We’re treated to a lineup of intriguing NBA matchups on Friday. We’ve handpicked two standout games to examine, including a potential Western Conference Finals matchup. Stay tuned as we break down the action.
Friday’s Best NBA Picks
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Dallas Mavericks vs. Phoenix Suns (-1.5) | O/U 224.5 (-108/-112)
The Suns have dealt with injuries throughout the year and will have another significant one for this game. Devin Booker will miss his third straight game. The Suns are 1-2 without him this season but did grab the win against the Nuggets on Christmas Day.
It will still be difficult for the Suns to generate offense just because you have to pay attention to Booker. However, this allows them more freedom to concentrate on their other big names like Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal.
Booker has a tough injury to overcome, but the Mavericks will be missing the most significant player of this matchup. Luka Doncic has already missed time this year. He left Wednesday’s game early, and it’s being reported he will miss a month after suffering a calf strain. That’s the benefit of having Kyrie Irving, who has plenty of experience running the point when Doncic misses time. They also have some exceptional role players, with Klay Thompson starting to play better and P.J. Washington is valuable on both sides of the court.
The odds indicate Dallas is still deep enough without Doncic, and this game will be close. The Mavs played well the last time he was out. They could come in and get the road win.
Pick: Suns Moneyline (+105)
Indiana Pacers vs. Boston Celtics (-12.5) | O/U 232.5 (-112/-108)
The Celtics are facing something they haven’t experienced this year: A losing streak. It’s a great accomplishment when you’ve played nearly two months and haven’t lost back-to-back games, but they have dropped three of their last four.
The game against the Magic is something they will have to deal with as a team that puts up a volume of shots from deep. It was a bad night from the three-point line (8-for-33). They also made too many mistakes against the 76ers and turned the ball over too much.
They try to get revenge on the team that gave them their first loss of the season when the Pacers took them to overtime and won 135-132. Indiana has been playing much better, and the offense is picking up as they shot 50.6% from the floor during their five-game winning streak. The defense has been better, and while they are allowing opponents to shoot 47.5% from the floor for the year, that number has dropped to 42% during their five-game winning streak.
This will be Indiana’s biggest test, but they aren’t getting enough credit for how well they are currently playing, and they have already beaten the Celtics. They should be able to keep it close.
Pick: Pacers +12.5 (-112)
