NBA Odds & Best Bets Today: Schedule, Picks for Friday

Check out our top NBA picks and predictions for Friday’s 10-game slate, including a road underdog and two player props to target for our best bets.

Tonight’s NBA schedule is packed with 10 games, featuring a nationally-televised showdown between the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets. Other highlights include a rematch between the Memphis Grizzlies and Denver Nuggets on ESPN, as well as a second meeting between the Los Angeles Clippers and Sacramento Kings, who nearly set a scoring record in their previous matchup a few days ago.

Teams are battling for play-in spots and jockeying for seeding in the standings. Despite the possibility of blowout games, we have identified some opportunities where there is potential value for your bets.

Check out our top NBA picks for Friday, with odds from FanDuel, BetMGM, and DraftKings. Our confidence level is rated on a scale from 1 to 5 stars.

Take a look at our NBA predictions and top NBA betting platforms.

Friday’s NBA schedule and odds

(Odds via DraftKings)

• Orlando Magic (-4) vs. Charlotte Hornets
• Brooklyn Nets (+11) vs. Boston Celtics
• Portland Trail Blazers (+7) vs. Atlanta Hawks
• Phoenix Suns (-4) vs. Chicago Bulls
• New York Knicks (-2.5) vs. Miami Heat (+2.5)
• Utah Jazz (+1) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
• Memphis Grizzlies (+5) vs. Denver Nuggets
• New Orleans Pelicans (+4) vs. Golden State Warriors
• Los Angeles Clippers (+6) vs. Sacramento Kings
• Minnesota Timberwolves (+1.5) vs. Los Angeles Lakers

Friday’s NBA best bets

• Spread: Pelicans +4.5 vs. Warriors (-110 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Total: Nets-Celtics Under 227.5 (-110 via BetMGM) ⭐⭐
• Player prop: Terry Rozier first quarter Under 1.5 assists (+115 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Player prop: Anthony Davis leading scorer (-105 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Take a look at our NBA Finals and NBA MVP betting odds.

NBA top picks

Spread: Pelicans +4.5 (-110 via DraftKings) vs. Warriors ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Significant injuries plague both teams, with the Pelicans missing Zion Williamson, Larry Nance Jr., Josh Richardson, and Jose Alvarado, and Jonas Valančiūnas listed as doubtful. The Warriors will be without Stephen Curry and Andrew Wiggins. Despite their compromised roster, the Pelicans should be able to keep pace with the red-hot Warriors.

The Warriors have won four consecutive games at home and have exceeded the point spread in each one, even managing to win as underdogs against the Clippers despite shooting poorly from beyond the arc. They have a record of 14-17-1 against the spread after a win this season, and are just 8-8 ATS when at a disadvantage in terms of rest. Without Wiggins’ versatile defense, it may be challenging for them to contain the scoring prowess of Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum, both of whom have had multiple 30-point games against Steve Kerr’s defense in the past.

Despite missing Williamson, New Orleans may face some challenges on offense but they are expected to improve. The team has struggled in their recent games, averaging just 106.4 points per game and shooting a low 29.7% from beyond the arc. With Wiggins out, the Warriors have also struggled defensively, particularly against 3-point shots. It would be wise to bet on the Pelicans, who are likely to be a close pick ’em in Friday’s game.

Total: Nets-Celtics Under 227.5 (-110 via BetMGM) ⭐⭐

An overwhelming 88% of the public is supporting the Over in this primetime game, most likely because Ben Simmons, known for his defense-only play, is out for the Nets and the high-scoring Celtics are fully healthy. Despite this, the line has not moved up due to regression.

The Nets have had difficulty winning games with their new roster since the trade deadline, but their shooting has not been the main problem. They have been shooting 36.3% from deep on a high volume in their last six games. On the other hand, the Celtics have been one of the top teams in the league due to their ability to create high-quality shots, making their offensive success more sustainable than expected. However, shooting 41.6% from long range over the past month may be unsustainable. We predict that their shooting percentage will regress back to the mean.

Player prop: Terry Rozier first quarter Under 1.5 assists (+115 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

LaMelo Ball, a top playmaker in the NBA, will be absent on Friday, leading to an increase in usage for Terry Rozier. Rozier will shift to the point guard position, but in previous instances without Ball, he has tended to focus more on scoring. This has resulted in him exceeding his average shot volume in 14 out of 20 games without Ball.

In Charlotte, he tends to take more shots, averaging 5.1 field goal attempts in the first quarter and recording fewer than 1.5 assists in nine out of 11 home first quarters without Ball.

Rozier is facing a difficult matchup against the Magic, who have allowed the 10th-fewest assists per game to point guards over their last 15 games. Considering the low Vegas total and potential offensive struggles, it may be wise to avoid betting on Rozier’s assist totals. If first quarter markets are not available, you could consider betting on the full game for Rozier to have under 6.5 assists, although this may come with higher juice. The first quarter prop offers better value with plus-money odds.

Player prop: Anthony Davis leading scorer (-105 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This season, Anthony Davis has appeared in 10 games without LeBron James, including the upcoming game on Friday. In seven of those games, he has been the top scorer for the Lakers and has led the game in scoring in five of them. Despite being undervalued on some platforms, Davis is the top pick in a favorable matchup, especially on DraftKings where he is a better choice than Anthony Edwards.

This matchup is expected to be very close, with Vegas predicting that the starters will likely need four quarters to determine a winner. Since Karl-Anthony Towns’ injury, Anthony Edwards has been the team’s leading scorer in 28 out of 43 games, with D’Angelo Russell being the only other player to come close to that frequency, but he will be out on Friday as he is now with the Lakers. This makes Edwards the clear choice for Minnesota to score enough to win the game. However, he may struggle against the elite defense of Jarred Vanderbilt, one of the NBA’s most versatile defenders. On the other hand, Anthony Davis has a more favorable matchup against Rudy Gobert.

The Timberwolves have struggled defensively since the All-Star break, ranking in the bottom 10 in mid-range defense and the bottom five in restricted area defense since early February. Anthony Davis has taken advantage of these matchups, averaging 33.5 points per 36 minutes against Rudy Gobert as a Laker, even with LeBron James on the court. Jaden McDaniels is Minnesota’s top on-ball defender, but he will likely be tasked with rotating around the perimeter to guard players like Dennis Schroder, Malik Beasley, and Vanderbilt, as he may not have the size to handle Davis in the post.

If the top scorer market is not an option in your book, consider betting on Davis’ points and rebounds instead. Both are solid choices, but I personally prefer the top scorer market because of the low Vegas total projection. I don’t think Davis needs to surpass his 27.5 point line to be the top scorer on Friday.

NBA top picks placed on 03/03/2023 at 1:30 p.m. ET.

Here are our best NBA betting sites:

• FanDuel: No Sweat First Bet up to $1,000 | Read our FanDuel Review
• Caesars: Earn Up to a $1,250 Bet Credit | Read our Caesars Review
• DraftKings: Bet $5, Get $150 in Bonus Bets | Read our DraftKings Review
• PointsBet: Earn Five Second-Chance Bets Up to $50 Each | Read our PointsBet Review
• BetMGM: Get a Bonus Bet of Up to $1,000 | Read our BetMGM Review

If you are 21 or older and have a gambling problem, please call 1-800-GAMBLER. Bonuses are not available in Ontario.

Related pages

• Best Online Underscoregs | Best Underscoreg Promos (U.S. only)