Shane McNichol makes his NBA predictions for Friday night with four best bets.
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The NBA season is moving ahead at full steam, with teams jockeying for playoff positions and players eyeing All-Star spots and a red-hot MVP race.
For bettors, there has been plenty of ways to find value, with that MVP race shifting odds every time a big-name player posts a crazy box score and title contenders making their case week after week.
This Friday night offers some critical match-ups that should given fans plenty of reasons to stay excited. Here are my four favorite picks for this slate:
Philadelphia 76ers ML vs Chicago Bulls {ODDS:1061657488:1.50}
The Bulls have been impressive in big games this season. Chicago is 8-1 in games against the Bucks, Nets, Celtics, and Heat. That’s a fun stat to show that the Bulls can compete with the top of the East. It does, however, cherry-pick its data a bit.
The Bucks, Nets, and Celtics are atop the conference, but the Heat are barely .500 this year. It also ignores the fourth and fifth teams in the Eastern Conference Standings. Chicago is winless in three tries against Cleveland and lost its first date with Philly.
The Sixers offer a tough test for the Bulls, especially playing in Philadelphia. The 76ers are 15-6 ATS at the Wells Fargo Center this season.
Chicago’s wins against prime competition will balance out eventually, starting with a loss here.
DeAndre Ayton (Phoenix Suns) over 28.5 points + rebounds + assists vs Miami Heat {ODDS:1061824629:1.95}
While facing Bam Adebayo in the paint is a tall task, Ayton is playing some of his best basketball of late.
Ayton missed two games last month due to injury. In the nine games since returning, he’s scored 15 or more points seven times, averaging 18.7 points and 10.2 rebounds over that span.
In the first meeting with the Heat earlier this year, Ayton topped this mark with 16 points, paired with 12 rebounds. This game comes both at home and finds the Suns on an unlikely four-game losing streak.
If Phoenix is going to break out of that funk, expect production from their big man in the middle.
Oklahoma City Thunder (+2.5) vs Washington Wizards {ODDS:1061659643:1.71}
There are two trends at play in this game that make it an attractive value.
The Thunder are 19-9 ATS as underdogs this season. Bookmakers have not quite gotten used to how feisty Oklahoma City has been, thanks in large part to the brilliance of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The Thunder have a winning record at home this season, where they host Washington on Friday night.
The Wizards, on the other hand, have not held up their weight when listed as a favorite. Washington is 5-8 ATS when favored this year. That’s troubling in a road game, with Washington winning just seven of 22 on the road so far this season.
With the Wizards on the fourth leg of a road trip, take the home team and some points here.
Brooklyn Nets – race to 25 points (1st quarter) vs New Orleans Pelicans
New Orleans has been slow out of the gates of late, losing the race to 25 points in four of its last five games. The lone exception was against a Rockets team that is struggling and played without some key pieces in its rotation.
The Nets, meanwhile, have been strong in the first quarter, hitting 25 first in five of their last seven outings. Brooklyn depends on its starting five to carry the scoring load. Kevin Durant and company have done so, spurting to leads against a variety of opponents both at home and on the road.
I’d look for more of that Friday night and take the Nets to build an early lead.
