Friday offers up an exciting slate with 10 games scheduled across the league. The Nets-Raptors tip-off first at 7:30 p.m. ET, followed by the Nuggets-Lakers at 10:00 p.m. ET on ESPN. There are a few key betting angles to breakdown in both games to make the sharpest NBA betting predictions and picks. For even more NBA picks and analysis, be sure to visit the OddsShopper tools.
Best NBA Bets Today: Game Tips & Betting Predictions
Nets-Raptors Bet
The Brooklyn Nets are set to take on the Raptors in Toronto on Friday night. These two squads are very familiar with each other having faced off three times this season with the Nets taking home the victory in all three matchups. While it is difficult to beat an opponent four times in a row in the same season, we are looking at two teams trending in opposite directions. The Nets come into this one winners of four straight and eight of their last nine games overall. Toronto has lost three straight, including back-to-back losses to Orlando. Even if Toronto can tighten up their defensive efforts, do not expect them to come out raining buckets on Brooklyn.
Brooklyn is coming off three days’ rest after beating the Wizards 112-100 in Washington on Monday. Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant and Ben Simmons are starting to find a rhythm, ranking 6th in offensive rating over the last five games. Most importantly, Simmons is finally contributing on a nightly basis and the spotlight seems to be moving away from his every move. The Nets have seen improvements on the defensive end of the floor with Simmons on the court. Brooklyn is allowing 110.9 points to opponents, which is ninth fewest in the league. The Nets rank 3rd in effective field goal percentage over the last 10 games while Toronto ranks 27th, giving Brooklyn a huge edge on offense.
Toronto is struggling right now, in large part due to their shooting. The Raptors are playing solid defense holding opponents to 110.5 points per game and rank 11th in defensive rating on the season. They will have a tough test going up against a Brooklyn squad that shoots the ball well, ranking 2nd in team field goal percentage (49.9%). Toronto’s biggest issue is that they do not have enough offensive weapons. Toronto is averaging 111.3 points per game – 19th in the league. They thrive off second chance scoring opportunities ranking third on the season with 17.4 points per game. Brooklyn will have to secure the ball after missed shots if they want to keep the Raptors from getting easy second chance opportunities. Toronto will be without OG Anunoby (hip), Precious Achiuwa (ankle) and Otto Porter Jr. (toe) for Friday’s contest.
The Nets are being backed heavily by the public, but do not let that shy you away from backing Brooklyn in this one. The Raptors are just 2-6 against the spread in their last eight games. Brooklyn just beat the Raptors by nine points on Dec. 2 in a game where Durant only had 17 points. Durant has been on fire since their last matchup and expect him to continue that hot streak tonight. The Raptors will have to rely on their other role players to pick up the slack on the offensive end, which will be tough keeping up with the offensive fire power of Irving and Durant. The Nets have won all three meetings this season and covered the spread in each matchup. Have confidence in backing the Nets with the points on the road in Toronto on Friday.
Best Nets-Raptors NBA Bet: Brooklyn Nets Moneyline
Nuggets-Lakers Bet
The Denver Nuggets take on the Los Angeles Lakers Friday inside Crypto.com Arena. The Nuggets have won three-straight games and are coming off a huge offensive performance putting up 141 points at home in their win over the Wizards on Wednesday. The Lakers have lost four of their last five games and are coming off an exhausting overtime loss at home against the Boston Celtics on Tuesday. Tonight, will be the third matchup between these two teams this season with the series tied 1-1. Friday’s game total is the second-highest total on the board set at 238 points. The total has finished under 238 points in six of their last eight matchups. Follow this trend and take the Under-game total on Friday.
Nikola Jokic is putting up impressive numbers to start the 2022-23 campaign averaging nearly a triple-double with 24.6 points, 10.3 rebounds and 9 assists per game. Michael Porter Jr. (heel) will sit for the 11th straight game. Jamal Murray is progressing, but he is not back to his prior levels of efficiency. Murray recorded just 5 points on 2-6 shooting from the field in over 30 minutes on Wednesday. The Nuggets rank seventh in offense rating averaging 116 points per game. This number is slightly down on the road, averaging 114.1 points per game. Their struggles have come on the defense side of the floor. The Nuggets allow 114.3 points per game on 48.9% shooting from the field (29th).
The Lakers have turned things around after an ugly 2-10 start to the season. Exceptional play from Anthony Davis has helped spark this Lakers turnaround. Davis is averaging 33.7 points in December, and if you take away the game versus the Cavs where he only played 8 minutes, he is averaging a whooping 40.2 points per game! He will have a tough matchup against Jokic, so anticipate some regression from Davis on Friday. The Lakers enter tonight’s matchup on two days’ rest, a spot where they hold a 1-3 over/under record with an average margin of -16.3 points to the closing line. If the Lakers do not get support for players outside of Davis and LeBron, expect the Nuggets to take home the victory on Friday.
In the first matchup, the total closed at 230.5 and went well under finishing at 209 points. Their next game, the total closed at 229 and went over by two points. At 238 points, this line feels a few buckets too high. Only two of the last seven games for the Nuggets have finished with more than 238 points. This will be a sweaty one but have confidence in taking the Under game total in Friday’s showdown.
Best Nuggets-Lakers NBA Bet: Game Total UNDER 238 Points
