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Friday’s Best NBA, NASCAR & UFC Bets (2/16)

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No matter your sport of choice, there's always sports betting action to be had. We'll have you covered each and every day with our daily best bets. Here are our best bets across each major sport in action today.

Today's Best Bets

NBA Best Bets

(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)

2024 NBA All-Star Rising Stars Tournament

This new format for the NBA Rising Stars Tournament will feature three mini-tournament games among the four teams.

These three games will be played to a final target score, meaning the game will end on a made basket. The two semifinal games will have a final target score of 40, and the final game will have a target score of 25 to determine a champion.

Until the mini-games are completed, we won't know which teams are playing who in the tournament. However, it's unlikely Team Detlef, with G-League players, will win the tournament.

Team Pau is the odds-on favorite, standing at +145 to win the tournament. Pau Gasol had the first pick and selected Victor Wembanyama. He also added second-overall pick Brandon Miller and has some other incredible talent like Brandin Podziemski and Jaime Jaquez Jr. It's clear that Gasol has the most talented roster.

Meanwhile, Team Tamika has an exciting squad. She'll likely start Scoot Henderson, Jaden Ivey, Keegan Murray, Paolo Banchero and Jalen Duren. The fact she has two Detroit Pistons players scares me. However, those two players are terrific athletes on a bad team. Tamika might have a more balanced starting lineup than Team Pau. However, Team Tamika is at +200 to win.

Finally, Team Jalen added two Thunder players with his first selections, including Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams. He's got a bunch of shot blockers between Holmgren, Dereck Lively II and Walker Kessler. Still, he'll need Jeremy Sochan and Williams to facilitate the offense. They'll have no problems defending the paint, but what about defending and scoring from the perimeter? That might be an issue.

Therefore, I'll roll with Team Tamika. They have a good balance and more sophomores than the other two teams.

Bet: Team Tamika (+200)

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NASCAR Best Bets

(Odds courtesy of BetRivers Sportsbook)

2024 Daytona 500

The T20 market was only available for one race a season ago, so we'll take advantage while it's here. Driving the Spire Motorsports No. 71 Chevrolet Camero out of the Trackhosue Racing garage is 2022 NASCAR Truck Series champion Zane Smith. The 24-year-old has won the Next Era Energy 250, the Trucks' version of the Daytona 500, each of the past two seasons.

In addition, Smith finished 13th in the 500 last year while manning the Front Row Motorsports No. 36 car. He wasn't particularly fast, pacing 32nd in the total speed rankings. However, that allowed him to miss the major wrecks. Smith looked capable again this week, finishing sixth in his Duel. If Smith continues his patient approach and can avoid "The Big One" again this year, he'll cash this prop at near even-money odds.

Bet: Zane Smith Top-20 Finish (-105)

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UFC Best Bets

(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)

UFC 298: #3 Amanda Lemos vs. #7 Mackenzie Dern

The prelims wrap up with a ranked showdown in the Women's Strawweight division as Amanda Lemos (#3) takes on Mackenzie Dern (#7). Lemos will be looking to bounce back after dropping a title fight against Zhang Weili (U-DEC) last time out. Dern was also on the losing end of her last tilt, getting knocked out in the second round by Jessica Andrade. 

I won't overthink this one; I'm riding with the higher-ranked fighter in Lemos. The Brazilian has a huge edge on the feet, considering eight of her 13 professional wins have come by knockout. Lemos has three submission victories on her resumé, so she's also lethal on the ground. She'll have to be careful, considering Dern is a third-degree black belt with seven professional submission wins in her own right. 

However, Dern's takedown defense is very concerning. She's fending off only 40% of opposing attempts. As long as Lemos can avoid getting subbed while on top, she should be able to create a good enough case to get her hand raised. 

Bet: Amanda Lemos Moneyline (-135)

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