NBA Friday best bets: Plenty of options with 28 teams in action
Despite only two games on Thursday night, NBA fans were treated to two thrilling contests featuring the league's brightest stars.
Friday night's schedule is slightly different, with 28 of the NBA's 30 teams taking the court. That means we have a loaded card. Let's get to our six best bets for Friday night.
Heat @ Suns (-4, O/U 229.5)
The Suns are a completely different team without Kevin Durant. That's not exactly breaking news, as he's still one of the NBA's best players.
Durant, Bradley Beal, and Devin Booker have played just a few games together this season. Beal is finally healthy and played well on Wednesday against the Clippers, one of the league's hottest teams.
Durant was out against the Clippers but is questionable for Friday night's matchup with the Heat, which means he should play, barring any last-minute setback.
Phoenix is a different beast when healthy, and Jimmy Butler remains out. The Suns' offensive firepower should help them outlast Miami.
Pick: Suns -4
Knicks @ Sixers (-6.5, O/U 231.5)
The Knicks' defense has already improved with the addition of O.G. Anunoby, who provides versatility as a physical, quick defender and can guard multiple positions.
The Knicks' two games with Anunboy have both gone under the total. They have the league's fifth-best defensive rating over that short span. While the Knicks' defense is improving, New York is facing the 76ers' second-ranked defense.
In a prime-time, nationally televised matchup between two feisty playoff teams, expect both to be locked in defensively and produce a low-scoring game.
The Knicks play at the league's fifth-slowest pace, while the Sixers have the eighth-slowest.
Pick: Under 231.5
Magic @ Nuggets (-9.5, O/U 223)
The Nuggets won a thriller in Golden State on Thursday night thanks to a banked-in buzzer-beating prayer from Nikola Jokic.
The Nuggets hopped on a plane following the game to return to Denver for a Friday showdown with the Magic. It's reasonable to expect the Nuggets will be tired Friday night; there's a chance they could even rest some of their starters. The Magic have the league's fifth-best defense, while the Nuggets have the eighth-best.
When the Nuggets are playing with no days of rest, 62% of their games have gone under the total.
Orlando already has a below-average offense. Couple that with the fact Denver is a difficult place to play, and the Magic are missing many key pieces - including Franz Wagner, Jonathan Isaac, Gary Harris, and Joe Ingles - and this should be an ugly offensive showing.
Pick: Under 223
Dejounte Murray: Over 20.5 points
The total set in the Hawks-Pacers game is an astronomically high 262, which makes sense given both teams are rich offensively, play fast, and are horrible defensively. When these teams met in November, they combined to score over 300 points.
Points won't be hard to score Friday night in Indiana. The Pacers' defense is particularly bad at stopping scoring guards. They allow the second-most points to shooting guards.
Murray's averaging 21.8 points over his last 10 games and has scored at least 21 in five of the last seven contests.
Odds: -130 (playable to -140)
Alperen Sengun: Under 31.5 points + rebounds
Sengun's been on a scoring tear the last couple of weeks after a rocky start to December. He's averaging 30.5 combined points and rebounds per game this season.
However, he has a challenging matchup against a big and physically dominant Timberwolves frontcourt.
Sengun's a 30% 3-point shooter and only attempts two per game. If he's struggling to score inside, he can't rely on a consistent perimeter shot. Sengun's already an inconsistent rebounder, and the Timberwolves allow the fewest rebounds per game to centers. Although he's having a sensational season for the Rockets, Sengun's in store for a rough night.
Odds: -110 (playable to -120)
Jarrett Allen: Over 32.5 points + rebounds
Allen's recorded at least 33 combined points and rebounds in four of the last five games. He's been a rebounding monster over the last couple of weeks, averaging 14.8 rebounds in the last six games.
The Cavaliers played the Wizards on Wednesday night. Allen only played 29 minutes because Cleveland won by 39, but he still managed to score 17 points and grab 19 boards. The Wizards will surely put more of an emphasis on keeping Allen off the glass in Cleveland in the rematch on Friday night. The problem is Washington simply doesn't have the personnel to accomplish that.
The Wizards allow the most points and rebounds to centers. My only concern with this line is if the Cavs rout the Wizards again, Allen might not play his normal minutes load. Cleveland's favored by 10, but the Wizards should compete harder after their embarrassing effort two nights ago.
Odds: -110 (playable to -120)
Sam Oshtry is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @soshtry for more betting coverage.