The NBA season rolls on Friday with a six-game slate, and our experts are ready with their best bets. They have picks ready for both nationally televised matchups on ESPN tonight in 76ers vs. Celtics and Nuggets vs. Suns, plus a player prop in Knicks vs. Raptors and a spread bet on Grizzlies vs. Mavericks.
Find their best bets and analysis below.
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Knicks vs. Raptors Odds
| Knicks Odds | +2 |
| Raptors Odds | -2 |
| Moneyline | +110 / -260 |
| Over/Under | 224.5 |
| Time | Friday, 7:30 p.m. ET |
| TV | NBA League Pass |
| Odds via FanDuel. Get up-to-the-minute NBA odds here. | |
Bryan Fonseca: This game might be headed for an under, but I still like this prop.
The Knicks, despite playing at a bottom-two pace, give up the eighth-most 3-point attempts per 100 possessions in the NBA at 36.6. FIBA World Cup MVP Dennis Schroder is nothing if not fearless. He’s coming off a 3-for-11 shooting display where he took just two threes, making one, in the Raptors’ Wednesday night win over the Phoenix Suns.
They get the Knicks on the second of a back-to-back, and are at home, and will be incentivized to speed up Tom Thibodeau and dem boyz — the Raps are 18th in pace, not as flat-footed as their big city rivals.
Schroder has gotten this over in two of his last three, four of his last six and five of his last eight, which followed a cold streak of him not doing it in six straight games — but this is why the prop is at 1.5.
Schroder’s hitting 36.5 percent from deep and has gotten at least five attempts up in four of his last five.
Pick: Dennis Schroder Over 1.5 3-Pointers (-120)
76ers vs. Celtics Odds
| 76ers Odds | +7 |
| Celtics Odds | -7 |
| Moneyline | +215 / -260 |
| Over/Under | 224.5 |
| Time | Friday, 7:30 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN |
| Odds via FanDuel. Get up-to-the-minute NBA odds here. | |
Chris Baker: Both of these teams rank top-5 in adjusted offensive rating while also ranking top-10 in half-court offensive rating. Each team has also played a top-10 most difficult schedule of opposing defenses so clearly these offenses aren’t fraudulent.
The Celtics have absolutely lit teams up and they aren’t even shooting the three ball well yet (16th). Boston ranks first in 3-point attempt rate, so once these shots start falling it could spell danger for the 76ers’ defense.
On the flip side, Philly ranks second in adjusted offensive rating and should have an edge around the rim as Kristaps Porzingis will be out for this one.
Al Horford has played Joel Embiid well throughout his career, but I expect Embiid to still get his. Embiid specifically rested last game for this one so expect him to come out with a lot of energy and aggression here.
The Celtics’ defensive numbers have looked fine without Porzingis but they haven’t faced a force like Embiid yet. Expect Embiid to force the Celtics into the rotations and the 76ers to score here.
I like this over at 224.5 but wouldn’t play it past 226.
Pick: Over 224.5 (-110)
Grizzlies vs. Mavericks Odds
| Grizzlies Odds | +10 |
| Mavericks Odds | -10 |
| Moneyline | +350 / -450 |
| Over/Under | 230 |
| Time | Friday, 7:30 p.m. ET |
| TV | NBA League Pass |
| Odds via FanDuel. Get up-to-the-minute NBA odds here. | |
Matt Moore: Dallas is 7-1 straight up and 6-2 ATS against the Grizzlies since the Bubble with Luka Doncic. For whatever reason, this has been a matchup they’ve dominated.
Memphis has played better as of late; its defense, in particular, has actually stabilized. But the Grizzlies’ offense is still inept due to the sheer talent available, and your bar to hang with Dallas has to be at least average offensively, even if you play great defense.
The Grizzlies are coming off a rare and feel-good win over Utah, and Dallas is 4-1 straight up and ATS vs. division opponents this season.
I’ll ride the history of Doncic dominating this team in particular.
Pick: Mavericks -9.5 (-108)
Nuggets vs. Suns Odds
| Nuggets Odds | -2 |
| Suns Odds | +2 |
| Moneyline | -126 / +108 |
| Over/Under | 225.5 |
| Time | Friday, 10 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN |
| Odds via FanDuel. Get up-to-the-minute NBA odds here. | |
Chris Baker: The Suns should be rolling out Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Grayson Allen here, and with all three of those guys in the lineup they have an elite 129.5 offensive rating but a poor 119.8 defensive rating.
The market has not realized just how awful this defense is as their season-long numbers rank them 18th in defensive rating.
The data is wonky because of how much the Suns’ lineup has fluctuated, but with Booker in the lineup they’ve been mostly awful. They rank 18th in defensive rating despite playing the easiest schedule of opposing offenses, according to dunksandthrees.com.
Eric Gordon’s and Allen’s minutes have been trending up and Josh Okogie’s have been trending down as the Suns lean into their offense-first identity.
The Nuggets are first in adjusted offensive rating but just 10th in actual offensive rating, as dunksandthrees has them playing the second-most difficult schedule of opposing defenses this season.
Keep in mind that these season-long numbers are without Jamal Murray in 11 of their 19 games.
The Nuggets’ offense is generationally good when they are healthy and the Suns’ defense might end up being historically bad if they continue to play Okogie limited minutes. The Suns have yet to play an offense that ranks top-eight in adjusted offensive rating.
Finally, this Nuggets defense hasn’t been elite to begin the year as they rank just 16th in adjusted defensive rating and have actually played the second-easiest schedule of opposing offenses.
The Suns should be able to score as long as Booker plays. Take the over 225 and play this up to 226.5.