NBA Odds, Picks & Predictions: Friday (2/27)
Friday night in the NBA gets started with some really good matchups spotlighted by a nationally televised doubleheader. There are only five games on the slate, but that doesn't mean there isn't plenty of intrigue on the board. Let's take a look at some matchups and go over our top NBA picks & predictions for the night.
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Friday’s Best NBA Picks & Predictions
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Cleveland Cavaliers at Detroit Pistons
The Pistons' resurgence has been one of the key plot lines of the NBA season. They've catapulted themselves to the top of the Eastern Conference standings with the play of their two All-Stars and a cast of strong role players. The Cavaliers have been a thorn in their side all season. No team in the NBA relies on paint scoring more than Detroit, and they've struggled against strong rim-protecting teams.
Cleveland fits that mold. The Cavaliers, led by Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, are one of the best rim-protecting teams in the league. They've allowed just 61% shooting at the rim, good enough for fifth-best in the NBA. Detroit is just 1-3 against the spread (ATS) against the top five teams in the league in rim shooting rate because 38.9% of their field-goal attempts come from that area, the second-highest mark in the league. With Cleveland being able to alter shots at the rim, Detroit will need to hit outside shots, something they haven't done all season consistently.
The Cavaliers will be without Donovan Mitchell. However, there is a lot of value in this number for Cleveland. Unless Detroit gets hot from three-point range, they're going to have a tough time scoring. With Mobley and Allen likely to play on Friday, take the Cavaliers in a strong underdog spot.
Pick: Cavaliers +6.5 (-112)
New York Knicks at Milwaukee Bucks
What happens when you take an undervalued underdog and pit them against one of the biggest home-road split teams in the league? An opportunity for value. That's what we have here as the surging Milwaukee Bucks host the New York Knicks. The Bucks have rallied off an 8-2 straight up (SU) and ATS record over their last 10 games. They have done so by averaging 118.1 points per game over that stretch.
New York comes in as one of the worst road teams in the league from an ATS standpoint. They're 11-18 ATS and a surprisingly average 15-14 SU away from home this season. On top of the road woes, Milwaukee is a bad matchup for New York. With Giannis Antetokounmpo out of the lineup, the Bucks are heavily reliant on the three, and they're very good at shooting them. The Bucks shoot 39.2% from deep, good enough for second-best in the league. The Knicks allow 44.3% of their opponents’ field-goal attempts from deep, so the Bucks will have plenty of opportunities.
The red-hot Bucks look to be the next team to give the Knicks all they can handle on the road. Their ability to make threes could be a problem against a New York team that allows quite a few shots from deep. Their struggles away from Madison Square Garden make them tough to back in any road game, but in one where the opponent has a large matchup advantage, you have to fade them.
Pick: Bucks +7.5 (-108)