With their season pretty much done, there’s a good chance they rest him. If that happens, it’s hard to see San Antonio pulling off a win on the road without their three best players.
Betting Tips:
- Detroit Pistons To Win @1.20
- Bet on Cade Cunningham To Win Most Improved Player @1.42
- Bet on Stephon Castle For Rookie of the Year @1.18
New York Knicks vs. Dallas Mavericks
After missing 18 straight games with a leg injury suffered in his Mavericks debut, Anthony Davis finally returned last night, putting up 12 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists in their win over the Nets.
The Mavs are currently sitting 11th in the West, outside the play-in picture, and desperate to make a late push for the postseason. But expecting him to suit up for back-to-back road games right after his return? Yeah, that’s probably not happening.
Then again, of all the NBA teams in the league, we can always count on the Mavs to make the most responsible decisions… right? Right?!
On the other side, the Knicks will likely be without Jalen Brunson, who’s set to miss his ninth straight game. In the eight games without him, they’ve gone 4-4, and their offensive rating has plummeted to 25th in the league—pretty wild considering they were ranked second in Offensive Rating before the All-Star break, just behind Cleveland.
Even so, I think they’ve got enough firepower to handle a Mavericks squad playing on the second night of a back-to-back.
Betting Tip:
Sacramento Kings vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder have been a gift to the online betting community as they’ve simply refused to take their foot off the gas even with the #1 seed locked up.
Led by MVP frontrunner and league-leading scorer Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, they’re on a six-game win streak and have lost just one of their last 14 games. What makes this team special, though, isn’t just their youth or highlight-worthy offense—it’s their defense. They’ve been otherworldly on that end of the floor, boasting the league’s top-rated defense and leading the NBA in Net Rating (12.7).
Meanwhile, the Kings are coming off an 18-point beatdown from the Celtics last night, so fatigue could be a factor. They’ve also had a rough time against OKC lately, with their last win over them coming back in 2023.
This season alone, they’ve already taken two heavy losses to the Thunder (144-110 and 130-109). When you’ve got SGA on your side, you have the best player on the basketball court—and I fully expect OKC to handle business again.
Betting Tips:
Houston Rockets vs. Atlanta Hawks
The Houston Rockets’ nine-game winning streak ended over the weekend with a five-point loss to the Nuggets, despite Alperen Şengün putting up an impressive 17/14/10 for the eighth triple-double of his career. Still, the Rockets have climbed to second in the West over the past couple of weeks and will like their chances with the Hawks coming to town.
Atlanta, though, won’t be lacking confidence either. They’ve put together impressive NBA results in the last few weeks and are riding a three-game winning streak. They’ve won seven of their last ten, with Trae Young balling out. He’s been the engine of their offense, topping all guards in double-doubles and leading the league in assists (11.4), helping the Hawks hold on to the 7th seed in the East.
That said, they’ve struggled against Western Conference teams, dropping 17 of 27 matchups this season—including their first meeting with Houston back in Atlanta.
Betting Tip:
Utah Jazz vs. Memphis Grizzlies
Photo credit: Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images
The Grizzlies are on a three-game losing streak, but if they can’t snap it against a Utah team that has lost 13 of their last 15, won just 9 of 37 home games, and have had the worst defense in the league over the past two seasons… I don’t even know what to say. Sure, Ja Morant missing his fifth straight game is a big blow—especially considering he dropped 44/8/7 the last time we saw him—but I’m not overthinking this one. Grizzlies win.
Betting Tip:
Portland Trail Blazers vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
After a surprising four-game losing streak last week, the Cavaliers bounced back in style with a dominant 29-point win over the Jazz on Sunday. It was a well-rounded performance, with six players hitting double figures and no one playing over 26 minutes.
The Blazers, meanwhile, saw their four-game winning streak snapped by the Celtics, but they put up a good fight.
With both teams coming into this one well-rested after a two-day break, I’m hoping for a matchup as entertaining as their last meeting earlier this month.
In that game, Donovan Mitchell was out for Cleveland, and Portland took full advantage, forcing overtime before losing by just four points. Deni Avdija dropped a 30-point triple-double, while Anfernee Simons put up 27, but it just wasn’t enough.
This time around, the Blazers have even more to play for with a play-in spot still within reach. With that in mind, I’m rolling with them to pull off the upset as my bet of the day, and boosted to 2.97, BetKing has the best odds for this .
Betting Tip:
Charlotte Hornets vs. Orlando Magic
I have to admit, the Magic haven’t exactly wowed me in recent months, but that win over a fully healthy Lakers squad — where Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner both dropped 30+ — definitely boosts my confidence as they head to Charlotte. They’ve also had the Hornets’ number for a while now, winning all three matchups this season and eight of the last nine meetings. No need to overthink this one — I’m rolling with the hot team.
Betting Tip:
BetKing offers you the chance to win big by betting on our basketball leagues like the NBA, EuroLeague, and the Chinese CBA.
Join us today to get value for money.
Miami Heat vs. Golden State Warriors
“You can’t control grown men in this line of work. You can try, but I’m going to do what I want to do. I’m going to show up. I’m going to compete and I’m going to help us win. You got to paint somebody to be the bad guy. I’ll take being a bad guy. I’m here now. I’m competing at a high level and I’m helping the Golden State Warriors win. They want me here. Hell, I’m cool with being a bad guy over there.” - Jimmy Butler.
It’s not often you get drama-driven must-watch basketball games this late in the season, but Jimmy Butler’s messy Miami exit and blockbuster trade to the Warriors have set the stage for that. Thankfully, Jimmy is all for it - just look at the quote above.
Unfortunately for the Heat, the timing couldn’t be worse. Their win over the Hornets on Sunday finally ended a brutal 10-game losing streak, but they’re still slipping fast. Over their last 11 games, they’ve had the second-worst offense in the league and a middle-of-the-pack defense at best.
Meanwhile, Jimmy’s new squad is rolling in the West and boasts a 9-2 record in that same stretch along with having the second-best defense in the league.
Steph Curry sat out two of their last three games with an injury, but he’s making the trip, hoping to clear a late fitness test. Expect tension, expect boos, expect hard fouls, expect drama. However, there’s just so much disparity in the quality between both sides that the Warriors should win, regardless.
Betting Tip:
Detroit Pistons vs. San Antonio Spurs
I fully expect the Pistons to take this one, especially with the way they’ve been rolling—three wins in their last four, including two on the road.
A victory would push them past the Bucks into 5th place, which is pretty wild considering they set an NBA record for the longest losing streak (28 games) just last season. Talk about a turnaround. They’ve also had the league’s best defense in March and posted a solid 7-5 record.
That said, it won’t be a walk in the park. Even without Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox, the Spurs have been shockingly good on offense this month, ranking ahead of OKC with the #1 offensive rating. They’re riding a three-game winning streak, but their weakness has been defense—they rank 27th out of 30 teams in that department in March.
Detroit’s biggest concern is Cade Cunningham’s availability. He’s questionable with a calf injury that already sidelined him in Saturday’s win over New Orleans. If he’s out again, it’s a big loss, considering he’s been having a breakout season that’s put him in pole position for Most Improved Player.
Tim Hardaway Jr. is also questionable with an ankle injury, meaning the Pistons might have to lean on Dennis Schroder and Malik Beasley in the starting five, while Marcus Sasser and Ron Holland II take on bigger roles off the bench.
The Spurs could also be without another young talent, as Rookie of the Year frontrunner, Stephon Castle is questionable with a knee issue. With their season pretty much done, there’s a good chance they rest him. If that happens, it’s hard to see San Antonio pulling off a win on the road without their three best players.
Betting Tips:
- Detroit Pistons To Win @1.20
- Bet on Cade Cunningham To Win Most Improved Player @1.42
- Bet on Stephon Castle For Rookie of the Year @1.18
New York Knicks vs. Dallas Mavericks
After missing 18 straight games with a leg injury suffered in his Mavericks debut, Anthony Davis finally returned last night, putting up 12 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists in their win over the Nets.
The Mavs are currently sitting 11th in the West, outside the play-in picture, and desperate to make a late push for the postseason. But expecting him to suit up for back-to-back road games right after his return? Yeah, that’s probably not happening.
Then again, of all the NBA teams in the league, we can always count on the Mavs to make the most responsible decisions… right? Right?!
On the other side, the Knicks will likely be without Jalen Brunson, who’s set to miss his ninth straight game. In the eight games without him, they’ve gone 4-4, and their offensive rating has plummeted to 25th in the league—pretty wild considering they were ranked second in Offensive Rating before the All-Star break, just behind Cleveland.
Even so, I think they’ve got enough firepower to handle a Mavericks squad playing on the second night of a back-to-back.
Betting Tip:
Sacramento Kings vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder have been a gift to the online betting community as they’ve simply refused to take their foot off the gas even with the #1 seed locked up.
Led by MVP frontrunner and league-leading scorer Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, they’re on a six-game win streak and have lost just one of their last 14 games. What makes this team special, though, isn’t just their youth or highlight-worthy offense—it’s their defense. They’ve been otherworldly on that end of the floor, boasting the league’s top-rated defense and leading the NBA in Net Rating (12.7).
Meanwhile, the Kings are coming off an 18-point beatdown from the Celtics last night, so fatigue could be a factor. They’ve also had a rough time against OKC lately, with their last win over them coming back in 2023.
This season alone, they’ve already taken two heavy losses to the Thunder (144-110 and 130-109). When you’ve got SGA on your side, you have the best player on the basketball court—and I fully expect OKC to handle business again.
Betting Tips:
Houston Rockets vs. Atlanta Hawks
The Houston Rockets’ nine-game winning streak ended over the weekend with a five-point loss to the Nuggets, despite Alperen Şengün putting up an impressive 17/14/10 for the eighth triple-double of his career. Still, the Rockets have climbed to second in the West over the past couple of weeks and will like their chances with the Hawks coming to town.
Atlanta, though, won’t be lacking confidence either. They’ve put together impressive NBA results in the last few weeks and are riding a three-game winning streak. They’ve won seven of their last ten, with Trae Young balling out. He’s been the engine of their offense, topping all guards in double-doubles and leading the league in assists (11.4), helping the Hawks hold on to the 7th seed in the East.
That said, they’ve struggled against Western Conference teams, dropping 17 of 27 matchups this season—including their first meeting with Houston back in Atlanta.
Betting Tip:
Utah Jazz vs. Memphis Grizzlies
Photo credit: Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images
The Grizzlies are on a three-game losing streak, but if they can’t snap it against a Utah team that has lost 13 of their last 15, won just 9 of 37 home games, and have had the worst defense in the league over the past two seasons… I don’t even know what to say. Sure, Ja Morant missing his fifth straight game is a big blow—especially considering he dropped 44/8/7 the last time we saw him—but I’m not overthinking this one. Grizzlies win.
Betting Tip:
Portland Trail Blazers vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
After a surprising four-game losing streak last week, the Cavaliers bounced back in style with a dominant 29-point win over the Jazz on Sunday. It was a well-rounded performance, with six players hitting double figures and no one playing over 26 minutes.
The Blazers, meanwhile, saw their four-game winning streak snapped by the Celtics, but they put up a good fight.
With both teams coming into this one well-rested after a two-day break, I’m hoping for a matchup as entertaining as their last meeting earlier this month.
In that game, Donovan Mitchell was out for Cleveland, and Portland took full advantage, forcing overtime before losing by just four points. Deni Avdija dropped a 30-point triple-double, while Anfernee Simons put up 27, but it just wasn’t enough.
This time around, the Blazers have even more to play for with a play-in spot still within reach. With that in mind, I’m rolling with them to pull off the upset as my bet of the day, and boosted to 2.97, BetKing has the best odds for this .
Betting Tip:
Charlotte Hornets vs. Orlando Magic
I have to admit, the Magic haven’t exactly wowed me in recent months, but that win over a fully healthy Lakers squad — where Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner both dropped 30+ — definitely boosts my confidence as they head to Charlotte. They’ve also had the Hornets’ number for a while now, winning all three matchups this season and eight of the last nine meetings. No need to overthink this one — I’m rolling with the hot team.
Betting Tip:
BetKing offers you the chance to win big by betting on our basketball leagues like the NBA, EuroLeague, and the Chinese CBA.
Join us today to get value for money.