Top 3 NBA Betting Picks for Friday, September 4
It’s a day for the NBA’s top seeds to shine; the big question is, will they?
Both the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers have struggled to return value for spread bettors as they take to the court in Orlando on Friday, with the Bucks looking to dig out of a 2-0 hole vs. Miami and the Lakers kicking off what should be an entertaining second-round series with Houston.
Here are my top NBA betting plays for Friday (Odds courtesy FanDuel Sportsbook):
Check out our daily NBA consensus moneylines and point spreads here >>
Giannis Antetokounmpo Over 30.5 Points (-118)
Sometimes, you have to know when to hop off the bandwagon. And while I was successful in taking the Under on Giannis’s point total in each of the first two games of the series, I’m loading up on the Over in Game 3. Giannis is averaging five fewer shot attempts vs. Miami than he did during the season – and Milwaukee will look to rectify this in a major way Friday. Between that and Giannis’s brutal foul that cost the Bucks Game 2, he’ll be fired up for this one.
LA Lakers -6 (-110)
After watching the Houston Rockets scratch out a seven-game series victory over Oklahoma City, you have to wonder how much they have left for the kings of the Western Conference. The Lakers are riding high after dispatching Portland in five games, and should come out flying; this is especially true for LeBron James, with the 35-year-old getting some much needed rest. He played just 32.8 minutes per game against the Trail Blazers, and will be fresh in Game 1.
Anthony Davis Over 11.5 Rebounds (-120)
Small ball might have played a major part in the Rockets reaching Round 2, but it won’t do them much good against the rebounding prowess of AD. Davis averaged 12.5 rebounds in 35 minutes in two regular-season meetings with Houston, and should overpower just about anyone on the roster when it comes to grabbing defensive boards. The Lakers will need a strong transition game to counter the Rockets’ 3-point love affair, and Davis is the man for the job.
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