Against The Spread: Brooklyn Nets at Atlanta Hawks
Above-average betting volume is expected in a matchup that pits the Eastern Conference favorites (Brooklyn) versus last year's conference runner-ups (Atlanta). As it stands, here's how the top online sportsbooks are pegging the against-the-spread line in the Nets-Hawks matchup:
Both these teams have played eerily similar during their past 10 games. Each has a 7-3 record in that stretch and is winning with a heavy dose of offense. Atlanta is averaging 114.2 points in the previous ten outings, while the Nets are at 110.6. Of course, scoring becomes all the much easier with get-out-of-my-way stars like Kevin Durant and Trae Young.
One superstar might be missing on Friday, however, and that's James Harden. "The Beard" hasn't been officially ruled out as of this post date, but both he and head coach Steve Nash have raised the possibility of it. Durant took the night off on Wednesday so Nash is definitely in "rest" mode for his big one-two superstar punch. Our money says Harden will be a no-go and the oddsmakers seem to agree, hence why the Hawks are slight favorites.
Our pick to cover is indeed Atlanta. Not only cause of Harden but because this is a "show out" game for the young Hawks. On their home floor, we believe Young and company will be extra motivated to prove they belong in the Eastern Conference contender mix and play the Nets extremely tough.
Over/Under 228.5 Points: Sacramento Kings at Charlotte Hornets
The Sacramento at Charlotte game is getting the highest over/under total of the night from the most-used NBA betting sites. And for good reason too, both rosters seem to be allergic to playing defense.
On one hand, you have the hosting Hornets, who rank dead-last in defensive efficiency this season. The Kings? Barely better. In the same team metric, they rank sixth-to-last.
Given those rankings, you'd imagine both teams would be near the bottom of the standings but that's not entirely true either. Charlotte is 14-13 and in the ninth spot right now, whereas Sac-Town is 11-14 and in tenth out West. That should enlighten you that each team is more than capable of overcoming bad defense by getting points of their own.
We're fully of the belief that Friday night's matchup will be a shoot-out. Melo Ball will get his, but so will De'Aaron Fox. Take the over and if you're watching it in real-time, get the popcorn ready cause it'll be fun to see unfold live.
Against The Spread: Milwaukee Bucks at Houston Rockets
As you'd expect in a game featuring the reigning champions versus one of the league's perceived worst teams, the against-the-spread line between Milwaukee and Houston isn't overly competitive. But hey, that's fine for us, because we're confident the Rockets can cover it. Yes, we said the Rockets.
You see, at first glance, Houston is bad. They are 8-16 on the season, which is tied for the fourth-least amount of wins. But the Rockets are playing with a lot more fire as of late. They toppled the Nets days ago (albeit without Durant) and have now won seven of its previous 10 games.
Even more, Houston has proven to be a force on its home floor this season. They are 7-5 at Toyota Center (while 1-11 on the road). Given that streakiness, we believe the Bucks-Rockets game will go down to the wire, which hints at Houston covering the spread.
Over/Under 212 Points: Detroit Pistons at New Orleans Pelicans
The Pistons are currently in last place in the East with a meager four wins. New Orleans is also last in the West with seven wins of their own. When you get two terrible teams like that, it's never a bad idea to bet the game's over, which is our advice in this Detroit vs. New Orleans meeting. Sloppy defense, turnovers, fouls — that's common with bad teams and can help push this game into over territory.
How To Bet On NBA?
Last thing before we let you go, if you want to bet on NBA, then you can do so easily at one of the sportsbooks below. If you also want the free play to bet, then you can also get that through the underneath betting sites. Each offers different types of bonuses for free play that can get you in the "green" before you even place an NBA wager.
