NBA Odds, Picks & Predictions: Friday (10/31)
It's Halloween, and the NBA Cup tips off on Friday with eight games on the schedule. The action for these games is sure to be exhilarating. Let's take a deeper look at some of these matchups and go over our top NBA picks & predictions for Friday.
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Friday’s Best NBA Picks & Predictions
(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)
Boston Celtics at Philadelphia 76ers
The Celtics faced a lot of change this offseason. They lost a lot of size and post presence with Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis leaving in the offseason. The loss of Jayson Tatum due to injury has also taken its toll, as they have started as one of the worst defensive rebounding teams in the league.
Philadelphia has gotten off to a scorching start - 4-0 straight up (SU) and 3-1 against the spread ATS. They've ridden a strong offense behind Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid. Those two are getting to the line nearly as much as any player in the league, which is contributing to the 76ers’ sixth-ranked free-throw rate.
Boston is fouling at a fairly high rate itself, so Philadelphia should be getting to the line often. In addition, Boston gives up almost 48% of their opponents' shots from three. This is great news for a 76ers team that is shooting a league-best from deep, led by Maxey, Quentin Grimes and Rookie of the Year front-runner VJ Edgecombe. Philadelphia has a lot of firepower this season, and a revamped Boston roster doesn't have the pieces of cohesiveness to keep up. I'll be backing the 76ers.
Pick: 76ers -2 (-114)
Atlanta Hawks at Indiana Pacers
It has been a tough start for the Pacers in their defense of the Eastern Conference. They've started off 0-4 SU but have gone 3-1 ATS. On Friday, they'll play the Hawks. Without Tyrese Halliburton in the lineup, the offense has struggled mightily. Their 47.3% effective field goal rate (eFG%) is second-worst in the league, ahead of just the Pelicans. However, much of their other offensive numbers haven't been as poor. They have continued to take care of the ball and get to the free-throw line at a league-average rate.
The Hawks have started 2-3 SU but compiled just a 1-4 record ATS. Their defense has still let them down, allowing over 120 points per game in the early part of the season. They have been one of the worst defensive rebounding teams. While they've been forcing a good amount of turnovers, that won't matter as much against a good ball-handling team like Indiana.
The Pacers, even without Halliburton, are not as bad as their record would indicate. With the NBA Cup on the line, we should expect to see them take their game to another level, like they did when they went to the NBA Cup Championship Game in 2023. I'll back them to get on track here against the Hawks.
Pick: Pacers +2 (+106)