The NBA Cup may be on pause, but that doesn’t mean the excitement stops. This Friday brings us a lineup of intriguing matchups, and we’ve handpicked two standout games to dive into. Stay tuned as we break down the action!
Friday’s Best NBA Picks
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Milwaukee Bucks (+8.5) vs. Boston Celtics (-8.5)| O/U 227 (-108/-112)
Anytime the Bucks and Celtics face off, there’s always the potential for an exciting matchup. Unfortunately, the NBA scheduled these two to play for the final time early in the season.
We are finally seeing the Bucks’ potential. They are one of the hottest teams in the league. After a brutal stretch that saw them lose eight of their first ten games, they have now won nine of their last eleven. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard carried them as best they could, but now this whole unit is building chemistry. They have scored over 120 in six of those eleven games.
Antetokounmpo is still playing well. He’s led the team in points, rebounds, and assists in four of the five games, leading the league with 32.6 points per game.
The final loss in that ten-game stretch was to the Celtics. If you can believe it, this team got even better now that they are at full strength with Kristaps Porzingis back in the lineup.
They are 22 games in and have yet to lose back-to-back games. They have three instances of three or consecutive wins, including tonight, potentially making it No. 4.
Lillard and Antetokounmpo are the dynamic duo, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have been amazing for Boston. These two are consistently trading off leading the team in points, and it’s been either in each game. Brown has led the last two games, while Tatum did it in the previous three.
Oddsmakers are focusing more on previous matchups than how each looks coming in. This isn’t the same Milwaukee team from the last time they played, and they covered this spread in both games.
Pick: Bucks +8.5 (-112)
Los Angles Lakers (+5.5) vs. Atlanta Hawks (-5.5) | O/U 231.5 (-110/-110)
It just keeps going from bad to worse for the Lakers. They’ve lost six of their last eight, and the team doesn’t look competitive. The last two have been brutal, as they’ve lost by a combined 70 points. Head coach J.J. Reddick called the 41-point loss to Miami “embarrassing,” and they are, as they have no depth beyond LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
They now have to go and play a team that looks fantastic. Atlanta has rattled off five straight, including two against the Cavaliers and one against the Bucks.
We’re seeing this offense not have to rely on Trae Young, which is what they needed. The support they are getting from De’Andre Hunter, averaging 18 points, and Jalen Johnson, at 20, has made all the difference.
Los Angeles has trouble keeping up with fast-paced offenses, and Atlanta has the shortest offensive possession length (13.3 seconds). This could be another potential blowout against the Lakers.
Pick: Hawks -5.5 (-110)