Handicapper Bryan Bash posted a 6-4 record on Friday, March 27, 2026, navigating a challenging slate that featured several large spreads and one dramatic buzzer-beater finish. The day included comfortable wins on favorites Cleveland and Boston, along with successful underdog and spread plays, offset by four losses on large spreads that failed to cover.
Heat at Cavaliers
Bash’s evening started strong with Cleveland -5.0, which won convincingly as the Cavaliers demolished Miami 149-128. Max Strus torched his former team for 29 points on six made three-pointers, with 22 of those points coming in a dominant first half. The Cavaliers built a staggering 35-point halftime lead at 81-46, posting their highest-scoring half of the season. Cleveland shot 53.6% from the field and 46.3% from beyond the arc while dishing out 38 assists, turning this into a rout that covered the spread by the end of the first quarter.
Hawks at Celtics
The Boston -5.0 pick also cashed as the Celtics defeated Atlanta 109-102, despite playing without All-Star Jaylen Brown due to Achilles tendinitis. Payton Pritchard exploded for 36 points to lead Boston, while Jayson Tatum added 26 points and 12 rebounds. The Hawks, who entered 15-2 since the All-Star break, struggled with their shooting touch as the game progressed, finishing at just 39.1% from the field compared to Boston’s 46.9%. The Celtics’ seven-point victory comfortably covered the five-point spread.
Rockets at Grizzlies
Bash found value on Memphis +12.5, which won despite the Grizzlies falling 119-109 to Houston. Kevin Durant led the Rockets’ fourth-quarter rally with 25 points and 10 assists, while Olivier-Maxence Prosper posted a career-high 31 points for Memphis in a losing effort. The 10-point margin meant the Grizzlies covered by 2.5 points, providing Bash with a winning underdog play even as Memphis dropped their fifth straight game.
Pelicans at Raptors
Toronto -8.0 delivered another winner as the Raptors cruised past New Orleans 119-106. Scottie Barnes orchestrated the offense with 23 points and 12 assists, while Jakob Poeltl added a double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Toronto’s balanced attack featured five players in double figures, and they shot an efficient 51.6% from the field. The Raptors’ 13-point victory easily covered the eight-point spread.
Bulls at Thunder
The Oklahoma City -19.5 pick resulted in a loss despite the Thunder’s 131-113 victory. While OKC dominated with a 22-0 second-half run and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander extended his 20-point streak to a record 134 consecutive games, the 18-point margin fell one point short of covering the substantial spread. Cason Wallace’s 21 points helped compensate for Gilgeous-Alexander’s uncharacteristic 8-of-24 shooting night.
Clippers at Pacers
Indiana +9.0 won in dramatic fashion as the Clippers escaped with a 114-113 victory on Kawhi Leonard’s jumper with 0.4 seconds remaining. Despite the heartbreaking loss, the Pacers covered easily, losing by just one point against the nine-point spread. Los Angeles rallied from a 24-point deficit, with Darius Garland leading the comeback with 30 points and Leonard adding 28, but the narrow margin provided Bash with another successful underdog play.
Mavericks at Trail Blazers
Portland -10.0 resulted in a loss as Dallas won outright 100-93. Marvin Bagley III came off the bench to score a season-high 26 points on 11-of-14 shooting, while Cooper Flagg added 24 points to snap the Mavericks’ five-game losing streak. Portland struggled offensively, shooting just 39.2% from the field and a dismal 26.7% from three-point range, managing only 16 assists as a team. The Trail Blazers never led by enough to threaten the spread.
Jazz at Nuggets
Denver -18.5 failed to cover despite a 135-129 victory, marking another loss for Bash. Nikola Jokic posted his fourth consecutive triple-double with 33 points, 16 rebounds, and 12 assists, while Jamal Murray added 31 points as the Nuggets rallied from 13 down in the fourth quarter. Utah shot an impressive 55.8% from the field and kept the game close enough that Denver’s six-point victory fell well short of the 18.5-point spread.
Nets at Lakers
Los Angeles -16.5 won as the Lakers defeated Brooklyn 116-99. Luka Doncic led the way with 41 points while also picking up his suspension-triggering 16th technical foul of the season. Austin Reaves added 26 points, including 15 in the fourth quarter when the Lakers finally pulled away. Los Angeles shot 54.3% from the field and 44.0% from three-point range, while Brooklyn struggled at 41.7% overall and just 25.6% from deep. The 17-point margin covered by half a point.
Wizards at Warriors
Golden State -14.0 resulted in a loss as the Warriors edged Washington 131-126. Despite Kristaps Porzingis’s 28 points and Gui Santos’s clutch free throws with 11.4 seconds remaining, the five-point victory fell nine points short of the spread. The Wizards shot an efficient 52.6% from the field and 42.9% from three-point range, with rookie Will Riley contributing 22 points to keep the game competitive throughout.
Bash’s 6-4 performance reflected the challenges of navigating large spreads, with three of his four losses coming on lines of 14 points or greater. His successful picks included two comfortable favorite covers, two profitable underdog plays, and strategic middle-ground spreads that proved more reliable than the double-digit lines that ultimately cost him a winning day.
