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Thursday night had just two NBA games, so it was a light night of NBA betting. We didn’t see the Kings handing the Bulls their first road loss of the year, but at least escaped with one correct call and a 1-1 showing to lift our season record to 86-47.
We’re blessed with an insane 12-game night on Friday night, so let’s get right to the action and see who might be worth betting on:
Suns @ 76ers
Philly plays host to the Suns tonight and is pretty healthy across the board, but it’s going to take quite an effort to top a solid Phoenix team. The Sixers haven’t won yet this year and could be getting closer, but this isn’t the night to pick them.
Pick: Suns 105, 76ers 101
Magic @ Hornets
Charlotte just hasn’t looked like a strong playoff contender so far this year, as they’ve struggled to get anything going on offense and their trademark defense has suffered with Michael Kidd-Gilchrist injured. Still, Orlando hasn’t been good on the road, so perhaps the Hornets put up enough offense to hold down the fort at home.
Pick: Hornets 101, Magic 100
Bucks @ Raptors
Milwaukee has soared to a very impressive 7-5 start, but they have to cool down eventually. It’s going to be tough to win in Toronto, where the Raptors usually are at their best.
Pick: Raptors 107, Bucks 97
Pistons @ Hawks
Josh Smith could have a bit of a revenge outing against his former team tonight, but on paper the Hawks still seem to be the slightly better unit.
Pick: Hawks 107, Pistons 104
Nets @ Thunder
Brooklyn is falling apart with five straight losses, so the Thunder could be exactly what they need to get back on track. OKC is at home, but they’re just 3-10 on the year.
Pick: Nets 103, Thunder 101
Celtics @ Grizzlies
Boston can fill it up offensively at times, but they may find that difficult to do on the road against the league’s current best team. Memphis just doesn’t lose at home and they’re the vastly superior team.
Pick: Grizzlies 104, Celtics 89
Cavaliers @ Wizards
Cleveland can run with the best of them and seem to be getting better by the day, but their defense still leaves a lot to be desired. Washington has just one loss at home this year, too, so look for the Wiz to get a win here.
Pick: Wizards 104, Cavs 102
Spurs @ Timberwolves
This might be a good night for the Spurs to rest some of their big names, but even with their spares they should take care of Minnesota, who is just 3-7 and missing three key starters.
Pick: Spurs 107, Timberwolves 94
Lakers @ Mavericks
Los Angeles is somehow riding a two-game winning streak, but we can safely expect that to end tonight when they take on the Mavs in Dallas. Dallas is 5-1 at home this year and the Lakers simply won’t have answer for what they can do on offense.
Pick: Mavs 111, Lakers 103
Pelicans @ Nuggets
New Orleans has looked pretty good on both sides of the court this year and they’ll look to build a small winning streak tonight. Denver is hit or miss, but their defense is too bad to be confident in them against a solid team – even at home.
Pick: Pellies 105, Nuggets 102
Bulls @ Blazers
Chicago lost last night and may want to avoid a two-game losing streak, but they remain undermanned and the Blazers are 8-3 with seven of their wins on their home floor.
Pick: Blazers 109, Bulls 106
Jazz @ Warriors
Utah has been a fun team to watch offensively this year, but they lack prowess on the other end and are still struggling on the road. Golden State, meanwhile is one of the most balanced teams in the entire league and almost never lose at home.
Pick: Warriors 108, Jazz 101
