NBA Odds, Picks & Predictions: Friday (2/6)
Friday night in the NBA has a smaller slate of games. There are still plenty of big time matchups on the board. Let's take a look at a few of the night's key matchups for best bets.
Go premium to view top prop bets based on Cover Probability, Expected Value & Star Rating >>
Friday’s Best NBA Picks & Predictions
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook unless otherwise specified)
New York Knicks at Detroit Pistons
The big Eastern Conference showdown on Friday will be the heavyweight fight between the Knicks and Pistons in Detroit. The Pistons won the first matchup of the season in a blowout and the Knicks will surely be looking for their revenge. This will be the second night of a back-to-back for Detroit, who lost to the Wizards on Thursday night. Detroit struggled to shoot the ball and defend. Many of their starters played big minutes but there is still reason to like the Pistons here.
Detroit won their seventh straight second night of a back-to-back with a win over Golden State last week. They're now 7-1 SU and have gone 4-3 ATS in those seven wins. More importantly, after a loss in the first game, they're 2-0 SU and ATS on the second night of a back-to-back. Detroit has shown all year long that they're willing to get up for big games. Their depth is also a key part of their success this year and is a reason they do so well in back-to-backs.
It's hard to fade the Knicks here. The revenge factor is there. They were embarrassed in the last meeting by 31 points. However even with a recent surge in ATS success by going 8-2 in their last ten games, they have still underperformed outside Madison Square Garden. On the road, the Knicks have compiled just a 9-15 ATS record and are actually 11-12 SU. I'll play both trends backing the Pistons and fading the Knicks in the matchup of the night.
Pick: Pistons +1.5 (-110)
Indiana Pacers at Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks made headlines at the trade deadline for what they didn't do, trade franchise cornerstone Giannis Antetokounmpo. Although his future in Milwaukee is still murky, his present isn't, although he's still not available to help a roster in standing free fall. Despite back-to-back wins this week against the Pelicans and Bulls, the Bucks continue to find themselves on the outside looking in of the playoff picture.
The Pacers are struggling in their own right, but despite a 13-38 SU record, Indiana has managed a respectable 26-25 ATS clip. On Friday night they'll be playing a Bucks team that is on their third game in four nights with their depth already being an issue. One area in particular where the Pacers struggle is something that Milwaukee isn't equipped to attack with Giannis on the mend. The Pacers are one of the worst teams in the league at sending opponents to the free throw line with the second highest FTrt in the league, but Milwaukee shoots a high volume of jump shots so they don't take advantage of that.
The Pacers have been really bad on the road this year. They've gone 3-20 straight up. However, Milwaukee is reeling and they've been one of the five worst teams in the league by NET rating since Giannis went down with injury. It may be an ugly pick, and it's definitely an ugly game, but the Pacers are one of my best bets of the night.
Pick: Pacers -1 (-108)