NBA Odds, Picks & Predictions: Friday (12/5)
It's a jam-packed Friday NBA slate. There are 12 games on the schedule with some really interesting matchups. Let's take a deep look into a few for our top NBA picks & predictions.
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Friday’s Best NBA Picks & Predictions
(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)
Miami Heat at Orlando Magic
Two of the hottest teams in the Eastern Conference reside in the Sunshine State. In what will be a warmup to Tuesday's NBA Cup knockout game, the Heat travel to Orlando to take on the Magic. Both teams have played exceptionally well as of late, going 7-3 in their last 10 games straight up (SU).
These are two really elite defenses. Both rank in the top seven in defensive rating (DRtg) while playing some better-than-average strength of schedules. Orlando is a team that is going to turn you over and rebound the ball well on the defensive glass. Miami is a team that makes shooting difficult for its opponents and doesn't foul. However, with a game next week that has a lot on the line, I don't expect either team to show much here.
Miami and Orlando play at two of the fastest paces in the league. Miami plays at the fastest pace with 106.2 possessions per 48 minutes. Despite these being elite defensive units, I see both pulling back the reins with the looming NBA Cup game on Tuesday. Expect this one to be a higher-scoring game that goes over the total.
Pick: Over 242.5 Points (-110)
Charlotte Hornets at Toronto Raptors
The Hornets have gotten off to a rough start with a 6-16 record, but they are 10-12 against the spread (ATS). They've been more competitive than the sportsbooks give them credit. Surprisingly, Charlotte has already compiled a 2-0 ATS record against the Raptors this season.
On the surface, a look into the box scores makes this even more of a head-scratcher. Toronto has shot better in each game and out-rebounded the Hornets by a total of 95 to 87. The Raptors have also compiled 16 more assists in the two games. So what has been the difference? Free throws.
Toronto is one of the worst teams in the league in free-throw rate allowed, while Charlotte is tops in the league in that category. Because of this, the Hornets attempted 26 more free throws in the two games and made 24 more.
The overall numbers indicate this is more than just a blip in these two games, and we should see the trend continue on Friday. With the Raptors playing on the second night of a back-to-back, we are likely getting even more value on Charlotte. I'll be backing them in this matchup.
Pick: Hornets +8.5 (-110)
Indiana Pacers at Chicago Bulls
Despite the 4-18 SU record, the Pacers have compiled a very respectable 11-11 ATS record, including 6-4 in their last 10 games. This coincides with some players coming back from injury, like Bennedict Mathurin and T.J. McConnell, the latter helping lead Indiana to a 4-2 ATS record since his return.
Chicago got off to a scalding hot start, but has cooled off significantly. They're now 4-12 since the calendar changed to November and 4-11-1 ATS during that span. Josh Giddey has continued to average nearly a triple-double each night, but the rest of the cast has not maintained the same results.
Indiana has played one of the more difficult schedules, and they've navigated through a ton of key injuries. Because of this, the results haven't been where they wanted or expected. In a matchup with Chicago and a relatively healthy lineup, I like the Pacers to cover here and may look to take them on the Moneyline as well.
Pick: Pacers +5 (-106)